400BC: first vines planted Late 15th: 1st mention of Tokaji as a dry wine 16th: Muslim ruling -> wine production maintained but not developed Late 16th-17th: emergence of rich Tokay Aszú 1700 Laws for Aszú formulated=1st wine classification in the world 1870s: Phylloxera hit -> development of vineyards in the sandy Great plain 1947-80s: communist monopoly took control -> stagnation Post-communism: most Hungarian vineyards still in private hands so quicker adaptation to western standards and recovery from fall of ex-USSR export market