Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/735024
{ SOMMjournal.com } 7 water finally cut through the mountains. At the line of Bodrog River a tectonic crack emerged, and two plates were in friction; one was sinking, and one was rising." Volcanic eruptions over millennia and hydrothermal activity, some of which took place while Hungary was still submerged underwater, created cycles of heating and cooling that are responsible, in part, for the permeability of these soils. The Zemplén mountain chain, which forms the backbone of the region contain, the remnant cones of some 411 formerly active volcanoes; in Mád alone there are 29 peaks. "This combination of soils can be found nowhere else in the world. This is why the sweet wines are drinkable in Tokaj: not because of their acidity, but because of the soils," Mr. Szepsy says. Pauses his history lesson long enough to pour me the István Szepsy 2015 Betsek Furmint. It's minerally and structured, especially on the back pal - ate; a crushed stone and calcareous base lie well below musky notes of mango, orange crème, granulated honey and smoke that emerge as the wine warms up. "We started to buy parcels on those slopes where I knew or suspected that these layers exist," says Szepsy. Sites surrounding Mád are predomi - nantly a mix of andesite and rhyolitic tuff (pronounced toof). But there are pockets— entire slopes—of pure perlite and porous zeolite and others with more weighty soils like kaolin clay, bentonite or loess. Mád itself lies within a basin, and vine - yards form a semi-circle around it. Crus at lower elevations sit beneath the fog line. Morning fog created by the confluence of the nearby Bogrog and Tisza rivers are critical for the formation of the botrytis necessary in the production of Aszú. The new site that István Szepsy Jr. planted over the summer is perched well above the fog line, planted in Furmint clones slated to make the dry style of wine that will come to dominate the region. As we stand amid the healthy young vines, King's Vineyard is visible below, one of the most prized blocks devoted to the production of Aszú. "I've spent my life in the vineyards, and you see that one vine behaves differently from the other, and some are not so fat, and some leaves are smaller, the nodes are shorter and the flowering earlier. The ques - tion was and still is, how can we identify those parcels where the grapes and the vine will have the aroma and structure we're looking for? In the end, we selected 24 terroirs; most are on the hilltops. We have 62 hectares, and another 15 we're for preparing for planting." Mr. Szepsy then pours the 2015 Furmint from the Uragya, more linear and acid- driven than the Betsek, resplendent with notes of almond, lemon curd, linden blos - som and wild mint. Uragya, he says, was the vineyard that convinced him of the potential of a dry-style Furmint. "In 2000, something happened. We made some dry wine for another winery; the two brands were parallel. This dry wine was astonish - ing; it was from a late harvest, and it was very, very complex. This was the moment when I thought, why not? We made our first dry wines in 2003 under the Szepsy label. Now we are harvesting much earlier. This was the most drastic change in 2015; we start harvest in early September for the sparkling wines and dry Furmint. The introduction of dry-style white wines, mostly Furmint and some a blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű, marks a significant change for Tokaj; these wines are ushering in a new era—a second golden age. Tokaj has survived the ravages of phylloxera, war (Hungary was four times larger than it is now, following World War I) economic cri - sis and nearly five decades of Communism; these took a toll on smallholders' vineyards and all but eradicated wine quality. István and his son have worked tirelessly to restore both vineyards and quality of the wines. Certainly, following my meeting with the family, I not only understood why Mr. Szepsy is the Aszú king, I also understood why this new dry wine style, with all of its integrity, complexity and mineral crisp - ness, is poised to make an entrance on the world's stage. In addition to the Szepsy label, István Szepsy Jr. makes elegant dry Furmints under the Szent Tamás and MÁD labels. The wines are imported by Vinum Tokaj International. Coming from a family that has always made history—the first Aszú wine was produced by Lackó Máté Szepsy in the Middle Ages, and the first vineyard-selected dry Furmint wine was produced by his father—István Szepsy Jr. has created since 2011 the first village-level dry Furmint of the region: MÁD. The strictly controlled vineyards of the integrated area are cultivated by more than hundred local families to provide the finest grapes. Preserving old vines, strict yield control, carefully selected Furmint clones and healthy, manually picked grapes—these fac - tors assure that only fine fruit arrives at the winery, where the gentle pressing and the temperature-controlled fermentation preserve fresh and lively character in MÁD Furmint. István Szepsy Jr. is creating wines that tell the story of the historic village of Mád and of the Furmint variety. Soon, he may become known as "Mr. Furmint." Breaking news: Mád Furmint 2015 was just awarded a Gold Medal at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. István Szepsy Sr. discussing geology and rhyolitic tuff. PHOTO: FERENC DANCSECS MÁD Furmint: Innovation Meets Heritage