- [Narrator] This story starts in Hungary,
land of hot baths, daredevil horsemen
and some very funky sweet wine.
This guy, loves rocks.
He has over 21 different types.
He believes these volcanic rocks
are what makes his wine taste the best in the world.
Tokaji is known as Hungary's world famous sweet wine country.
It produces wine so famous that it was dubbed,
King of Wines by none other than King Louis XV.
- [Man] Hmm, delicious.
- [Narrator] Istvan's family has been making
sweet wines in the region since the 1500s,
making him the 16th generation in his family.
And this is where Istvan's rocks come in.
His vineyards are on top of over 30 layers
of mineral rich soils created by ancient volcanic activity,
making them perfect for big fat grapes like these.
So there's these rocks and then there's the rotten part.
You see, there's a secret to making sweet wine.
Those big juicy grapes need to contain fungus
called, Botrytis, otherwise known as Noble Rot.
Once the grapes are infected with Botrytis,
they shrivel up and turn dry, making them extra sweet.
After the harvest, the infected grapes are pressed
and fermented in wooden barrels.
What comes out is a glass of sweet wine,
well, fit for a king.
- [Man] Merci.
- [Narrator] To rocks and fungus and sweet wine, cheers.