So if you didn't already know, the distinctive aroma, flavor and sweetness of Tokaj's famous aszú wines are actually caused by an infestation of the fungus Botrytis cinerea, which results in what wine snoots call "Noble Rot." Unfortunately, such delicious decay has apparently been in short supply this year, meaning that a greater than normal percentage of wines produced in Tokaj will be dry, or semi-sweet. But there is an even more unfortunate story about rotting currently causing a stink in Tokaj. According to a piece on index.hu, some local growers are up in arms over a large trash dump the authorities somehow decided to put smack in the middle of some of Tokaj's best vineyards.

The landfill, which was opened in 2001, is located next to Route 37 near the town of Bodrogkeresztúr. It serves several nearby villages, and cost Ft 500 million (€2 million), at least part of which was paid for with European Union funds. Clearly visible from the hills looking towards Bodrog, it apparently emits a terrible reek, and has stunned many wine tourists and hikers visiting the area, which is a "world heritage" site.

For their part, the operators of the dump claim the location was the only available option. And while they agree that the smell is a problem, they argue that the alternative to one big stink is lots of smaller stinks, in the form of illegal dumps.

While local winemakers recognize that the landfill does not violate any regulations, they are nonetheless outraged, because they were not notified when it was being planned. According to index, the dump is the constant topic of conversation among them, though some believe the noise of tractor trailers on Route 37 is an even bigger problem. Either way, it appears unlikely that the winemakers or conservationists will be able to do anything about the dump, as it has an extendable permit lasting until 2024.

As for whether the trash is having an impact on nearby wines, the answer appears to be no. But given the lack of Botrytis in this year's vintage, if you end up with a bottle of non-aszú 2006 Bodrogkeresztúr that tastes particularly ripe, you might want to think about throwing it in the trash.