Wine Review Archives: Hungary: Dessert

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

2000 Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos Red Label ($32, 500 ml). Just a heck of a deal for dessert wine of this quality, this is the RTWC wine that "drives the engine." Heady, musk and orange marmalade aromas and flavors are accented with candied ginger and positively burst with lively acidity. Long, focused finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1999 Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos Birsalmás ($52, 500 ml). Sleek and focused, with orange peel and quince leading the way, along with dried apricot, melon, honey and toasted hazelnuts, with a long, sweet finish and (again) loads of bright acidity. Ready to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1999 Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Betsek ($62, 500 ml). Pretty, toasted hazelnut aromas accent rich butterscotch, cream, dried apricot, mint, bitters, orange marmalade and juicy citrus. Long, interesting finish -- more herbal than the others. Ready to drink now and over the next 15-20 years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1996 Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Szt. Tamas ($72, 500 ml). Deep and rich, with smoky honey, dried apricot, fresh tobacco and candied orange peel. Long, complex finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 10 years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1996 Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Nyulászo ($80, 500 ml). Toasted walnut aromas and flavors accent honeyed fig, mineral, orange marmalade, brioche and bright lime flavors that mingle on the generous, sweet finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 10 years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1995 Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Mézes Mály ($150, 500 ml). Lipsmacking marmalade character (think orange, peach, apricot) is laced with exotic coconut, burnt sugar and baking spices, with a long, vibrant finish. Delicious now and over the next ten years. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1995 Aszu Essencia 8 Puttonyos ($270, 500 ml). Just an astonishing finish here (and what comes before isn't bad, either!). Endlessly long and rich and complex, with butterscotch, honey, mineral, honeycomb, dried apricot, wildflowers and more. Should age beautifully for decades to come. (Weekend Wine 11/06)

1999 Essencia ($550, 500 ml). Essencia is produced using only the free-run juice that slowly oozes from the puttonyos as aszú grapes await crushing -- no base wine is added. The juice is sticky and pours like honey. Because sugar levels can be as high as 85%, the juice ferments extremely slowly -- it took the 1999 Essencia six years in RTWC's cellars to reach only 2.9% alcohol. It is served in a special crystal sipping spoon (33 sips per bottle!) and rumored to have aphrodisiac, even lifesaving properties. Apart from all the pomp and ceremony, the wine is rich and sweet, with intense honeyed apricot, caramel, browned butter and bright citrus flavors that linger on the smooth finish. (Weekend Wine 11/06)