Royal Tokaji launches 07 Essencia

Royal Tokaji has launched the 2007 vintage of its Essencia, only the fifth vintage produced since the 1990s.

First to be released in the UK and Europe, then Asia and the US this autumn, just 2,057 37.5cl bottles will be available either singly in a presentation case or in a case of six.

One of the rarest of all Tokajis, produced only in the very best years from what are effectively raisins so rich in sugar the “wine” rarely exceeds 2% abv,  the 2007 Essencia is only the fifth vintage from Royal Tokaji since 1990, the other four intervening vintages being 1993, 1999, 2000 and 2003.

Also released by the company is the latest vintage of its “Blue Label” five puttonyos aszú from 2009. Unlike in other parts of Europe where the everything went right, in Hungary, “there was a lot of everything but none at the right time.”

The early part of the year was warm and dry, rainfall barely exceeding 200mm in the first five months of the year and a drought was declared by May.

Humidity rose however and the Furmint and Hárslevelű reached full ripeness by the end of September but producers who tarried in harvesting were then caught out by heavy rains in October.

Consequently, many of the best wines from the 2009 vintage are “very promising” with “lovely elegance and fresh fruitiness”.

However, although Royal Tokaji’s 2009 is sugar rich (173.7 grams per litre), acidity is slightly low at 8.4 g/l.