Vines, believed to be indigenous to the region, were first cultivated in Tokaj during Roman times. Hungary was invaded by the Mongols in 1241. The cellars which are such a feature of the region were built during this turbulent period.

The Ottoman Turks conquered much of what is now Hungary during the 16^th Century. The well-defended Tokaj Region was never fully occupied but subject to raids and the threat of invasion throughout this period. Legend has it that at some stage during this time, the Tokaj vineyards were left un-harvested due to the Turkish threat. When the populous returned the grapes had shrivelled and the concentration of sugar and acidity was remarked upon, so the world's first noble late harvest dessert wine was made.

However, the actual techniques for Tokaji Aszú production were not developed until the 1630's. The wines for which the region is famous result from skilful application of winemaking techniques developed in Tokaj nearly 400 years ago and passed from generation to generation, despite the trauma of wars, famine and political change.

The name Aszú means desiccated in Hungarian - Europe’s most complex language. The actual vinification process for Aszú wines was first developed by Abbot Szepsi Laczkó Máté (1576-1633) in 1631, for Zsuzsanna Lórántffy, who was the consort to Prince György Rákóczi I (Prince of Transylvania from 1630 to 1648).

The oldest bottle of true 'Aszú' wine held in Crown Estates unique Museum Cellars dates back to the 1680's. The Tokaj-Hegyalja region was amongst the first vineyard areas in the world to be subject to formal regulation in 1641. Hungary was liberated from the Turks in 1686, with assistance from the Austrian Habsburgs.

The Transilvanian patriot and defender of the region, Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II, (1676 -1735) recognised the unique quality of Aszú wine and used the proceeds from Tokaji wine sales to finance his freedom fights. After his final defeat in 1715, by Imperial decree, the Rákóczi family’s Szarvas vineyard became Hungarian Crown property.

Detailed classification of vineyards occurred in 1737, after the Habsburgs had exerted their supremacy. At this time, the Szarvas Estate (now owned by Crown Estates) was granted exceptional ‘First Great Growth’ classification, which it retains to this day.

In 1741 Szarvas became part of the Hungarian estate of Archduchess Maria Theresa, the only female Habsburg monarch, on her coronation as Queen of Hungary. She was presented with the Golden Deer casket (Szarvas means deer and the deer has an Aszú berry in its mouth) now exhibited in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest.

By the late 18^th Century the fame of the region had spread and Tokaji Aszú wines had become highly prized throughout Europe. Russian Tsars stationed a garrison there to protect the ' wine the price and colour of gold'. Louis XIV of France is credited with naming the 'liquid gold' as it was known locally, as the 'King of wines, wine of Kings'.

Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph sent a gift of Tokaji to Queen Victoria for each birthday. Consisting of a dozen bottles for each year, in 1900 on her penultimate and 81^st Birthday she received 972 bottles. History does not relate how many bottles survived.

In 2000, to celebrate the 100^th Birthday of the British Queen Mother, the Hungarian Government and Crown Estates of Hungary sent a gift of a rare bottle of 1900 Aszú wine, from the collection of antique wines held in their Museum Cellar.

The Tokaj-Hegyalja region is located among the Zemplén hills (the most visible is the Tokaj Mountain, overlooking the town of Tokaj), rising out of the Great Hungarian Plain. Essential moisture for development of botrytis (noble rot) is generated by the Bodrog river, as it meanders across the plain. Vineyards are situated on the southern, south-eastern and south-western slopes and absorb the all important late Autumn sun.

The brown forest soils, formed on volcanic ash, produce wines with high acid and extract which mature slowly and thus can be kept without deterioration for many years. Vineyards at 150-200m above sea level produce the best wine (above 120m the frequency of early autumn and winter frosts is less than on the lower slopes).

The 6000 hectare Tokaj-Hegyalja region covers a total of 28 towns and villages (as defined in the 1980 Wine Act)

Only wines grown in the vineyards that surround these settlements under strict conditions laid down in legislation can carry the Tokaji name.

The local microclimate is essential for the production of raisin-like Aszú grapes (also called Aszú berries). The best sites are the most susceptible to the onset of botrytis or 'noble rot'. The Tokaj-Hegyalja has the latest harvest in Hungary, starting in mid October - completed by mid November with the delayed harvest of the Aszú berries.

Historically a range of vines were grown in the region but phyloxera led to dominance of three varieties: Furmint (70% of area), Hárslevelű (meaning Lime Leaf - 25%) and Muscat Lunel (5%). The two main varieties define the character of Tokaji wine but: Furmint yields a higher proportion of Aszú berries than the fuller bodied Hárslevelű.