It is believed that FerencKirály is responsible for creating this wine in the year 1951. The production of the wines made out of Zéta was authorized during the year 1990.

Earlier this grapevine variety was known by the name Oremus which was much later changed to Zéta after the sixth alphabet of the Greek script of writing.

The original name Oremus is still used in the Oremus-banked wines from Tojak which are exclusively manufactured by Vega Sicilia.

This region is very beneficial and suitable for growing vineyards because of its fertile structure of the volcanic soil, and autumn weather with a slight moisture building across the river Bodrog which is located nearby which is the secret to enhancing the quality as well as the special character of wines hailing from Tojak.

In the year 2013, new regulations were introduced regarding winemaking to preserve the quality of Zéta in Tokaj where the bottles must at least have 120 g sugar content.

Origin

This variety is famous for its uses as a blending component in various sweet white wines from the region Tokaj.

Tokaj, also known as Tokaj-Hegyalja is one of the mesmerizing wine regions that range from the southern gentle slopes in Zemplén Hills contained in a triangle created by Sátoraljaújhely, Abaszántó and Tokaj.

Before being a witness of any of the Hungarian conquest, Tokaj had been a region of wine cultivation in cropland that was over 5,500 hectares.

This high yielding nature of Tokaj made it one of the self-contained regions producing wine in the whole world.

This specific region is known for having a continental type of climate with a solid volcanic rock base (containing tuffs thereof, rhyolite, and andesite) which is covered with the extremely fertile black soil.

Even though the land is very fertile for growing full-bodied wines, there are certain areas which are suitable for growing wines that are of a mellower nature.

Wines with Zéta grapes

Characteristics

The wine-stocks do not grow very high. They are generally of a medium-strong growth producing conical shaped clusters that are extremely dense. The berries are medium-sized.

Zéta does not fall under the core ingredients that constitute the Tojaki wines and is more of a curiosity rather than being a mainstay in the vineyards situated locally.

Zéta is exclusively in demand I the areas which prefer sweet wines. Despite that, many winemakers have tried to experiment with this variety by preparing some dry wine styles.

Sometimes, it is consumed as a varietal dry wine (white) with a concentration of pear and green apple aromas.

They ripen near the end of September and are famous among wines because of its unique vulnerability to botrytisation.

In the process of botrytisation, the grapes swell and end up bursting, are helpful in the process of rotting in botrytis.

These grapevines are known for high concentration of sugar and early ripening nature. As it does not have a very high resistance level; it is very important to provide extra attention to the growth and harvest of this particular wine grape variety.

Vineyards that contain clay-based soil that are readily available in the banks of Tisza and Tokaj’s Bodrog Rivers are best for the growth and cultivation of Zéta.

Zéta is at many times confused to be a grape called Furmint because of being harmonious and full-bodied with an intricate amount of acidity.

In the first stage of harvest, the grapes are plucked individually from the clusters and placed in vats to store them until the time of processing.

This helps in bottling up the nectar which is useful in preserving the essence of the wine.

Food Pairing

There are many vegetarian dishes that go well with this type of white wine. Though, it is preferred to consume Zéta with desserts, one can also pair it with sticky rice.

Adding mango with sticky rice makes it a more convenient option. Apart from this, Lekvárosbukta (i.e. a Hungarian dessert of sweet rolls with jam filling is a perfect pair to this sweet blend of white wine.

Crepes containing caramel cream (known as Panquequescelestino) are also a delicious combination one can opt for.

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