The winter months are the perfect time to explore sweet wines. Their viscosity, length and ultimate natural sweetness are ideal attributes to take the chill out of the air. I have to confess, I’m a fan of “Sweet Nectar," “Stickies” or “Liquid Gold” as the category is commonly referred to. However, one elixir that truly stands out for me is Hungarian Tokaji and the house putting this rare and historic beverage in the forefront is the Royal Tokaji Wine Company.

Like many great beverages, Hungarian Tokaji was created accidently  in the early 1600s. In 1700, Prince Rakoczi of Transylvania passed a decree to classify certain noted vineyards in the northeastern part of the country as 1st Growth, 2nd Growth and 3rd Growth. The Tokaji region was technically the first European viticultural region to institute a vineyard classification system, so move over Bordeaux.  Over the years, Tokaji Aszú (ah-SOO) has been a status symbol enjoyed by many royal courts from Louis XIV of France to the Russian Czars. It has been well documented that the Cossacks protected the most precious nectar, “Aszú Essencia,” while it was in transport to the Czar’s Palace in St. Petersburg.

After the fall of Communism in the late 1980s, the region started to make a comeback from decades of neglect. Noted English wine author Hugh Johnson and several others invested in one of the most esteemed wineries and its claim to top cru-rated vineyards. In 1989, The Royal Tokaji Wine Company was reborn, marking the beginning of the “Tokaji Renaissance” during which millions of dollars have been reinvested in the region, a recently designated World Heritage Site.

                                        

Similar to Sémillon from the Sauternes district, Tokaji fruit is susceptible to Botrytis Cinerea, (noble rot), due to mists that form at the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog Rivers. The noble rot dries and shrivels the three notable varietals of the region: Furmint, Hárslevelú and Muscat. Tokaji Aszú has several categories of sweetness based on the measurement of noble rot-affected grapes that are kneaded into a paste and transported in 20-liter wooden tubs called “puttonyo.” The more puttonyos, the sweeter and more syrupy the wine base, which is marked on a 1 to 6 scale. It’s quite apparent that quality starts to kick in when you get to the “5 Puttonyos,” “6 Puttonyos” and “Essencia” levels; the finished product is priced accordingly.

I go bonkers for this stuff and am jazzed that we have three Royal Tokaji Wine Company Aszú(s) on the site, listed below. My mouth starts to water when I think about this rare juice. I refer to it as my “liquid strudel!” Why? I always get a golden raisin nuance throughout the palate spectrum. No other dessert wine category overloads my senses with a combination of flowery aromatics paired with apples, quince, apricots, marmalade and golden raisins. It’s common to detect back palate notes of butterscotch, carmely-brown sugar, honeyed nuts and a dash of chocolate on more aged versions. It’s possible to put a stopwatch on the super long and balanced finish, a true indication of a top-notch dessert wine. These wines are long-lived from the collector's standpoint. It has been documented that an Essencia bottling can age over a century!

I recommend pairing a 4 Puttonyos Aszú with a starter course of seared foie gras or duck liver terrine. The natural high acidity of the wine will cut through the fat of these preparations amazingly well. For the higher level of Puttonyos of 5 and 6 and then the rare Essencia, I suggest simple fruit tart preparations or, with more aged versions, a simple chocolate preparation or aged blue cheese. These wines are ideal food pairing candidates based on their low alcohol levels, which range from 8.5% to 10%. The rare and precious Essencia can be served on its own and quite often is portioned and served on a special tasting spoon!

Vinfolio is proud to showcase:

1999 Aszú Essencia - $449/500ml.
1993 and 1999 will go down as the best and only vintages that the Essencia category was made by the house. Because of its high residual sugar level, (600g/L), this wine fermented for six years and only tipped the scale at 2.9% alcohol. This could arguably be the most precious dessert wine in the world. Move over Château d’Yquem! You can be one of the few to take stock of only 600 bottles imported into the states.

2000 Tokaji Aszú ‘5 Puttonyos’ Birsalmas- $48/500ml. ~ Wine Spectator 94 points
A blend of all three noble varietals and aged in Hungarian oak for 5 years. Only 100 cases imported to the  states. Birsalmas is a single vineyard that translates to “quince.” Thus, the dominating fruit characteristic is indeed quince, backed with carmelized pear and pineapple.

1995 Tokaji Aszú ‘6 Puttonyos’ Mézes Mály- $103/500ml. ~ Wine Spectator 92 points
The Mézes Mály vineyard is one of the most noted 1er Cru vineyards of the district. Many consider it the most floral bottling of the house. Orange blossoms and fresh honey abound with a splash of juicy white peach and baked apple. The vineyard name, translated, means “honey pot." Say no more!

January is time to face the inevitable challenge of sticking to our well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions, so often having to do with our waistlines: a new diet, more exercise, and healthy eating!  You might have already stopped going to the gym, but before you give up completely, consider dessert wines as an easy replacement for high calorie after-dinner treats.  These days, dessert wines are made in just about every region, but the most famous remain Sauternes from Bordeaux, Tokaji from Hungary, and Vin Santo from Tuscany. 

