Törkölypálinka (Pomace pálinka, also Torkolypalinka) is a Hungarian

pomace brandy Pomace spirit (or pomace brandy) is a liquor distilled from pomace that is left over from winemaking, after the grapes are pressed. It is called marc in both English and French, but " grappa" in Italian and "bagaço" in Portuguese. In Spanish it ...

, an

alcoholic beverage An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...

produced by

distillation Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separation process, separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distilla ...

from

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

residues (

pomace Pomace ( ), or marc (; from French ''marc'' ), is the solid remains of grapes, olives, or other fruit after pressing for juice or oil. It contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit. Grape pomace has traditionally been used to prod ...

) left over from

winemaking Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and ...

. One of the oldest types of

pálinka Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit (or fruit brandy) with origins in Carpathian Mountains, more exactly known under several names, and invented in the Middle Ages. Protected as a geographical indication of the European Union, only fruit spir ...

, it is thought to aid digestion, and is usually consumed in small quantities after meals. Under the 2008. LXXIII. Law of the Republic of

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

, the Hungarian Pálinka Law, only distilled beverages made using special methods and technology, from fruits produced in Hungary, mashed, distilled, matured and bottled in Hungary can be called pálinka. Alcoholic beverages made from concentrates, semi-dried, or dried fruit cannot legally be called pálinka. Törköly is the name of the substance consisting of parts of the grapes (pomace) that remains in the press after they are pressed in the process of wine making. Depending on the weather, the type of the grapes and the method used for pressing, 15% to 30% törköly is produced as a by-product during the process of wine making, which is then used for making törkölypálinka. Once, törkölypálinka was one of the most commonly produced types of pálinka. In the 1950, for example, 30% of all the pálinka produced was törkölypálinka, but the share of this type of pálinka has become smaller since then. A grape distillate from

tokaj Tokaj () is a historical town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, 54 kilometers from county capital Miskolc. It is the centre of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine district where Tokaji wine is produced. History The wine-growing area wa ...

i aszú has been produced since the 1960s. It is a blend of flavours resembling

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

n grape distillates and of the aromas of

aszú Tokaji ( hu, of Tokaj ) or Tokay is the name of the wines from the Tokaj wine region (also ''Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region'' or ''Tokaj-Hegyalja'') in Hungary or the adjoining Tokaj wine region in Slovakia. This region is noted for its sweet wines ...

wine. The beginnings of its regular production probably date back to the 15th century. Its production became so common in the 17th century that it had to be regulated by law. In those days, most törköly distillers working in Hungary were German by origin. Törkölypálinka is distilled in February, March, or in April at the latest. The törköly is no longer suitable for distillation later than that. The törköly from red grapes is less precious because its acetic fermentation starts soon after the grapes are pressed.

References

Szathmáry, László: The History of Torkolypalinka (in Hungarian)
* Balázs, Géza: Pálinka, a hungarikum, Állami Nyomda Rt., 2004 () * Farnadi, Éva (ed.): Hagyományok, ízek, régiók Alföldi Nyomda, 2000 () {{DEFAULTSORT:Torkolypalinka Pomace brandies Hungarian spirits Hungarian cuisine