Szent Tamás Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet

Szent Tamás Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet was established in 2009 in the village of Mád. The estate was founded by a group of investors led by Károly Kovács and winemaker István Szepsy Jr., whose family has produced wine in the Tokaj region for eighteen generations. Their partnership focused on identifying and expressing the potential of the volcanic terroirs within Mád, primarily through the production of dry wines. The winery maintains its headquarters on Batthyány Street and has been a central participant in the Mádi Kör, a local organization that establishes strict production standards to protect the reputation of the village name.

The estate manages 25 hectares of vineyards distributed across 11 different plots in the villages of Mád, Tállya, Tarcal, and Rátka. These holdings include parcels in first growth sites such as Szent Tamás, Percze, Nyulászó, Király, Kővágó, and Dongó, according to the 1732 Matolai classification. The terroir consists of diverse volcanic soils featuring red and yellow clay mixed with rhyolite and zeolite rocks. Winemaking utilizes spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in temperature controlled environments. Aging typically occurs in 500 liter Hungarian oak barrels sourced from the Zemplén forest, which facilitates a balanced maturation process for the structured dry Furmints.

The winery is widely known for creating the Mád brand, a communal wine project that incorporates grapes from estate vineyards and a network of contract growers. This initiative aims to produce consistent village level wines that introduce the character of the region to a broader audience. Its most prestigious offerings are the single vineyard dry Furmints, which have received consistent critical recognition, including multiple Platinum medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The portfolio also includes aromatic wines made from Hárslevelű and Sárgamuskotály, as well as sweet styles such as Late Harvest and traditional Tokaji Aszú.