The power of six: Royal Tokaji's 6 puttonyos Aszú wines from each of its classed-growth vineyards in 2018 and the Gold Label blend of all five
In 2018, the quality and size of the Aszú harvest was such that Royal Tokaji made 6 puttonyos wines from all five of its classed growth vineyards for the first time in a decade. It also produced its 6 puttonyos Gold Label blend, which isn’t made in every vintage (none in 2015 and 2010, for example), giving it a complete set of six 6 puttonyos wines, which finally saw the light of day six years later when they were released last autumn.
What was special about the 2018 growing season for Royal Tokaji? Maybe the question should be: what wasn’t?
It was very hot, very dry, and very early, reminding wine director Zoltán Kovács of 2000, 2003 and 2015 (when he was working at Disznoko), except that 2018 was even earlier – the earliest vintage in living memory and probably the earliest ever.
Flowering was three weeks ahead of usual and the first Aszú berries (grapes shrivelled on the vine by benevolent botrytis) began to appear in July. When Zoltán returned from his holiday in August there were already a lot of Aszú berries in the 1st Growth Nyulászó vineyard and his viticulturalist had to be called back from his holiday (never a popular move).
Winery director Zoltán Kovács was reminded of the hot, dry vintages of 2000, 2003 and 2015, but nothing matches 2018 for records broken
Picking started in Nyulászó on 6 August and the last Aszú berries were finally gathered in the Szt Tamás First Growth around 18 November after rain had stopped play at the beginning of the month. The grapes picked post-rain weren’t used for Aszú but, as for the rest, the quality and record size of the crop made the painstaking work of the prolonged harvest worth it.
Not everyone in Tokaji was so lucky. For the region as a whole, the drought made for a small Aszú crop, but Royal Tokaji’s vineyards, most of them in the clay-based Mád commune, had built up sufficient water reserves in the late winter and early spring rains to counter the later deficit. Even the drier loess soils of the Great First Growth Mézes Mály in the Tarcal commune had enough.
Zoltán Kovács has been working in Tokaji for 20 years, but 2018 is only his second vintage at Royal Tokaji and it was a totally different vintage from 2017 – something borne out by the analyses of the wines. The 2018s are higher in sugar, lower in acid and higher in alcohol. And they are even higher in sugar, lower in acid and higher in alcohol than those of 2016.
Zoltan’s response in the cellar was to increase the amount of 300-l and 500-l new oak barrels that the wines are matured in for two years (in the company's 13th century cellars). In 2018 he used 40% new – “much more than in 2016 and 2017".
"Normally,” he says, “we use 15–20% and sometimes we don’t use any,” although they did use around 40% in 2013.
The entrance to Royal Tokaji's 13th century subterranean cellars
If more oak in a lower acid year seems counterintuitive (we’re talking relatively here: Aszú is never a low acid wine in the global context), Zoltán explains: “We thought the tannins in the new wood would bring a balance.” Interestingly, there are echoes here of Champagne, where tannin is increasingly talked about by winemakers as a way of countering the lower acidities that climate change has brought to the region.
Zoltán describes the character of the 2018 Aszú wines as “clean, opulent and fruity with a lot of creaminess; very rich in the mouth with good volume and each wine showing the characteristics given by its terroir.” Having tasted the wines, I can’t argue.
Before we get to the tasting, a quick word of explanation about the classification into second, first and great first growth vineyards that Royal Tokaji uses. It dates from the end of the 17th century and was a ranking of the finest vineyards in the 27 villages of the region by Prince Rákóczi II of Translyvania. It was developed further in the early 18th century and was ratified by royal decree in 1737.
Whatever the exact dates, the classification of Tokaji vineyards and delimitation of the region is unquestionably the first in the world, predating both the Douro (1757) and Bordeaux (1855). Tokaji was also, as early as 1570, the first rich, sweet wine to be deliberately made from botrytis-affected grapes.
The top soil varies from clay based to drier loess, but volcanic bedrock underlies the whole region
And a brief word about the winemaking process. The Aszú berries, shrivelled by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, known as noble rot, are macerated in the presses with fermenting juice for two days, then lightly pressed and transferred from stainless steel to oak barrels for around six weeks to finish fermenting. The final selections and blends were made in spring 2021, after two years' ageing in oak.
