Wine Opinion: Tokaji
The wine region Tokaj-Hegyalja, located in northeastern Hungary, is famed for its dessert wine Tokaji Aszu. This is a wine steeped in history and culture. It has been lauded by emperors such as Russia's Peter the Great and composers such as Brahms and Schubert.
Such an eminent history makes it a challenge to break away from the past. One modern winery that has successfully blended tradition and innovation is Holdvolgy (Moon Valley).
The winery was founded in 2004 when Pascal Demko's mother entrusted her son to search for a suitable birthday present for her husband. He succeeded in the acquisition of the vineyards and is now trying to ensure the land and its wines live up to their potential.
Demko has broken from tradition and the wines are not named after the region or grape variety. He says: "People do not know the grapes. I have used names which are more expressive of the wines."
The wines bear names such as Meditation, Expression, Exaltation, Eloquence, Signature, Culture and Intuition with the aim of reflecting the style and mood of the wines. The names may sound new age and vague, but the wines themselves are precise. Demko is striving to make wines with the "most precise terroir for the given variety and vintage".
To achieve this goal, each parcel of land is harvested individually, and each row of fruit is fermented separately in micro-fermenters. Demko knows Hungary has no luxury brands, and his mission is to build up the first one. The label, which was created in Paris and London, is minimalistic and elegant.
2007 was a hot, dry year. The challenge was deciding when to pick so as to maintain the balance between alcohol and acid levels. Made from 100 per cent furmint and fermented in 80 per cent steel tanks and 20 per cent oak. Only 20 per cent of the wine is aged in oak, to retain fruit purity.
Aromatics of citrus, melon, honeyed notes. Fuller-bodied on the palate with balanced acidity. This wine can be drunk as an aperitif. It has the body and power to go well with spicy foods and white meats. HK$209
It was another hot and dry vintage in 2009. The fruit is grown on mainly clay soils, which retain moisture and ensure that the vines receive adequate water supply. It is rare to find dry harslevelu, which is normally blended with furmint to make sweet Tokaji. In spite of the grape's obscurity this wine is big in London's top restaurants.
Notes of grapefruit, floral and a little more restrained. Medium-bodied, with a taut structure, crisp acidity and a slight bitter finish at the end. Very fresh, pure, some complexity and drinking well now. HK$363
Made from the furmint, harslevelu and zeta grapes. The grapes are late harvested and infected with the noble rot botrytis. The fungus perforates the skin, increasing the sugar content and concentrating the flavours. Demko describes Signature as the "Maserati of wines"; it is modern, fast and edgy. This wine allows him the freedom to do what he wants, unconstrained by Tokaji regulations. For example, he may blend dry wines to increase the acidity of the wine.
On the nose, aromatics of marmalade honey. Rich and sweet on the palate balanced by the crisp acidity. Very refreshing, the sugar is not cloying. HK$376
All available from Armit Wines. [email protected], tel: 3796 7190
armitwines.co.uk/armitHKong.aspx
