Béres, Tokaji Aszú 5 puttonyos, 2011 (500 ml)

Béres Winery, Tokaj Region

What is Tokaji Aszú?

Tokaji Aszú is Hungary’s beloved sweet wine, which historically has been appreciated by royalty, diplomats, and celebrities of all types. After receiving a shipment of Tokaj wine as a gift from Prince Rákóczi II, Louis XIV famously called it the “wine of kings, the king of wines.” Aszú is a rich, golden-colored wine, characterized not just by its sweetness and complex layers of flavors, but by its extraordinary balance between sweetness and acidity. This balance is what makes it so easy and pleasurable to drink—and incomparable to any other sweet wine that you may have tasted before. Aszú is made from botrytized grapes (noble rot, or Botrytis cinerea) which look like raisins. The harvest is labor-intensive, since the grapes are hand-picked, berry by berry, in multiple rounds starting in late October or November. The Aszú grapes are macerated in base wine or fermenting must (which was made from the earlier harvest). Next, the Aszú grape mixture that was macerated in the base wine (the Aszú dough) is pressed and the resulting juice is fermented. The wine is stored in barrels made from oak from the nearby Zemplén forest, and aged for several years in the special climates of the underground cellar systems that are unique to the Tokaj region.

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. 

About the Wine

​This deep-gold colored Aszú is made from 100 percent Furmint grapes from the volcanic Lőcse, Omlás, and Diókút vineyards. Grapes were harvested in November, and 2011 was quite warm, resulting in grapes with high sugar content and very balanced and concentrated wines. This wine was fermented in oak and aged for 36 months in oak barrels. Béres’ affinity for longer barrel aging makes it noteworthy. Like all Aszú wines, be sure not to serve this wine too cold (or the nose and flavors will be muted). We recommend taking it out of the fridge 30-45 minutes or so before serving. This wine shows the cooler side of Tokaj (it is from the northern, cooler part of the region, from vineyards tucked into the forests and hills). It has a beautiful range of aromas—honey, warm baking spices, overripe apples, and medlars (which are plentiful in the hills surrounding Erdőbénye). It has a residual sugar content of 154.5 grams per liter, but its fresh acidity (11.3 grams per liter) makes this wine not even really about the sweetness. On the first sip you taste its acidity all over—lime, lime zest, and lemon—before the sweetness even hits. Additionally, there are a range of other flavors—candied fruits and dates, sweet iced tea and honey, toasted walnuts. Alcohol is 11 percent in this rich, elegant, and complex wine, with a very long finish.

 You can enjoy this wine with a dessert that is not too sweet (something more fruity or nutty). But for us, this wine is the dessert. In Hungary the traditional pairing would be goose liver pate or blue cheese.

There are two types of Aszú—five and six puttonyos. Six puttonyos has a higher sugar content. We also have a 6 puttonyos Aszú available. 

We have lots more on our blog about Tokaji wines!

Understanding Tokaj
Tokaji Aszú: The Story of The World’s Oldest Sweet Wine
Tokaji vs. Sauternes: Comparing Two Legendary Sweet Wines