Tokaji or Tokajer, once very popular with European royal families, came into the focus of western investors shortly after Hungary’s political change, who hoped to be successful with a renaissance of Tokajer. For example, the French insurance group AXA Millésimes took over the long-established, well-known Disznókő winery in 1992. Whether this had an influence on the quality of the Tokaji Aszú 6-Puttonyos 1993 tasted from the winery remains to be seen.
The long, dry and hot summer of 1993 certainly contributed to this, by producing overripe berries rich in sugar and acid. Added to this was a timely rain that brought damp autumn weather and enabled the Botytis fungus to spread on the grape skins, then penetrate the grapes, spin its threads through the pulp and shrink the grapes and concentrate sugar, acid and flavor components. The warm, dry autumn weather also did the rest, causing the berries to dry out even more – essentially ennobling them into Aszú berries.
The Aszú berries were harvested individually in several rounds, from September to November. These harvested berries were stored in stainless steel tanks until winemaking.
When the Aszú berries are so dried out, they cannot be pressed straight away. Therefore, the Aszú berries for the 1993 Tokaji Aszú 6-Puttonyos were soaked in fermenting must for 60 hours to increase skin contact and thus extract sugars, aromas and acids.
The 1993 Tokaji Aszú 6-Puttonyos consists of the grape varieties Furmint (60%), Harslevelu (30%) and Zeta (10%). The wine was aged in oak barrels for almost 3 years and then bottled.
Tokaji Aszú 6-Puttonyos 1993, Disznókő (Tasted Wines)
Dark amber in color. In the nose aromas is apricot jam, spices and delicate truffle notes. Juicy, still with a lovely freshness, very nice, perfect balance of the extremely fine acidity with the sweetness. In the long, complex finish, caramelized quince and delicate notes of undergrowth. Excellent, very harmonious wine.