Tokaji Essencia, Royal Tokaji Wine Company 2017

The 2017 Tokaji Essencia is a production of just 4,770 bottles, the largest ever by some margin (see other notes for comparison). It contains 557 g/l residual sugar and 10.4 g/l acidity. This has a beautifully defined bouquet with crème brûlée, elderflower, punnets of strawberry, quince and marmalade. The palate is unctuous as always, but you do notice the countervailing acidity, even though it is lower compared to other vintages. There is just a scintilla of bitterness amongst the layers of honeyed fruit that keeps this on its toes. Very long, very refined and extraordinarily pure, this is a supremely gifted latest release of Essencia. Heavenly.

The 2017 was the largest Essencia release of Royal Tokaji, set to hit the market later in 2025. For the first time, the producer used a 500 litre Hungarian oak barrel, in addition to the usual demijohns, to age and mature the nectar. The vintage started cold with light rains leading to a hot August, when the producer saw the onset of botrytis, aided with 'textbook' October weeks of morning mists and afternoon sunshine. Pale amber in colour, it boasts fresh citrus zest, dried hay, elderflower, lively red berries and marmalade, dried apricot and acacia honey. Fresh and mellow on the palate, with citrus and apricot puree, orange zest with a touch of barrel-derived phenolics. Rich, intoxicating but vibrant. 2025-2047