2025-08-05

At BOR 2025, Péter Molnár of Patricius Winery brings 25 years of dedication to Tokaj’s historic terroirs and noble sweet wines. In this interview, he shares his vision for establishing Aszú and Szamorodni on the international stage, explains what distinguishes these two iconic styles, and reflects on why Tokaji remains a compelling gastronomic and cultural offering—one that rewards nuance, terroir, and patient appreciation.

You have been shaping Patricius ever since its foundation in 2000. What was your vision at the outset, particularly with regard to establishing Tokaj’s sweet wines as globally renowned classics? Has that vision changed?

Thanks to its outstanding climatic, geological, historical, viticultural and oenological features, Tokaj wine occupies a strong and unique position in the world of wine. When it comes to sweet wines, our goal from the outset has been to showcase this character through Patricius wines, relying on the potential of our terroirs. Patricius’ sweet wines are renowned for their balance, elegance and fine minerality.

It’s often said that high-quality sweet wines face serious market challenges. From your perspective, has this situation changed since the early 2000s?

I believe that there is a niche market for high-end natural sweet wines. This market already exists, and I don’t see any signs of the trend in gastronomy declining. Top restaurants are including Tokaji Aszú wines on their lists and offering creative pairings with meals, which is increasing interest in these wines. As the number of excellent Tokaji Aszú producers increases, so does our reach.

You’ll be presenting on Tokaj’s sweet wines at BOR 2025. What reactions do you hope to evoke among international sommeliers and wine buyers?

Our aim is to provide updated and diverse information and draw their attention to Tokaji wines. Customers are increasingly looking for local produce when buying wine and making gastronomic choices. Thanks to the indigenous grape varieties and the minerality of the terroir, these wines are unique and can be paired with a variety of dishes from different countries.

With more and more producers taking Szamorodni seriously, how would you explain its differences from Aszú, especially in terms of taste and food pairing?

During the harvest, we carefully select bunches for Szamorodni wines that contain botrytised, partly botrytised and overripe berries. The bunches are then processed and the berries macerated on the skins for 12–14 hours. For Aszú wines, the botrytised berries are picked one by one and collected. During winemaking, the base juice/wine is poured onto the Aszú berries and left to macerate for a longer time — at least 24 hours. The minimum obligatory barrel ageing period for Tokaji Aszú is one year longer than for Sweet Szamorodni.

Thus, Szamorodni wines tend to have fresher, fruitier aromas, while elegant Aszú wines have a nicely aged character that still shows the unique aromas of the Aszú berries. Both wines offer so much more than just being dessert wines. Due to their rich background and the different layers of their aromas, they can be matched with a wide range of new gastronomic creations.

Looking ahead to the next decade, what are your main goals for Patricius?

We have a presence in more than twenty countries worldwide. We would like to increase our market share in countries where there is interest in Patricius wines. As we have done for the past 25 years, we want to collaborate with top restaurants in every country to strengthen our presence and to showcase the potential of our wines in gastronomy.