The first Tokaji aszú was created in the early 1600s perhaps by accident: a harvest delayed by threat of Turkish enemy invasion. It is made from grapes that have been left on the vines long after the regular gathering of crops and been attacked by the special mold that produces “noble rot” which enables the water in the fruit to evaporate and concentrates the sweetness. Nurtured by the vitalizing sun in the fertile slopes and transformed by the precious fungus, prime aszú berries – reminiscent of raisins – with extremely high sugar level are individually hand-picked from bunches, collected in around 20-liter (45-pound) wooden baskets called puttony, and pressed into a paste. Grapes unaffected by Botrytis are harvested separately and made into a base wine. The compact aszú-dough is then added in various proportions to this ordinary must. After a few days of blending, the sludge is removed and the remaining heavy juice is transferred to traditional 136-liter (35-gallon) Gönci oak barrels for years of further fermentation and aging.
The principles and methods of producing luscious Tokaji nectars have changed little since the 17th century. The various designations of aszú dessert-wines were originally based on the amount (number of puttony) of aszú pulp added to each barrel. On a scale of one to six, the more puttonyos the sweeter, richer and rarer the Tokaji. In modern times this has been transposed into a more precise system based on grams per liter of residual sugar.
Long-aged in wooden casks, Tokaji aszú (6 puttonyos) is thick, rich and oily with galvanizing levels of flavor and concentration, but light and poised at the same time, coating the tongue in a soft, silky blanket of incredibly complex and constantly shifting tastes. Elegant on the palate, it has glamorous purity, balance and depth, with great focus and grip on the long finish.
Endorsed by composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert, writers François-Marie Arouet (aka Voltaire) and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Popes Julius III and Pius IV, as well as King Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia, Gustav III of Sweden, Queen Victoria, Edward VII of England, Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, Tokaji is indeed wine of kings and king of wines. We are confident that you will also enjoy this exclusive bottle and will deem Tokaji aszú worthy to add to your wine-list.