TOKAJ

also spelled Tokay, town, Borsod-Abaj-Zempln megye (county), northeastern Hungary. Tokaj lies at the confluence of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers. It is known as the home of the golden yellow Tokay wine and has a famous labyrinthine (1 mile ) wine cellar. It is in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine-producing district, where, on the slopes of Mount Tokaj and the Hegyalja region to the north and west, the conditions for viticulture are excellent. Production there dates from the 12th century, when immigrant Italian and Walloon farmers introduced viticulture and left a legacy of architectural diversity in the town's residences. Tokaj has a small artists' colony. The town's industries include chemicals, timber processing, and brandy distilling. Secondary rail and road links cross the Tisza at Tokaj. Pop. (1990 prelim.) 5,371.