|
At times, the holidays can seem to be just “too much.” When this happens, the best antidote is a light, frothy, fragrant accompaniment to what you are eating. The best accompaniment to panettone is our H.P.O. 2008. It fits the bill nicely, harmonizing with the richness of panettone yet not being heavy.
The Only "Royal" Wine: Tokaji Aszú and Its Essence A Taste that Should Be Tried at Least Once Tokaji or Tokay, is a white wine from the extreme northeastern corner of Hungary. Before WWII, it was a quasi-mythical wine, coming from noble estates and by the end of WWII, it began to disappear under the imposed Communist regime. TOKAJI is the most historic wine of Central Europe--if not Europe itself--due to the demand from royal tables and the prestige this gave it. Catherine the Great of Russia is said to have had a garrison of Cossacks stationed in Tokaji to protect her wine from being absconded with. What happened to Tokaji wines during the dark period? They were made; some very well; most went into the vast blends which found their way to Russia and other Eastern European countries, then Communist, where these wines were always much sought after. In 1939, the Fukkier (Fugger) family of Poland is said to have had immense stocks of Tokaji going back to the 1600s, all of which were lost in bombings at the beginning of WWII. With the fall of Communism, vineyards of Tokaji went back to some of their original owners or families; others were invested in by other European wine producers, and still others have been resuscitated by passionate Tokaji lovers. One of the first passionate producers is Royal Tokaji, involving Hugh Johnson, the noted British wine writer. One of the first wine growers from other areas to invest, creating Oremus, the name of their most famous vineyard, was the family that owns Spain’s most famous red wine, Vega Sicilia. Tokaji is a wine made from a blend of grapes, more or less 60-75% furmint, 20-35% hárslevelú, and 5-10% Muscat de Lunel. The most important wine style is ASZÚ, or Ausbruch (auslese). This is a wine made by the addition of a certain proportion of over-ripe, botrytis affected bunches, to an already made wine. This quantity is called a puttony. The paste made of the aszú berries is then stirred into the wine in a gönci, a 37 gallon barrel, and allowed to re-ferment. Since 1997, this practice has been downplayed. Currently there are two methods to making Tokaji: one as above and the other as wine is made in Sauternes, with a paler color, probably stemming from French investment in Tokaji. The higher the puttonyos number, the sweeter the wine, with a 5 puttonyos Aszú being 60% aszú paste and a minimum 120g/L sugar; 6 puttonyos 70% (150g/L sugar), and Aszú Essencia being 85-90% (180g/L sugar.) The rarest wine, Essencia is a minimum of 415g/L sugar. Tokaji bottles are unique. They are 500ml and have a characteristic mallet-like, shape. The production of Essencia wine is unique. The aszú paste is allowed to drip the juice coming from the aszú grapes and is collected. There is no pressing. This concentrate ferments very slowly, if at all, and rarely exceeds two percent alcohol. It is not so much wine as an unctuous syrup that is almost mouth paralyzing in its sweetness with searing acidity. Over time, the sugar and acid reach a union; the wine is always slightly hazy and will begin to throw a deposit on the inside of the bottle; it is one of the wine experiences of a lifetime. As Hugh Johnson writes: “ Not for drinking I assure you. Essencia is something you taste with friends, a sip at a time, and talk about to your grandchildren.” Tokaji Aszú and Essencia Wines
|
Corti Brothers
Sacramento CA
