The term "Tokay Wine" is associated by the connoisseur with a wine of extreme fineness of character and of superior excellence. It is, however, not really a wine in the ordinary sense of that term, since the real Tokay is more of a liqueur, in this sense resembling the famous Chateau Yquem.

There are two principal kinds of Tokay wine, one an extremely concentrated variety, called Tokay Essence, and the other a much less concentrated wine, called Tokay Ausbruch. The latter is the wine in general use, the Tokay Essence being generally used to mix with Tokay Ausbruch.

The analyses of the two forms of Tokay wine, taken from the work of Koenig, follow:

Tokay Essence

Tokay Ausbruch

It is seen that the Essence is only a partly fermented wine, the greater part of the sugar remaining still in its natural state.

If the whole of the sugar in the Tokay Essence were fermented the Essence would have almost, if not quite, 20 percent of alcohol. In the Tokay Ausbruch it is noticed that the fermentation has gone much further than in the Tokay Essence - the alcohol has been increased and the sugar diminished.

The grapes which are used in the manufacture of Tokay wine are chiefly produced by the variety known as Hungarian Blue.

In another sense the manufacture of Tokay wine resembles that of the Chateau Yquem, since the grapes are allowed to remain very late on the vines - until they are dry and somewhat shriveled. The vintage usually takes place about the end of October.

The ripe, somewhat shriveled grapes, in the process of manufacture, are placed upon a grooved table. These grapes, before being placed on the table are mashed, and the juice that runs naturally from them is used for making the Tokay Essence wine. Naturally, the quantity thus produced is very small, and it is considered of the highest value. After all the juice has run out that is possible, the grapes are again trodden in the vat with the naked feet and the small portion of the essence which has been extracted as above described is added to the must and the whole allowed to ferment. When the fermentation is completed the wine is pressed from the grapes and forms the famous Tokay Wine, or Tokay Ausbruch. During the fermentation, which takes a number of days, according to the temperature, the must is kept constantly stirred and the skums which rise to the top are removed. In separating the wine from the pomace too much pressure is not to be used; in fact, the most of the wine runs away under the force of gravity alone.

Tokay wine is never as brilliant as the ordinary red wines of commerce. On account of the large quantity of extract which it contains it remains more or less cloudy, even when perfectly finished. The presence of this extraneous matter doubtless adds much to the wonderful bouquet and aroma which this wine possesses. It has a soft and oily taste, with a very astringent effect, due to the presence of large quantities of tannin extracted from the skins and seeds.

So-called Tokay wines are sometimes made in other countries, and especially in the United States; but they have none of the properties of the genuine article and are not even a type of that article. There is not much uniformity in the composition of the so-called domestic Tokay wines. They usually have from 16 to 20 percent of alcohol, from 8 to 12 percent of solids, from 6 to 10 percent of invert sugar - that is, sugar of the grape, and from 0.2 to 0.3 percent of ash. The quantity of acid ranges from four to six parts per thousand. It is undoubtedly a violation of the proprieties to call a domestic wine "Tokay," either directly or by implication.