Royal Tokaji

2015 Late Harvest / New Releases

It seems incre

dible to recall

that for our first aszú vintage

— 1990 — “made in freedom,”

the authorities would not allow

us to put our name in larger letters

than the generic descriptor

— Tokaji aszú — on our labels.

Our main objective back then

was to recreate, as accurately as

possible, the rich, vibrant tastes

that had made Tokaji aszú wines

so famous in the centuries leading

up to the uninvited communist

regime that devastated the culture

and viticulture of this iconic

wine region. Effectively, the

authorities had nationalized Tokaj;

imagine Napa being nationalized

... no winery names existed;

no single vineyard plots were

vinified separately.

Against this background, we

were determined to produce

aszú in the time-honored method

(pre-communist): quality pruning,

lower yields, indigenous yeasts,

careful grape and berry selection,

minimum barrel oxidization, etc.

The dawn of the 21st century

saw Royal Tokaji recognized as

the international-benchmark

producer of aszú wines. But the

genuine shortage of aszú harvests

and the limited volumes even in

those vintages led us to explore

other opportunities.

Our Late Harvest wine was

developed as a more accessible,

but equally vibrant wine of

around 100 grams/liter (equivalent

to a 4 puttonyos sweetness

or indeed Sauternes). Rather

than selecting individual berries

shriveled by botrytis, an exceptionally

time-consuming and

expensive process, these wines

rely on partial-bunch selection.

The combination of aszú berries,

overripe grapes and healthy

berries gives a distinctive Tokaj

character but does not require

the long aging of aszú wines.

By Ben Howkins, co-founder and director

NEW RELEASES

Royal Tokaji is very proud to release its 2015

Late Harvest with a new international presentation.

The splashes of gold on the capsule are inspired

by the "noble rot" which creates the magic at the

heart of this wine. The contemporary yet timeless

label is a subtle invitation to discover something

new and exciting. This wine has glorious fresh

aromas and refreshing acidity.

It is an incredibly versatile partner with food,

particularly Asian and mildly spiced dishes,

and very quaffable on a sunny day.

Every wine Royal Tokaji makes reflects the region's

unique combination of soil, climate, indigenous

grape varieties and incomparable history. The

greatest reward for any winemaker is to have their

wines shared and enjoyed. Our Late Harvest will

allow our wines to be shared and enjoyed even

more widely.

Varietal Composition: 55% Furmint, 35% Hárslevelü,

9% Muscat, 1% Kövérszőlő

Alcohol: 11% TA: 5.3g/L RS: 101g/L

2008 ESSENCIA

No ordinary bottle of wine, Essencia is one

of the rarest of all Tokaji wines, produced

only in the very best years. The 2008 Essencia is

only the sixth vintage from Royal Tokaji, with

the five intervening vintages being 1993, 1999,

2000, 2003 and 2007.

Perfectly botrytized brown raisins are harvested

by hand. One skilled picker will harvest perhaps

10 kilograms (22 pounds) of these grapes in one

day, and it requires 100 kilograms (220 pounds)

of these grapes for one 375ml bottle of the honeyed

quintessence. The raisins are placed in small

bins where only their weight and gravity encourage

miniscule amounts of free run “juice” to flow.

After seven years fermentation in ancient

cellars, this nectar achieves just 2 to 4

degrees of alcohol.

This elixir is almost eternal and, if you

can resist, it will age for many years to

come. Once opened, the bottle will stay

fresh in the refrigerator for at least six

months without oxidizing.

2008 Essencia is offered as a single bottle (375ml)

in red lacquer case with a crystal sipping spoon.

The spoon was designed exclusively for Royal

Tokaji, enabling 25 sips per bottle — or 50 if

you share your spoonful with a loved one —

and the back label bears the number of each

bottle produced.

Varietal Composition: Furmint, Hárslevelü, Muscat

Barrel Aging: Impossible, there is too

much sugar and the barrels would break;

wine ferments in glass

Production: 2,906 bottles (1/375ml);

less than 10% imported into the US

Alcohol: 4% TA: 13.5g/L RS: 469g/L