Tokaji
This Hungarian sweet wine is made from grapes that have been
affected by “noble rot” Botrytis cinerea. Tokaji was sought after
many centuries ago. Louis XV of France was known to serve a glass and
referred to Tokaji as "Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum"("Wine of Kings,
King of Wines"). Peter the Great (my long lost brother) was also known to
enjoy a bottle every now and then. Composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven
and Johann Strauss kept a collection of this sweet nectar. Tokaji has
since fallen out of favor in the dessert wine realm to such other wines as
Sauternes (Chateau d'Yquem is the main culprit). I opened a bottle of the
2001 Domaine Hétszőlő Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos following a nice dinner of
beef tenderloin some time ago. The number (3-6) refers to the number of
puttonyos, or buckets, of sweet botrytis-affected grapes called aszú that were
added to a dry wine. The more that were added, the sweeter the final wine would
be.
On the nose: Banana bread with honey sprinkled all over it. Touch
of brown sugar. Deep golden color. Imagine you are in the forest
taking a nice stroll and you come upon Yogi Bear who is roasting chestnuts,
submerging them in a warm honey sauce (bear with me folks) – no pun intended.
Palate: Sun-Maid raisin. Orange peel with fig jam.
This wine can last for two to three decades easily. Butterscotch candy.
Sundried apricot. Would pair with a homemade apple pie a la mode with a
dollop of Cool Whip®.
Rating Scale (out of 5 +):
++++
Price: $50
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