OUR PRODUCTION AREAS
Betsek is one of the oldest vineyards in Mád. The vineyard is presumably named after the Becskedi family, residents of Karcsa village. As a matter of fact, one of the members of the family, Becsked (Bechked), served as a vice-castellan in Tokaj in the 1420’s and the 1430’s. During this period he could have got hold of this vine-growing area next to Mád. In 1434 he came into sharp conflict with the Szerdahelyi family of Zemplén county, after – along with Mihály Gezdi, castellan of Tokaj and his tributary noblemen – he raid the Szerdahelyi estates.
Because of this incident, King Sigismund of Luxembourg (1387-1437) ordered a long judicial inquiry, which was conducted in Becsked’s estate in Mád in 1435. The litigation took many years, and, as far as we know, no judgement was rendered in the case. The name of the vineyard occurred countless times in written sources during the 17th century in Betsek, Becsked, Bechek, Bechked, Becsked, Beöczeök, Beczked, Böczk, Böczök, Betske forms as well.
Despite the medieval origins, the first direct mention of the Betsek vineyard took place in the year of 1600 when Pál Semjén, resident of Gönc litigated with his neighbours over his vineyard inheritance in Kis and Nagy Betsek. At the same time, the owner of the biggest part of the Betsek was the Alaghy family in the early 17th century. After the extinction of the male line of this aristocratic family, the Rákóczi family acquired the former Alaghy vineyards in the Betsek after lengthy litigation in 1635. After the failure of the so-called Wesselényi Plot in 1670 the Rákóczi family pawned Betsek vineyards to Cardinal György Szelepcsényi (1595−1685), Archbishop of Esztergom, and then, after nearly three decades, the family redeemed them from the cardinal’s heirs. After the defeat of the Rákóczi War of Independence these vineyards came into the possession of Orczy and Szirmay families, and remained so until the mid-20th century.
Very little information is available to historical research on Boda vineyard on the outskirts of Sátoraljaújhely . Despite this, it is an undeniable fact that the vineyard has a proven medieval origin. Originally the vineyard belonged to the Magas-hegy (High-hill) of Sátoraljaújhely. The first written source refers to it as Mogosheg in 1336.
Then most of the vineyards of the hill were owned by the Saint Giles and Holy Virgin Mary Paulite Monastery of Sátoraljaújhely. In addition, several families of Sátoraljaújhely possessed vineyards on the hill in the second half of the 14th century. One of these magistrate and official families was the Boda family. The first appearance of the Boda name in the documents was in 1395 in connection with a plot of vineyard left by will to the Paulite monastery. (i.e. The said tract of land was neighbouring with the vineyard of magistrate István Boda.)
By the end of the 15th century, the owners of the Boda vineyard were exclusively the Paulites. After the Reformation it became the property of the protestant preachers of Sátoraljaújhely. Then the next time Boda vineyard was mentioned in the sources was only in the years of 1686 and 1687, referred to as tithe land: its holders that time were poorer residents of Sátoraljaújhely. Later on, in the 18-19th centuries this estate structure was typical on Boda, and actually remained so until the mid- 20th century.
An old vineyard in Mád village, probably of medieval origin. The original name was Holtvölgy (Dead Valley) and its variations (Hóttvölgy or Hótvölgy) referring to the burial place of the destroyed Öszöd village. Somehow the original name malformed in the turn of the16-17th centuries, so the land has nothing to do with the celestial body. The Holdvölgy area was parcelled at the end of the 17th century, and thus Lower, Middle and Upper Holdvölgy were distinguished.
Despite the medieval origins, the first written reference to the Holdvölgy occurred only on 20th July 1607, on the occasion of a debate over vineyard inheritance. According to the document Pál Patzos, a Mád resident, vetoed the decision of the magistrate of Mád, thus preventing András Sipos, another Mád resident, from obtaining a plot of land in Holdvölgy. Generally speaking, in the 17th century the vineyard owners in Holdvölgy were mostly Mád and Tállya citizens, but large areas were in the possession of Rozsnya, Szepes and Gönc residents as well. In the period following the Rákóczi War of Independence (1703-1711) the estate structure of the Holdvölgy changed significantly: the impoverished smallholders sold their vineyards to aristocrats.
