CleverRoot

| t h e c l e v e r r o o t | t h e c l e v e r r o o t "Dry Furmint is already a superstar in Europe," Joseph professes. "I think they'll be a great addition to our wine list. We're providing something truly unique to our clientele. I'm very proud that we'll be the first to introduce Mád wines to Toronto." Mád Furmint made its debut in the States, imported by Vinum Tokaj International LLC and distributed exclusively in North America by Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Recognizing the passion and dedication of the Szepsys and Károly Kovács, co-owner of the winery, to produce these rising wines—working closely with Eniko" Magyar, Project Director of Wines of Excellence, as well as U.S. importer and market builder Attila Balla, President of Vinum Tokaj International— The Tasting Panel supports The Somm Journal's initiative in declaring 2017 The Year of Furmint—a unique, quality-driven, site-specific and gastronomic beauty of a white wine. Praise for MÁD FURMINT from around the World "Great, clean, emphatic fruit weight and fine acidity. Great, finely edged preci- sion. Really interesting, distinctive wine with structure, potential and length." —Jancis Robinson Master of Wine, wine critic, journalist and wine writer "I like MÁD dry FURMINT because it has the true taste of Tokaj region's spe- cial volcanic soils, with excellent acidity, minerality and finesse. It is great value and has a memorable name and label . . . all important for selling to my custom- ers. Last but not least, it is different; my customers (and I) like "different" wines! —Paul Liversedge, Master of Wine, Real Wines, Switzerland "The MÁD FURMINT is one of the few wines where quality of wine matches the great packaging. It struck in the early vintages because of the texture and it was so easy on the palate. Great charac- ter and value for money, too. The wines won in the recent year more followers and gained a lifted fresher style. Much to my liking, it remained a good companion to many styles of cooking, from tradi- tional to modern." —Jan Konetzki, Director of Wine, Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, London "By tasting a MÁD FURMINT our guests receive the quality they expect from the name 'Tokaj.' —Tamás Mikula, Sommelier, Al Mahara Restaurant, Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai "MÁD FURMINT is a very good introduction to dry Furmint or even to Hungarian white wine without compro- mising quality. Lots of people are still unaware of Furmint's style as well as its potential; Mád is the best possible wine to make them taste it! Guests in my restaurant are always pleased with the balance and structure of this wine." —Ram C. Chhethri, Certified Sommelier– Wine Procurement Analyst, Gordon Ramsay Group/Bread Street Kitchen, London Dry by Tokaj Is Set to Conquer U.S. Retail Chains As a pioneer in producing and representing Hungarian village-level wines, Mad Wine has been working together with U.S. importer and brand builder Vinum Tokaj International LLC and the Tokaj region's biggest producer, Grand Tokaj winery, to develop the first regional-level dry Furmint for international markets. Grand Tokaj is the leading Hungarian winemaker under state ownership, a guardian and protector of national winemaking traditions in its position as the largest winery in the historical Tokaj-Hegyalja Wine Region. Formerly operating under the name Tokaj Kereskedo"ház, the winery set off on the path of renewal in 2013, as part of the company's fresh commitment to the production of quality wines. Accounting for some 40 percent of the region's total wine production, as an integrating force in the region, it purchases grapes from more than 1,400 small growers working some 1,150 hectares (2,841 acres) of cropland. A storage tank facility of 66,000 hectolitres capacity was opened in 2014, providing the winery the technological conditions necessary to produce wine of international standards. A bottling plant with an annual capacity of 10 million bottles is also structurally complete. Reflecting a new spirit of winemaking and co-operation, new release Dry by Tokaj Furmint was prepared under the guidance of István Szepsy Jr. and Károly Áts, who has been the company's chief enologist since 2013, working formerly with Royal Tokaji Wine Company. "I was born in a wine region I regard as a miracle," says Áts. "This is my homeland. I was born into a family where my father and mother taught me to respect and love nature." With almost a quarter of a century of experience as a winemaker, the choice of wine region in which to pursue his career was never in doubt. Naturally, wine can be made elsewhere, but what Áts has always desired is to show the true capabilities of Tokaj. And he has proven successful in this endeavor, as the many facets of the Tokaj region and the special character of its historical terroirs can genuinely be felt through his wines. The market and brand builders of Furmint, Enikö Magyar and Attila Balla. Dry by Tokaj is the first regional-level dry Furmint. PHOTO: FERENC DANCSECS 3 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t

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