Szt. Tamás, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017
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Vineyard Profile
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Tokaji Vineyard Classification
In the 1730’s, 28 villages and their vineyards in Tokaj became the first European vineyards to be classified. This classification remains in effect today and was verified by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture in 2013.Szt. Tamás 1st growth single-vineyard
Szt Tamás is one of the most expensive and celebrated vineyard hills in the region. Royal Tokaji own parcels totaling 16 hectares of this southwest facing vineyard with vine age ranging from 20 to 60 years. The soil is rich, red, clay interspersed with indigo and purple volcanic rocks on, and below, the surface. - Vineyards: Royal Tokaji’s parcels of 1st Growth Szt. Tamás single-vineyard (100% Estate)
- Appellation: Tokaj, Hungary
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Vintage Report
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In truly exceptional years Royal Tokaji selects the finest berries from its classed vineyards and carefully produces a few barrels of single vineyard aszú wine. 2017 was such a year, just the eighth this century, showing exceptional richness, structure and backbone balanced by lively acidity – a truly volcanic vintage.
Summer was hot, so we began the aszú berry harvest in early September and continued to pick steadily through the ideal autumn weather. In particular, October provided three textbook weeks for fine quality aszú, with day after day of early morning mists, afternoon sunshine and drying winds. We hand-harvested each intensely flavored aszú berry from the bunches on the vines. The aszú harvest required multiple passes through each block over many weeks. The aszú wines show great structure, plenty of botrytis, depth and freshness with excellent complexity, all attributes of long ageing potential.
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Vinification
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Excellent quality aszú berries with good structure and perfect botrytis were macerated in fermenting must for two days. After pressing, fermentation finished in neutral Hungarian Zemplen oak barrels. The wines were then transferred into different casks for maturation over two years in Royal Tokaji’s 13th century cellars. The final blends were crafted in Spring 2020.
- Bottled: June 2020
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Furmint
- Alcohol: 11%
- TA: 7.4 g/L
- RS: 191.3 g/L
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Tasting Notes
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This wine is structured and concentrated with plenty of citrus fruit on the nose, dominated by orange peel and marmalade. The palate delivers a cascade of apricot and peach flavors, thrilling acidity and a very long and complete finish.
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Images
Reviews
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Szt. Tamás 1st Growth, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 — Wine Enthusiast — 99 Points
This wine comes from one of Tokaji's most famous vineyards. It is light amber in color with heady aromas of honeysuckle, freesia, beeswax and honey. It has pleasant heft on the palate and there are intense flavors of tinned peach, clover honey and apricot conserves. It is a well-made and well-balanced wine that ends on a sweet note and makes you want to go in for another and another, sip.
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Royal Tokaji Szt. Tamás, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 – Decanter – 93 Points
The Szt.Tamás Aszú has a lifted nose of apricot jam, bruised apple and a hint of fresh sourdough. Spiced and honeyed on the palate with ginger and white pepper, grapefruit peel bitterness, marmalade and dried apricot. The acidity is more mellow than the Gold Label, although it still provide an excellent backbone. Ginger and dried fruit notes linger on.
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Royal Tokaji Szt. Tamás, 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj — 2017 – Vinous – 95 Points
This is more backward compared to Mézes Mály, and very much more citrus driven, featuring lemon peel, orange zest and crushed stone aromas; the Aszú element is more discreet. The finish, vibrant palate is more balanced and harmonious, offering a fine bead of acidity and candied orange peel toward the finish. Edgier than Royal Tokaji’s other 2017s, and perhaps spicier on the finish, this will be fascinating to observe mature in bottle.