Gold Label 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj – 2013
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Introduction
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Gold Label 6 puttonyos is the ultimate expression of its region and is the result of two separate selections. After harvest the very best juice from each vineyard is selected and vinified separately. After 2-3 years, sometimes more, barrels which most closely reflect their particular terroir are chosen for bottling as Single Vineyard aszú wines and the remainders are blended to produce Gold Label.
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Vintage Report
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Winter was mild, and it was nice to walk outside in a t-shirt in the first half of March. However Mother Nature played a joke on us at the end of the month – we suddenly had 10-12 cm snow just a few days before Easter. Many of the other fruit orchards got severe frost but not the Tokaj vineyards as they are located along hillsides at quite high altitude. The rest of the spring was warm again.
Berry setting was less than ideal following the rain during blossoming but it did not reduce the crop dramatically. It was enough to avoid the need of a heavy green harvest. Early rains transitioned to drought, but the weather was miraculous after veraison started. We had ideal conditions for developing aszú berries (botrytis affected grapes resulting in noble rot). The late summer hot, dry weather around Mád is one of the reasons that not a lot of aszú wines were made. However, their quality was excellent as evidenced by the grapes’ large berry size and their thin skin by the middle of July.
It had been several years since such a top vintage for botrytis and aszú, but it was well worth the wait – only time will tell if 2013 proves to be one of the all-time great vintages, but it is certainly exceptional and has produced brilliant Royal Tokaji aszú wines.
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Vinification
- Barrel Aging: 30 months in old Hungarian oak from the Zemplen forest (mostly 500-liter/132-gallon barrels with some 350-liter/92-gallon barrels). When new, the barrels were used to age the Royal Tokaji Furmint.
- Bottled: May 18, 2016
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Zeta
- Alcohol: 10.5%
- TA: 8.1g/L
- RS: 188.3g/L
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Tasting Notes
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Rich, intense nose, hints of grapefruit and spice. Full-flavored with citrus, peach and apricot fruit and a fine balance of sweetness and acidity. Long, crisp finish.
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Images
Reviews
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Gold Label, Tokaj – 2013 – 97 points – Wine Enthusiast
“... is golden in color, with aromas of delicate acacia flower, honeysuckle, fresh peach and tinned apricot. The flavors come alive on the palate, showing luscious apricot, floral honeycomb and fresh pear juice. The acidity is perfectly balanced..."
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Gold Label, Tokaj – 2013 – 94 points – Wine Spectator
“This is like fine silk on the palate, impeccably balanced, with a finely woven panoply of melon pâte de fruit, exotic cardamom, cumin, passion fruit coulis, toasted almond and crushed pine needle notes. Long and creamy on the mouthwatering finish.”
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Gold Label, Tokaj – 2013 – 98 points – Decanter
"Full, complex and multi-layered with candied mango, papaya, honey, peach and sweet spice flavours. Very zesty, mineral finish with gentle sweetness and great length."
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Gold Label, Tokaj – 2013 – 94 points – Wine Spectator Online
"This is like fine silk on the palate, impeccably balanced, with a finely woven panoply of melon pâte de fruit, exotic cardamom, cumin, passion fruit coulis, toasted almond and crushed pine needle notes. Long and creamy on the mouthwatering finish."