Tokaj

Tokaj (or Tokay), a town of Hungary, in the county of Zemplen, 148 m. E.N.E. of Budapest by rail. Pop. (1900), 5104. It is situated at the confluence of the Bodrog with the Theiss, and gives its name to the famous Tokay wine. Tokaj lies at the foot of the Hegyalja Mountains, which stretch to the north and north-west of the town, between the rivers Hernad and Bodrog, for a distance of about 60 m. as far north as Eperjes. The northern part of the range is also called Sovar Mountains. These mountains, which have in the northern part an altitude of 2700 ft., slope down towards the south-east near Tokaj in a hilly plateau of about 1500 ft. altitude, where the vineyard region is situated. This vineyard region covers an area of about 135 sq. m., and belongs to 21 adjoining communities. The soil is of volcanic origin (trachyte). The principal places where the wine is produced are Tarczal, Talya, Mad, Liszka, Tokaj, Tolcsva, Sarospatak, Keresztur, and Zsadany. The yearly production averages 5,000,000 gallons. It is believed that the vine was introduced into this region by colonists from Italy and Morea in 1241.