Wilson Daniels Day 5: A Hungarian Roundup with Royal Tokaji
Royal Tokaji was established in 1990 by renowned wine author Hugh Johnson and a group of dedicated wine nerds with a shared mission to revive Hungary’s legendary Tokaji region after the fall of Communism. This region holds a unique place in wine history as the birthplace of the world’s original sweet white wine, once celebrated across Europe as a “cult wine” of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the first region ever to classify its vineyards. Supposedly the wine was so desirable that Catherine the Great secured the region of Tokaji simply to secure a continued supply for herself as her favorite wine.
The 2019 Late Harvest expression is a beautiful showcase of Tokaji’s signature style. Crafted using partial bunch selection, the wine naturally incorporates a mix of ripe, overripe, and botrytised berries instead of only botrytised berries. The result is a wine with unmistakable Tokaji character but made in fresher, more modern style than the Aszu wines. Made primarily from the native hard to pronounce and harder to spell Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes, it offers fresh stone fruit and delicate floral notes, complemented by a silky texture and a long, crisp finish. With only six months of barrel maturation, the wine retains exceptional freshness and natural acidity.
In the cellar, grapes were harvested from October through early November. After gentle pressing, fermentation took place in tank before most of the wine was aged in barrel for five to six months, enhancing complexity while preserving its lively character.
Imported by Wilson Daniels, their partnership with Royal Tokaji and Hugh Johnson has been recognized as returning one of the world's forgotten wine regions to prominence. Having been relegated largely to bulk wine production under Communist rule, what little sweet wine that was made was often over suffered or simply poorly made for nearly a century. The contemporary results are wines that are personally some of my favorites. I will take a bottle of 6 Puttonyos Mézes Mály instead of Chateau d’Yquem any day, much less the Essencia.
At $21, this is a bottle of wine you should have in your refrigerator at all times. Have it with a charcuterie board, pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a sweet treat, or just a little nightcap. It stays good for many, many weeks at a time and offers such great pleasure when you just need a single glass with just the right food.
91 Points, Decanter
"All the hallmark mango and peach of Tokaji but lighter on its feet than most. An exotic touch of passion fruit combines with rich crème caramel to create a seductive, layered palate. About six months' ageing in oak brings woody spice and hints of church incense, while the acidity is racy for a wine this sweet. Elegant and refreshing."