So by around 1720 the aristocratic Orczy family became the largest landowner in Holdvölgy.
Kakas is a historic vineyard in Bodrogkeresztúr of proven medieval origin, also known as Kakashegye (in the form of in promontorio Kakashegie) . The name refers to the Kakas family from Upper Northern Hungary, who owned the hillside of vineyards in the 14th and15th centuries. The fragmentation of the vineyards started in the 15th and 16th centuries. The first known mention of the hill dates back to this period, when in 1507 the vicar of Bodrogkeresztúr, named Kelemen, endowed the Virgin Mary Paulite monastery of Sajólád with a large plot of land in Kakas as a gracious donation. This transaction was approved by the Szapolyai family, landowners of Tokaj-Hegyalja of that time, and exempted the Paulites from the obligation to pay wine tithe (in Latin: quinta). At the same time, until the first third of the 16th century, the Saint Anthony Carthusian monastery of Lehnice (now Slovakia), also had an ample plot of vineyards in Kakas but their estates were soon attached to the domain of Tokaj in the 1540 ‘s.
From the mid-16th century, the most significant possessors of the Kakas were the Tokaj Castle Demesne and the Roman Catholic parish of Bodrogkeresztúr. At the advent of the Reformation the most prestigious owners of the vineyards were the Protestant preachers of Bodrogkeresztúr, while the Tokaj Castle Demesne gave over large areas to Bodrogkeresztúr Market Town Council, initially in use, later on in ownership. In 1622 the Thököly family became the landlord of Bodrogkeresztúr, who possessed most of the vineyards around the town including Kakas undisturbed until 1670. At the same time, in the first third of the 17th century other aristocratic families, such as the Hevessy, Gönczy, Patay, Rákóczi and Szentpéteri families also purchased vineyards on the hillside. After the failure of the Wesselényi Plot in 1670, the Viennese Court became the greatest possessor in Kakas, having confiscated the vineyards of the families mentioned above. Following the defeat of the Rákóczi War of Independence the vineyards of Kakas were owned by the Erdődy, Klobusiczky, Lónyay and Waldbott families.
A plot of vineyards in Kakashegy of Bodrogkeresztúr with the most strikingly characteristic soil used to be called Köves (stony). The first known mention of it appears in the census of Tokaj Castle Demesne in the year of 1564. The document refers to this area in Kakas (in the form Kewes id est vinea lapidea) as one of the most important lands of the demesne. At the same time, in Köves, in like manners as in Kakashegy, significant vineyards were in possession of the Roman Catholic parish of Bodrogkeresztúr and the Carthusian monastery of Lehnice, too.
Köves in the middle of the 16th century was further fragmented. From the 1560s onwards the documents very sharply distinguished between Kis- and Nagy-Köves (Lower and Upper Köves). In the turn of the 16th – 17th centuries not only the vineyards of the castle demesne graced the hillside, but also the wealthier citizens, preachers and municipality of Bodrogkeresztúr market town owned vineyards there. Moreover, at that time the well-to-do citizens of Kassa and Eperjes (now Košice and Prešov in Slovakia) purchased significant vineyards from the Tokaj Castle Demense in Köves. In 1622, the majority of the vineyards of Bodrogkeresztúr came into the possession of the Thököly family, having purchased the settlement from the Royal Court. Between 1644-1648 György Rákóczi I. (1593-1648), Prince of Transylvania, purchased vineyards from the citizens of Kassa and Eperjes. After the failure of the Wesselényi Plot in 1670 the Thököly family lost their estates in Bodrogkeresztúr. The Viennese Court then endowed the Jesuit Monastery of Kassa with the hillside between 1670 and 1676. Though, in 1682 Count Imre Thököly (1657-1705), Prince of Transylvania, took it back but after his fall the Viennese Court took possession of Köves again.
