Béres, Late-harvest Sárgamuskotály, 2013 (375 ml)

Béres Winery, Tokaj Region

This is an unusual wine, a 100 percent Muscat Blanc (Sárgamuskotály) made from late-harvested grapes. Sárgamuskotály is one of the six white grape varieties planted in Tokaj, but it’s not so common to find single-varietal wines made with this grape. Tokaj’s volcanic soils, combined with its cool growing conditions, work very well for this grape, and help keep the acidity quite high and the characteristic floral and aromatic flavors intact. In Tokaj late-harvest wines are made with over-ripened grapes which do not necessarily have to include botrytized grapes. But this wine does, and the light botrytis characteristics makes it even more interesting. Grapes for this wine were harvested in the volcanic Diókút vineyard in November. It was fermented in tanks, and had a brief one-month aging stint in oak barrels. The residual sugar is an incredible 209 grams per liter (more than a 6 puttonyos Aszú), and acidity is 7 grams per liter. Alcohol is 11.5 percent. This is a very full-bodied sweet wine, but still has a nice balance. It has a light golden color, with a thick texture. The pure Muscat Blanc characteristics—fresh flowers, dried elderflowers, lavender syrup—are all here, and the flavor of elderflower (which blooms all over Tokaj in the spring) is long-lingering. There are also notes of fresh mango, raspberries, and apple juice, as well as a bit of spiciness from the oak aging (cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon). This is a lovely and unique wine, which would pair well with a cake or pie that is not overly sweet. 

About the Winery

Béres is a well-known family name in Hungary. Before getting into the wine business, Dr. Béres developed the “Béres drops” (Béres csepp), a popular multivitamin that has also made it to the “Hungaricum” list, a list which names the most important Hungary products. The Béres family founded their winery in 2003. They have 45 hectares of vineyards, and an average annual production of 100,000 bottles. Their winery and many of their vineyards (and a plum orchard, from which they make pálinka) are located in the picturesque village of Erdőbénye. 

We have lots more on our blog about Tokaji wines!

Understanding Tokaj
Tokaji vs. Sauternes: Comparing Two Legendary Sweet Wines