As for serving, these are wines that you can linger over instead of a dessert, but they go well with fruit desserts, especially tarte tatin and apricot tart, and can also be paired with crème brûlée or even dark chocolate, as well as with hard cheeses, such as Comté, aged Parmesan and Ossau Iraty, and with some creamy blue cheeses.
TASTING
Tasted from 250ml bottles in the order below suggested by wine director Zoltán Kovács. The alcohol is 11% for all except Birsalmás, which is 11.5%. A score of 93 is equivalent to a gold medal.
Gold Label Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 197.1g/l. Acidity 6.75g/l. Grape variety Furmint
A blend of some of the barrels from the single vineyards that weren’t selected for the individual vineyard wines. Opulent peach and orange with honey, vanilla, stem ginger and creamy vanilla etched by shimmering, structure-giving acidity, ensuring a long life despite its sleek approachability. 37,780 bottles.
94
Birsalmás 2nd Growth Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 187.3g/l. Acidity 6.4g/l. Grape varieties Kövérszőlő, Furmint
This is the first bottling of Birsalmás since 2008, since when some vineyards have been swapped and others replanted. The 14ha total, in two parcels on loess and clay topsoil, makes it Royal Tokaji’s smallest vineyard and, unlike the other classed growth 2018s, the Aszú berries were the early ripening Kövérszőlő variety, macerated in fermenting Furmint. The name Birsalmás means quince orchard and there is quince on the nose, along with tangerine, vanilla and smoke. Membrillo comes through again on the palate and the whole emerges as a fragrant, succulent, vibrant and beautifully balanced wine. 1,529 bottles.
94
Szt. Tamás 1st Growth Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 199.2g/l. Acidity 6.46g/l. Grape variety Furmint
After the open-hearted Gold Label, Szt. Tamás, which comes from stony, rich, red-tinged clay top soil, seems slightly reserved, delivering a charge of savoury, stony minerality before quince and sweet apple begin to unfold, together with peppery spice, an undercurrent of toasted vanilla cream and then a reprise of the minerals. Tightly furled, concentrated and very long. There is much more to come. Zoltán describes it as a long runner. 13,350 bottles.
96
Betsek 1st Growth Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 203.2g/l. Acidity 6.53g/l. Grape variety Hárslevelű, Furmint
The cresent-shaped Betsek vineyard is the largest of Royal Tokaji’s first growths. The vines, which have an average age of around 50 years, are planted in black volcanic topsoil and the wine is renowned for its spicy character. The 2018 bears this out with white pepper and ginger overlaying apricot, acacia honey and lime cordial. A sustained, spicy finish – pepper, ginger and a hint of smoked paprika – come with lime zest and bright, precise acidity. 7,358 bottles.
94
Nyulászó 1st Growth Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 204.8g/l. Acidity 6.82g/l. Grape variety Furmint, Hárslevelű
Nyulászó translates as a good place to catch hares. It must have been an important activity to have its own word. Now it’s important for fine Aszú grapes from brown forest soils with brown volcanic clay. The 2018 opens with a floral top note leading into luscious dried and fresh apricot, quince, tangerine, delicate spiciness, creamy white chocolate and a deep, savoury, porcini note. Vivid acidity binds the whole together. 11,926 bottles.
96
Mézes Mály Great 1st Growth Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2018
RS 206.9g/l. Acidity 6.9g/l. Grape variety Furmint, Hárslevelű
One of only two Great 1st Growth vineyards, Mézes Mály, meaning honey place, has deep loess soil over the region's volcanic bedrock. The 2018 is headily perfumed and floral, sumptuously fruity (tropical fruit, mirabelle plum, peach, intense ripe citrus) and mouthfillingly creamy in texture. Tight-wire acidity runs all through it and the exceptionally long finish is as honeyed as its name. There is so much here and so much more to come. Thrilling. 6,204 bottles.
96
UK Stockists (for a case 6 x 50cl) include VinQuinn, Farr Vintners, Cru World Wine. Most independents offering single bottles (50cl) have earlier vintages, but they will gradually move on. Find stockists on wine-searcher.com
Photo credits: Royal Tokaji for the portrait of Zoltán Kovács, the cellar entrance and the view across the vineyards.
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