Ferenc Rákóczi II. (1676-1735) was the next who acquired this land in 1703. After the fall of his war of independence, the Hapsburg Court again brought these lands under governmental management, then in the 1720’s and 1730’s and the Klobusiczky and Waldbott families were given the vineyards of Köves. As a matter of fact, the name Lapis of Latin origin (meaning stone, rock, landmark), only in 1670 replaced the old Köves name, which is actually a rough, not literal Latin translation of the original name. This renaming was the result of the Counter-Reformation, since the Jesuits of Kassa wanted to do away with the old name because it reminded them of the Reformation.
Szerelmi is one of the most valuable vineyards in Mézesmál promontory, located between Tokaj and Tarcal. The origin of the name refers to György Szerémy (1490-1548), canon of Nagyvárad (now Oradea Mare in Romania) and humanist scholar, born in Szerémség (the southern part of the historical Hungary). He was a political supporter of János Szapolyai (1487-1540), Voivode of Transylvania, later János I. King of Hungary. In return of his loyalty Szerémy was given an extended plot of land in Mézesmál. Szerelmi is documented first as Szerémy-vineyard (in the form of vinea Zeremy in promontorio Mezesmal) in the census of Tokaj Castle Demesne in the year of 1564 as an important vineyard of the Tokaj domain. Until the turn of the 16th -17th centuries no significant change occurred in the possession of Szerelmi. Then first István Bocskai (1557-1606), subsequently Zsigmond Rákóczi (1544-1608) and Gábor Bethlen (1580-1629), princes of Transylvania purchased noteworthy lands in Szerelmi from the Tokaj Castle Demense.
First, Gábor Bethlen laid his hand on the Bocskai estates, soon after his death the eldest son of Prince Zsigmond Rákóczi, György Rákóczi I. acquired vineyards in Szerelmi. Thus, the size of the winegrowing lands of the Rákóczi family in Szerelmi grew spectacularly. The Rákóczis ruled the area until the end of the War of Independence. In 1711, the Viennese Court confiscated all the Rákóczi vineyards including Szerelmi. That time the now used Szerelmi name replaced the former Szerémi / Szerémy / Zerémy, which was actually due to a slip of the pen. Indeed, the chamber inspectors registering the hillside in the census misunderstood the name of the vineyard. In 1717 the major part of the Szerelmi was bestowed to the aristocratic Klobusiczky family in return to their loyalty to the Viennese Court.
And a minor part remained in the possession of the Crown, later that of the state.
The former Öszöd village having situated between Mád and Tállya had its origin in the Árpád-era. Even in the 13th century, grape was being grown in the area. In the late Middle Ages it became part of the Tokaj-Tállya and later the independent Tállya demesne. In 1459 this land was donated to the Szapolyai family by King Mátyás I. (1458-1490). The document of donation also included the name of Öszöd village and its vineyard. In the days after the Battle of Mohács the village was destroyed by the Turks. The ruined village got into the possession of the Serédy family, but the vineyard kept the original name. After the extinction of the Serédy family in 1557, the Alaghy family got hold of the property, who conjoined the Tállya and Regéc domains.
The first specific mention of the vineyard emerged in this period in connection of an estate business in 1630 as Öszödhegye (in the form Eöszödhegie). The vineyard belonged to the Regéc Demesne, and it was cultivated by Tállya residents as part of their service to the landlord. That is why it was widely known as a Tállya vineyard. In 1635, after the extinction of the Alaghy family the Rákóczy family became the principal owner in Őszhegy. At the same time in the 17th century, aristocratic families of Abaúj and Zemplén counties such as the Veres, Fáy, Patay, Gyulaffy and Garay families also owned vineyards in Őszhegy. After 1670 they lost their lands due to their involvement in the Wesselényi Plot. This was also the time when the today known Őszhegy (often as Őzhegy) reduced form appeared denominating the vineyard.
