Tokaj tuff cellars

The Tokaj wine-growing region provides exceptional conditions for growing vines, processing grapes and maturing fine wines . The basis of this unique environment is volcanic tuff. Light tuff soils are ideal for vine roots, and tuff cellars provide perfect conditions for aging wine in barrels.

Tokaj tuff cellars are specific in their ability to "breathe". Unlike ordinary cellars, they have a higher temperature (around 10°C) and lower humidity (90%). Porous tuff makes it possible to excavate high corridors and domes, so that wines can be tasted comfortably without feeling cold.

The network of corridors and cellars of the Ostrožovič winery is located 13 meters below Tokajský dom. Their guardian is a statue of King Belo IV , considered the father of Tokaj viticulture. After the Tatar invasions in 1241, which depopulated the south of Slovakia, the Hungarian king Belo IV brought Italian wine masters to Tokaj. They recognized the potential of the sunny slopes and established a tradition that continues to this day. King Belo IV. he made Tokaj wines famous all over the world and that is why he was entrusted with the protection of this precious underground.

The Tokaj cellars are excavated deep in the volcanic tuff and form extensive corridors that can reach several kilometers in length. Most of them were created already in the 16th and 17th centuries. They are characterized by a constant microclimate with high humidity and a temperature of around 10-12°C. The walls of the cellars are covered by the microscopic fungus Zasmidium cellare, which regulates the air humidity. In such an environment, Tokaj wines mature for several years, thanks to which they acquire their complexity and roundness of taste.