Regardless of origin, all dessert wine is made by concentrating the sugars in the grape.  In the case of Sauternes and Tokaji, the winemakers use grapes that have also been affected by Botrytis, a mold that shrivels the grapes on the vine.  For Vin Santo, the grapes are dried, producing the same effect of concentrating the sugars. Producing these wines from vineyard to bottle is a very laborious process combined with an enormous amount of risk that’s taken with each vintage.   Understanding all that goes into these wines shows what a great value they truly are!  

Sauternes 

Origin: France–Bordeaux.  Five villages comprise the Sauternes region: Sauternes, Barsac, Priegnac, Fargues, and Bommes.

Grapes: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.

Brief History: Sauternes most likely began producing sweet wine in the 18^th century, though debate remains on specific dates.  Whether earlier or later, what is certain is the suitability of the region for the production of botrytis-infected nectar.  In late autumn, morning mist settles in the vineyards and then burns off during the warm days, providing perfect conditions for the growth of noble rot. 

In 1855, Sauternes was categorized into a three-tiered hierarchy, with Yquem at the top as the Premier Cru Supérieur (First Great Growth).  The premiers and deuxièmes crus follow and produce high quality, if somewhat less expensive, offerings. 

Browse the complete Vinfolio inventory of Sauternes. 

Some highlights from the Vinfolio wine store include: 

1990 Yquem ($425) 

2003 Yquem ($159) 

1988 Rieussec ($109) 

1990 Suduiraut ($69)

Food Pairing: Try with Foie Gras or mild Roquefort.  Considering the price and complexity of great Sauternes, they are often enjoyed by themselves.

Great Vintages: 2005, 2003, 2001, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986

Tokaji 

Origin: Hungary – Tokaj-Hegyalja 

Grapes: Furmint, Hárslevelű and Muscat Lunel

Brief History: Tokaji was subject to the world’s first appellation control, beginning in 1730, decades before Port and more than 100 years before Bordeaux. Given Tokaji as a gift in 1703, Louis XIV entitled it the "Wine of Kings, King of Wines."

Tokaji is categorized according to the amount of aszú, or nobly rotten fruit, added to the base wine.  The concentration of the wine ranges from 3 to 6 puttonyos: the higher the number, the more concentrated and sweeter the wine.  The highest level of Tokaji is essencia, which has the highest concentration of flavor, and is therefore the most highly valued. 

Vinfolio currently offers the following selections:

1995 Royal Tokaji - Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos Mezes Maly ($103)

1999 Royal Tokaji - Aszu Essencia ($449)

Food Pairing: Pairs similarly as Sauternes, Tokaji is also ideal with fruit or nut-based based desserts and cheesecake.

Great Vintages: 1988, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005

Vin Santo

Origin:  Italy, Tuscany.  Also made on the island of Santorini in Greece.

Grapes: Passito, Trebbiano Toscano, and Malvasia, as well as other local varietals.  There is also a red Vin Santo known as Occhio di Pernice made from Sangiovese and other local varietals.

Brief History: Vin Santo was known as Vin Pretto or “pure wine” prior to the 14^th Century, and was used in religious services.  Later, it became known as Vin Santo, but quality producers still make it in the traditional way.  The grapes are dried on racks and mats then aged in small, often chestnut, barrels known as caratelli.  Typically the barrels are not completely filled to allow a little room for air, which helps with the natural oxidation process.

From the Vinfolio wine store:

1999 Felsina Berardenga - Vin Santo del Chianti Classico ($33)

Food Pairing: Vin Santo goes well with desserts made with dried fruit and nuts, especially pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts, as well as chocolate and caramel combinations

Great Vintages: There is a separate DOC appellation for Vin Santo, however, in vintage reports it is not separated from Chianti and so follows Chianti’s great vintages: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2005.

Serving recommedations

One thing about the three of these wines is that when they are of good quality they all age well and develop beautifully in the bottle. Usually with Sauternes and Tokaji, their lifetime is referred to as timeless. All three of the wines should be served around 52 degrees, however, some people prefer their Vin Santo closer to room temperature.  Remember never serve this wine too cold or you will shut down all of those beautiful aromas.

Speaking of beautiful aromas…

You don’t often see is either Sauternes or Tokaji served in the best glass for this style of wine.   The glass pictured is part of the Sommeliers Line from Riedel and is specifically designed for enjoying these very aromatic wines.  This is a great example of how Riedel engineering makes a significant difference in our enjoyment of the wine in the glass!

As you embark on a new year of wine exploration, I hope the dessert you find in your glass gives you abundant motivation to stick to at least one of your New Year’s resolutions.  If you’re interested in reading more on dessert wines, (and being tempted by food pairings), check out Sweet Wines:  A Guide to the World’s Best with Recipes by James Peterson.