The book kept since 1740 is a remarkable document registering Kőszeg’s once famous grape and wine production.

Winemakers depicted the shooting of the new grape on St George’s Day every single year in this book. This custom, referred to as the “coming of the grape”, is believed to date back to mediaeval times.The day of Saint George the Dragon Slayer had been regarded as the start of the administrative year until the 18th-19th century in Hungary; winemaking communities of the Carpathian Basin held their second “justice day” on this particular day.

The introduction of the new shootings had been considered part of the process of re-electing new town officials until the early 17th century, and this custom may have prevailed as early as the 16th century. Re-electing the new town officials began with the resignation of the internal and external town council. It continued with the reinstatement of officials, including chief winemakers of wine communities who brought a grape symbol to the election. In the second phase of re-election, the board voted for the new officials of the next economic year.
The young shootings were brought in front of the municipality at the beginning of the meeting to make sure that the new town leader and the town management could undertake their task in the hope of a great wine production (as judged by the shootings).

In the book, the location of sample shooting has been mostly marked since 1930. as for the registered grape varieties, the Book of the Coming of the Grape is a real treasure trove. We know it from these records that in 1806 liquor wine (referred to as “aszú”) was also made in Kőszeg.
At that time, wines made in Kőszeg were exported as far as Silesia!
The “common Burgundy” type was first recorded in 1885.