Hungary, both on the ground of quality and quantity, is undoubtedly entitled to take high rank among the wine-producing countries of the world.
As in the case of the Rheingau, it is supposed that the vine was introduced here some time during the third century, and the monks of the Middle Ages are credited with having given special attention to its growth and development. History is unfortunately silent as to the particular varieties of wine which the old Abbots and Priors stored in their capacious cellars, but there is reason to believe that the famous Tokay was not unknown, and that it was as much appreciated by the jovial bons vivants of those days as it has been ever since.
This wonderful wine, with a halo of tradition surrounding it, and commanding higher prices than almost any other wine in the world, is made from the juice which exudes from the finest over-ripe grapes, and it is considered to have almost magical effects as a restorative in cases of extreme illness. The finest quality is not, however, produced in any quantity, and it is practically unobtainable from ordinary sources. Travellers in German towns should especially beware of the flasks of thick liquid sold as Tokay in the small grocers shops. Like the sham Eau-de-Cologne and the poisonous “Cognac purveyed to guileless tourists on the quays of Rotterdam and Boulogne, this detestable syrup is simply made to sell. Its makers are wholesale chemists, whose crowning act of impudence is to adorn the “Tokay” labels with the legend, In vino veritas. In extenuation of their ill-doing they plead that the mixture does truly contain some useful medicaments. This may be so, but the sugariness of bogus Tokay is very different from the sweetness of the genuine article and must go a long way towards neutralizing any beneficial effects which might flow from the vaunted drugs. In short, authentic Tokay is so rare that only the most honourable wine-merchants should be entrusted with one’s commission to obtain it.
Of the other wines of Hungary the best known red ones are Carlowitz, Erlauer and Other, and of the white, Somlau and Oldenburg. They possess respectively a certain resemblance to Burgundy and Hock, but usually have rather more body and strength. Immense quantities of wine are produced in this country, and the best qualities may be considered, dietetically, as filling an important place in our list of beverages.
