Some wine regions are famous for a grape. Tokaj is famous for rot. Here in north-eastern Hungary, where the volcanic Zemplén hills meet the Great Plain and the Bodrog flows into the Tisza, autumn mists from the rivers encourage noble rot on the grapes, shrivelling them and concentrating their sugar. The berries, picked one by one, become aszú, and the sweet wine made from them has been celebrated for centuries. A line attributed to Louis XIV calls it the wine of kings and the king of wines.
The region is a UNESCO cultural landscape, and its villages are full of cellars dug deep into the volcanic tuff, some of them labyrinths stretching for kilometres, their walls covered in a thick black mould that helps regulate humidity. Furmint and Hárslevelű are the main grapes, and alongside the sweet aszú, the region now produces excellent dry whites.
The riding is gentle and pleasant rather than demanding. Roads wind between vineyards and villages along the edge of the hills, with views across the flat plain to the south. The road up the Tokaj hill offers a fine panorama. North of the region, the Zemplén mountains have quieter forest roads with more bends, leading towards the Slovak border. Summer can be hot, autumn is the most beautiful season with the harvest and the mists, and spring brings fresh green to the vines. Watch for slow agricultural traffic and for potholes on minor roads.
Tokaj town, six kilometres away, has fuel and services, and its main street is lined with cellars and wine shops where you can taste before you buy. Tarcal itself has a few restaurants and wineries offering tastings. Remember that Hungary has a zero tolerance policy on alcohol for drivers, so taste only when your riding is done for the day, or buy bottles to take home. The confluence of the rivers at Tokaj is lovely in the evening, with fishermen on the banks and herons over the water.