How Rotten Grapes Become Hungarys Transcendent Tokaji Wine

- [Narrator] This story starts in Hungary, land of hot baths, daredevil horsemen and some very funky sweet wine. This guy, loves rocks. He has over 21 different types. He believes these volcanic rocks are what makes his wine
taste the best in the world.

Tokaji is known as Hungary's
world famous sweet wine country. It produces wine so
famous that it was dubbed, King of Wines by none
other than King Louis XV. - [Man] Hmm, delicious. - [Narrator] Istvan's
family has been making sweet wines in the region since the 1500s, making him the 16th
generation in his family.

And this is where Istvan's rocks come in. His vineyards are on top of over 30 layers of mineral rich soils created
by ancient volcanic activity, making them perfect for
big fat grapes like these. So there's these rocks and
then there's the rotten part. You see, there's a secret
to making sweet wine.

Those big juicy grapes
need to contain fungus called, Botrytis, otherwise
known as Noble Rot. Once the grapes are
infected with Botrytis, they shrivel up and turn
dry, making them extra sweet. After the harvest, the
infected grapes are pressed and fermented in wooden barrels. What comes out is a glass of sweet wine, well, fit for a king.

- [Man] Merci. - [Narrator] To rocks and
fungus and sweet wine, cheers..