Royal Tokaji
Essencia Tokaji
Essencia is the fermented liquid gold that slowly oozes rich, honey-like essence from the grape bins as individually hand-picked botrytis grapes crush under their own weight. This nectar is the world’s most concentrated essence of its ripest grapes. Each 375ml bottle is presented in a lacquer case with a Hungarian crystal sipping spoon – this is the only wine in the world best served by-the-spoon! There are a minimum of 25 spoons per bottle and once opened, the wine lasts at least 6 months.
Vintage Factsheets
Essencia from Royal Tokaji is made from grapes harvested from the renowned vineyards in the Tokaj region, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Hungary. These vineyards are located on the steep, volcanic hillsides of Tokaj, where the unique microclimate, influenced by the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, creates ideal conditions for the noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) that is essential for the production of this rare and exceptional wine. The region’s soils, rich in volcanic ash and clay, contribute to the complexity and mineral character of the wine. The grapes are handpicked at the peak of botrytized ripeness, resulting in an intensely concentrated and luxurious wine that captures the essence of the vineyards' extraordinary terroir.
- Region
- Tokaj
- Appellation
- Tokaj
- Varietal Composition
- Furmint, Harslevelu, Sargamuskotaly
- Aging
- From the middle of August, the botrytis can typically be seen spreading all over the region and highly affected the grapes. By summertime the team at Royal Tokaji is quietly confident of an ideal harvest, straightforward with high quality – Remaining vigilant as July and August can bring intermittent rain and hail, reducing the crop and encouraging botrytis. Expert pickers carefully select the finest berries throughout September and October, and the winery is then rewarded with a small Aszú harvest of exceptional quality. The free run juice - in this case from first generation berries only - is collected. A gradual and very slow alcoholic fermentation took place spontaneously, lasting over 3 years.
- Alcohol
- 2.92%
After a further 5 years of aging in the cellars of Royal Tokaji, Essencia has a deep gold color with hints of amber and a very thick texture. Complex fruitiness on the nose with hints of green tea and lots of figs and dates. Rich and complex in the mouth with a creamy structure. Tastes of candied orange peel with dried red berries. An almost eternal finish with very good acidity.
Vinous
98 Points
2016
“The 2016 Essencia is a refulgent deep gold color. There’s no dabbling on the nose as it bursts with scents of Clementine, Japanese yuzu, quince and marmalade, all the tropes one expects from a Tokaji. Yet this being Essencia, those flavors are amplified without any loss in delineation. The palate is as unctuous as you expect, lacquering the inside of the mouth (and this is why a spoon is included, not for show, but the most efficient means for transferring the wine straight onto the tongue.) The tastebuds tingle with glee, reveling in untrammeled sweetness, effortlessly offset by that razor-sharp acidity that renders it not cloying in the slightest. Purer than an angelic choirboy, the 2016 is armed with immense tension on the citric finish that offers Seville orange marmalade, strawberry, mandarin and quince. Outrageous and yet sophisticated and probably indestructible.”
— Neal Martin, 2023
Vinous
98 Points
2016
"The 2016 Tokaji Essencia is a production of just 2,300 bottles. It contains 535 g/l residual sugar and 15.5 g/l acidity and was bottled slightly earlier after three years' maturation in demijohn. This is slightly darker in colour compared to the 2017. The nose has changed a little since I tasted it a couple of years ago, quince and marmalade, a little more caramel and caramelized pear. It actually reminds me of a Vin de Constance. The palate is stunning on the entry with a voluminous unctuosity that almost overwhelms the senses, repeating those quince and marmalade notes with a hint of Devonshire fudge and Anjou pear that fan out with immense purity and underlying citrus tones. Outstanding."
— Neal Martin, 2025
