Hello; A month or so ago I asked about the hsitory of the names tocai (as in tocai bianco) and Tokay (as in Tokay Pinot Gris). Luk´s explanation of tocai as Slovenian, meaning simply "from here" (later confirmed in a translation machine) seemed so pedestrian and lack-luster that it simply has to be true (cf Italian variety names such as schiava, vernaccia). SO, Tokay. When is Tokay first mentioned in ALsace? Mr Google has been interviewed repeatedly, but fails to give an answer. If Tokay was put on the labels of bottles (perfectly anachronsitic) to make people think of the great Tokaji, then, they would have to _know_ about Tokaji, right? And that places us in the 17th century and the days of Louis XV. I´m sorry if I´m bugging anybody about this, I suppose I´ve got a touch of Asperger, is all ... Perhaps it appears unlikely that it would be possible to pinpoint a "first mention", but, as an example, Gewurztraminer is mentioned as a typical Alsace variety 1551! I think the frist mention of Riesling by name goes even further back (14th century!).
So, anybody know this?
TIA Cheers
Nils Gustaf