From the early18th century Őszhegy exclusively appears in the resources as a Mád vineyard. After the defeat of the Rákóczi War of Independence, the Trautson , Orczy, Vay and Ráday families became the principal owners of Őszhegy.
Today this hillside belongs to Rátka village. However, in the past it was known as Tállya vineyards because Rátka was destroyed during the Ottoman campaign in 1566-1567, and until the mid-18th century the settlement was deserted. In the records there are very limited data available for the historical research.
The name Újhegy (New Hill) probably refers to the relatively new vineyard plantation. Its first mention emerged on 1st March in 1680 when it was registered as a tithe paying vineyard of the Regéc Demesne, cultivated by Tállya market town. The manorial census of 1689 reconfirms this information on Újhegy.
That time the owner of the domain was the Rákóczi family, and after the fall of the war of independence, the Trautson family came into possession of the estate and Újhegy as well.
The history of Veres/Veresek vineyards, situated on the outskirts of Mád, goes a long way back. The origin of the name refers to the reddish colour of the soils of the vineyards here. According to another theory, the hillside got its name after the aristocratic Veres family, landowners of the land at one time. However, this conclusion seems to be doubtful, because the old name of the vineyards was Vöröshegy (in Weöreösheg form) and only a few decades later, in the first half of the 17th century changed into Veres or Veresek. The first mention of Veres in the chronicles occurred on 23rd February in 1598 in connection with a wine estate purchase. In this case, with the approval of Mád town magistrate, János Kalmár, wealthy Kassa citizen, bought a vineyard in Kővágó of Mád from Szíj (Szy) Pál, Mád resident. In addition to paying the agreed amount of money (450 HUF), Kalmár also gave Szíj his vineyard in Veres.
In Veres, at the time, the Alaghy family were the principal land owners, and after extinction of the male line of the family in 1635, Prince György Rákóczi I. and his younger brother, Pál Rákóczi, Chief Justice ( 1596-1636 ) became landlords in Veres. Additionally, the wealthy Eperjes, Gönc and Kassa citizens, and Mád preachers and school masters also had smaller plots in Veres, who had purchased them from local residents. In the 17th century, along with the Rákóczis, other aristocratic families (including Miskolczy and Gyónya families) also owned vineyards there. After the failure of the Wesselényi Plot the Viennese Court confiscated the vineyards of the above-mentioned noble families, likewise, they did so in case of the plots of the Eperjes, Gönc and Kassa residents in Veres. Most of these vineyards were donated to the Bishopric and Chapter of Eger and the Jesuit Monastery of Kassa in 1676 by the Court. The Jesuits, with minor interruptions, until the suppression of the order in 1773 had possessions in Veres. In the last decades of the 18th century their vineyards were first given to the Paulites of Sajólád then to the Piarists of Sátoraljaújhely. At the same time, the duke branch of the Rákóczi family, having been always loyal to the Habsburg Court, could keep their lands in Veres undisturbed until 1707, when they went extinct.
Meanwhile, Ferenc Rákóczi I. (1645-1676), head of the princely branch of the dynasty, to save himself from the consequences of his involvement in the Wesselényi Plot, pawned Veres along with other vineyards to Cardinal György Szelepcsényi (1595−1685), Archbishop of Esztergom. Later, in 1700 his children Rákóczi Julianna (1672-1717) and Ferenc Rákóczi II. purchased Veres back from the cardinal’s heirs. After the defeat of the Rákóczi War of Independence the most influential secular landowners in Veres included the Aspremont, Erdődy and Orczy families, while the vineyards of the Bishopric and Chapter of Eger remained untouched. In the first decades of the 17 th century, Veres, likewise other hillsides, was divided into two. From then on, the sources differ Lower and Upper Veres (Alsó- and Felső-Veres). Moreover, in the last third of the 17 th century the names Kis-Veres and Nagy-Veres replaced Alsó- and Felső-Veres. Due to the fragmentation of hillside, from the end of the 17 th century the plural Veresek became the general denomination of the area.
