Late Harvest, Tokaj – 2010
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Introduction
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Were we “mad” to invest in Mád? Absolutely not! Mád is a beautiful town located in the heart of Hungary’s finest wine region where noble wine producers have gathered to conduct business and merry-making for centuries. And Mád Cuvée is a luscious wine with honey-like flavors that can only be made in a place called Mád.
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Vineyard Profile
- Appellation: Tokaj
- Size: 107 hectares (264 acres)
- Vine Age: 11-37 years
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Vintage Report
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Looking back our database from this year, it is interesting to see that all of the figures seem to be near average except for rainfall. Having a closer look at the details, however, shows that we can describe the vintage as anything but average.
There was only one feature that remained constant throughout the entire vintage: rain — it rained nearly 50 percent of the days. The temperature curve in our chart looks like a sinus-rhythm wave with very high frequency; it changed dramatically from one day to the next. Precipitation was high in the winter months with a combination of rain and snow. Spring started early in mid-March and temperatures rose quickly; budding was very good. June was once again cold and rainy and berry setting was far from perfect. July and August were hot, yet rainy. It was shocking that the heat sum by the end of August was as high as in 2008, however, potential alcohol level in berries was 2 to 3 percent lower.
There was plenty of rain during harvest season, too. It was hardly possible to find healthy berries and was impossible to find high-quality aszú berries despite of a lot botrytis being present in the vineyards; this is the reason why we could produce only a tiny bit of dry Furmint and Late Harvest wine this year — not a single drop of aszú wine was produced.
- Harvest Date(s): Mid-October to mid-November
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Vinification
- Fermentation: 2 weeks in stainless-steel tanks at 12°C-22°C (54°-72°F)
- Barrel Aging: 4-6 months
- Bottled: August 16, 2011
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 70% Furmint, 15% Muscat, 15% Hárslevelü
- Production (in cases): 1,029 cases
- Production Case Pack: 12/375ml
- Alcohol: 11.5%
- TA: 9.5g/L
- RS: 110.2g/L
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Tasting Notes
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The Mád Cuvée has a delicate flowery nose showing hints of white peach. On the palate it is of medium weight — sweet but with a good acid balance. It has exotic fruit flavors and a clean finish of medium length. This late harvest wine can be enjoyed chilled as an apéritif with canapés. Given its fresh acidity, it also pairs well with spicy Asian cuisine.
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Images
Reviews
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Mád Cuvée, Tokaj – 2010 – 91 points – The Tasting Panel
"Deep golden color; creamy and rich with juicy acidity and deep sweetness; tangy and showing some botrytis; long and balanced."
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Mád Cuvée, Tokaj – 2010 – 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
"…This late-harvest selection leads with seductive aromas of caramelized apricot and baked apple. It has flavors of freshly baked pear, apple tart and honeycomb, with a creamy mouthfeel and balanced acidity that lifts the palate."
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Mád Cuvée, Tokaj – 2010 – 93 points, Best Buy – Wine & Spirits
"It rained so much in 2010 -- nearly half of the harvest season -- that Royal Tokaji didn't produce any Aszu wines at all. What healthy, late-harvest grapes they did manage to collect went into the Mad Cuvee (Called Ats Cuvee in Hungary, after the former winemaker who developed it). It's dynamic, and totally Tokaji in character, though it's not particularly sweet -- 'I could drink a whole bottle of this tmyself,' said one taster, remarking on its balance and deliciousness. The fruit feels full but weightless, all burnt orange marmalade and sweet peach; the acidity and minerality keep it edgy and buoyant, and allow it to finish clean."
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Mád Cuvée, Tokaj – 2010 – 89 points – Wine Spectator Online
“Honeyed yet fresh, with juicy acidity propping up the orange marmalade and dried apricot notes, finishing with an aftertaste of honey and spice.”