Sátoraljaújhely sits at the northern fringe of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of volcanic hillside vineyards that produced Hungary's most famous wine for centuries. The town is a useful base for exploring the wine villages to the south.
Tokaj itself is 40 kilometres away, but closer villages like Sárospatak and Bodrogkisfalud have wine cellars open to visitors, and many local producers offer tastings by appointment. The characteristic wine of the region is Tokaji Aszú — a rich, amber dessert wine made from late-harvest botrytised Furmint grapes, with sweetness levels measured in puttonyos. Dry Furmint and Hárslevelű whites are more accessible for everyday drinking and increasingly gaining recognition. A car makes the wine route much easier; the villages are connected by country roads through a landscape of vine-covered hillsides and old stone cellars.