The Rákóczi family’s estate wine production, wine trade, and wine prices at the end of the 17th century

Attila Ulrich
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Attila Ulrich: University of Nyíregyháza

No 278, Working Papers from European Historical Economics Society (EHES)

Abstract: This study examines the wine revenues of the Rákóczi family and the exchange rates of wines stored in their cellars destined for foreign markets, based on surviving sources from the period between 1660 and 1709. The Rákóczi family, of Transylvanian princely descent, was among the largest landowners in the Kingdom of Hungary. Their private estates, spanning approximately two million acres, were most profitable in the Tokaj wine-growing region. Revenue generated from wine trade and sales played a crucial role in sustaining an opulent court, maintaining a private military force, and supporting cultural and educational endeavors. The profit derived from a single barrel of wine, depending on its quality, could range from three to ten times the initial investment cost.

Keywords: Viticulture; wine trade; wine prices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N13 N73 Q13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2025-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-his and nep-tra
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hes:wpaper:0278

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