Commonly referred to as a varietal but actually the collection of grapes used to make Tokaji Aszú, a dessert wine from the Tokaj region of Hungary. 70% is Furmint, 20-25% Hárslevelű and another 5% or so from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Often called THE dessert wines as it was the first to be made from grapes attacked by botrytis vinifera, or "Noble rot." First produced in the 1600s, Tokaji Aszú has been revered for centuries for its potent complexity and sensual sweetness. The sweetness in the grapes is caused by the noble rot which is a mould that attacks the skin of the grape, thinning and dehydrating it and causing high levels of residual sugar in the grape.
Tokaji Aszú is sold by puttonyos which is the proportion of crushed Aszú paste to base dry wine. The higher the number the sweeter the wine, 7 puttonyos being the highest. Aszú Eszencia is made only from the juice that runs free from the botrytised grapes and is one of the best and rarest wines in the world.
White
| Tokajbor-Bene Tokaji Aszú 4 Puttonyos 1993 | Tokaji | Dessert |