Keresztur Tokaji

Nestled in the rolling volcanic hills of Tokaj-Hegyalja, the Gróf Degenfeld Wine Estate & Castle Hotel unites more than 150 years of aristocratic winemaking with a deep respect for nature and a forward-looking use of modern technology. Since 2009, its 35 hectares of vines have been farmed under certified organic rules: self-made compost feeds the soil, and vineyard treatments are kept to a strict minimum to preserve biodiversity.

A Legendary Terroir with a Living Heritage

The estate’s parcels lie around the historic village of Tarcal and nearby Bodrogkeresztúr (known in Yiddish as Kerestir), a place of great significance to Ashkenazi and Chassidic Jews. Before the Shoah, many of Tokaj’s finest cellars were Jewish-owned, their wines prized in royal courts from Vienna to St Petersburg. Pilgrims still flock each year to No. 67 Kossuth Utca, the home of Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner ZT”L – Reb Shaya’la M’Kerestirer – whose legacy of boundless hospitality echoes across the surrounding vineyards.

Native Grapes & “Noble Rot”

Furmint, Hárslevelű, and Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat) form the core of Degenfeld’s plantings, complemented by Kövérszőlő, Zéta, and Kabar. When autumn brings misty mornings and breezy afternoons, Botrytis cinerea, the celebrated “noble rot”, gently dehydrates the berries, concentrating sugars and weaving layers of honey, dried apricot, and exotic spice around Tokaj’s hallmark acidity. The botrytised Aszú berries are hand-picked over several passes, an exacting process that slashes yields but gives the region’s sweet wines their incomparable depth.

From Late-Harvest to Iconic Aszú

Alongside classic Szamorodni and Aszú (three to six puttonyos and beyond), the Degenfeld family produces the kosher Keresztúr Tokaji range, vinified and bottled under strict rabbinical supervision:

– Keresztúr Tokaji Late Harvest – Picked in late October, this naturally sweet white brims with peach compote and candied orange peel.
– Keresztúr Tokaji Late Harvest Oak-Aged Private Reserve – Aged in Hungarian oak, it layers ginger, toasted hazelnut, and a subtle tannic grip that rewards cellaring yet is irresistibly delicious today.

Hospitality in Grand Style

Housed in a neo-Renaissance château built in 1872 and crowned “Hungary’s Most Beautiful Winery” in 2019, the estate welcomes guests with elegant rooms, a zero-kilometre gourmet restaurant, and a spectacular labyrinth of tufa-hewn cellars, ideal for vertical tastings amid silent rows of resting bottles.

Blending aristocratic legacy, cultural memory, and rigorous sustainability, Gróf Degenfeld stands at the forefront of Tokaj’s modern renaissance, offering wines that pour the sweetness of history and the strength of place into every glass.