TOKAJI: The Compelling Beauty of Planet Aszú

By Stuart Pigott - last revision: 20.06.26

In March 2022 I was in deep space when my caspule crash landed on Planet Aszú. I found it a strange, but compellingly beautiful planet. Sadly, I couldn't stay long, but I haven't stopped thinking about it since. So, why don't you strap yourself into your capsule and journey with me across the void.

I'msorry to admit it mmediately before lift, but there’s a knot in my gut, because Tokaji Aszú, the style of noble sweet wine that made the region legendary, was first mentioned back in 1571. So, this unique cosmos of aromas and flavours began forming at least four centuries before my birth. Suddenly, my 42 years of professional winetasting experience feel like a speck in the vastness of space-time. But now we're off and there's no turning back!

Let me give you some historical context from Planet Wine: red Bordeaux as we know it was developed around 1650, Germany’s documented history of nobly sweet wine production goes back to 1775, and Burgundy’s vineyards started looking the way they do now (vines planted in narrow rows) twoards the end of the 19th century. Welcome to the Deep Space of European Wine!

Then, there’s the contrast between how astonishing the day I spent tasting sweet Tokaji wines in the region was - with delight and astonishment - and how difficult these wines are to sell in many markets around Planet Wine. For many smaller Tokaj producers the focus has long since shifted to dry wines, but even they are still fascinated, even obsessed, with the sweet wines. Even the sceptical István Balassa told me, „You need to have the sweet wines in your portfolio, it’s the pinnacle of Tokaji and they’re unique.“ In spite of all their glaring differences of opinion and approach, there's an inclusive emotional commitment to nobly sweet wines within the region's winemaking community.

Marketing high-end sweet wines in the second quarter of the 21st Century is enormously taxing,but some Tokaji producers also remain commericaly committed to Aszú: a very demanding style to produce. In most years the Aszú berries - Botrytized and well shrivelled - must be picked one by one, though there are rare exceptions to this rule in extreme Botrytis years when less rigorous selection is needed. More about this in a moment.

For example, half of Royal Tokaji’s production is Tokaji Aszú. „We enter the autumn with 75% of the grapes hanging for Bortrytis,“ winery director Zoltan Kovács told me. That means they leave the grapes hanging in about 75 hectares of vineyards when the unpredictible weather of autumn begins. If you’re sceptical that this level of risk makes sense, then please taste at least one of the five single-vineyard Aszú 6 Puttonyos from Royal Tokaji. They're all amazing wines in a „classical“ style that isn’t hard to understand.

I’m not going to do a detailed analysis of Aszú production methods, because that would require me to have experienced these things directly. However, I think it really helps to orientate if you know that Édes Szamorodni - the sweet version of the „as it comes“ type of Tokaji - is made in much the same way as German and Austrian Auslese or Beerenauslese wines, that is without the grapes being macerated before pressing. In contrast, to produce Aszú wine only botrytized and shrilled Aszú berries must be macerated in juice or wine. This maceration usually lasts a day, but sometimes it extends for two or three days. Pressing and fermentation follow this process.

The resulting differences in aroma and flavour between Édes Szamorodni and Aszú are dramatic. As a young wine, the former tends to be brimming with exotic fruit and floral honey character, accompanied by succulent sweetness. In contrast, a young Aszú has tons of dried fruit and spice aromas plus enormous structure and textural complexity. Yes, in their youth all these wines have a pronounced natural sweetness, but the longer they age the less obvious this becomes and Aszú also becomes ever more harmonious as it ages.

For those who like numbers, from 1 kilo of Aszú berries you can legally make up to 2.2 liters of Aszú wine, meaning that to to fill a 225 liter barrique cask with Tokaji Aszú you need at least 100 kilos of Aszú berries. Selecting those grapes will probably be a full day’s work for at least a dozen pickers. This gives an idea of the organizational challenge and the expense of Aszú wine production. For the Eszencia wines -literally essences of Aszú - multiply the effort by a factor of ten, then reduce the quantity produced by at least that much! 

There's long been a Tokaji Aszú wine hierarchy and in 2013 it was simplified. At the same time the bar was raised by abolishing the categories 3 Puttonyos and 4 Puttonyos categories. (The Puttonyos was the wooden hod in which Aszú berries used to be collected, but in modern times analytical parameters were substitued). Since 2013 Tokaji Aszú begins at the 5 Puttonyos level and a mimmum 120 grams per liter residual sweetness in the finished wine; for 6 Puttonyos the minimum now being 150 grams per liter.

This had the side effect of substantially expanding the range for Szamorodni wines to occupy, to wines with 50 - 120 grams per liter.  Szamarodni has to be aged for a minimum of 6 months in barrel and 6 months in bottle. In contrast, Tokaji Aszú must age for at least 24 months before bottling, and at least 18 of those months must mature be in barrel.

Dénes Dávid Szarka, the winemaker at Pelle told me, “I believe in Szamarodni, because they are cheaper and easier to drink than Aszú, and they make more commerical sense for the producer too.“ Several other smaller producers told me that they were only selling a few hundred bottles of Aszú wines per year, but around ten times as many bottles of sweet Szamorodni. And after tasting dozens of sweet Tokajis I can see why that’s the case. There are some excellent sweet Szamorodnis - not least the wines from Pelle! - and the price is well below that of good Aszú. And if a consumer doesn’t know their way around any category of wine, then price is a risk factor. 

However, as you can see from the notes below, for me there’s no question that the true glory of nobly sweet Tokaji is the Aszú wines. Yes, that's a question of quality, but not only. Their diversity is great, firstly between the wines of different vintages, for example, the vibrant 2021s and the very dense 2017s. Then, come the striking differences between the wines from the various famous vineyard sites - our old friend terroir - that are at least as clear on Planet Aszú as for dry Tokaji. The reason for this is that in both directions, Furmint is usually the dominant or sole grape variety, and Furmint is a very terroir sensitive grape. So, good Aszú wines have everything that I expect from great wine plus a fascinating and delicious je ne sais quoi that pulls you back again and again to try and pin it down.

Given that as recently five years ago I had only a sketchy idea of all this, I guess that many readers will feel like they just arrived on a strange planet of wines that barely resemble the one they know. This is the result of the low total consumption of Tokaji Aszú during the last two decades. To this must be added the tendency for them to be consumed by people who are already very familiar with them, so that few new consumers get to experience them. And it’s been this way for 20 plus years, so the main problem facing these great wines with incredibly deep historical roots is the contemporary lack of awareness.

Yes, some of them are quite expensive, but I just found a Tokaji Aszú from a good producer online for just $42.55 per 0.5 liter bottle; enough for 6 people to get a good pour at just over $7 per person. These wines are usually filled in that bottle size, but you can also find some in 0.375 liter bottles.

So, I am suggesting that after a - hopefully! - soft landing you open the hatch of your space capsule and step out onto the surface of the compellingly beautiful Planet Aszú!

48 wines tasted, including four with 98 and four with 97. More than half the wines tasted rated at least 95!

A number of addtional tasting notes will be added in early July.

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2023 LATE HARVEST

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji  Late Harvest  2023 - 11% / Brimming with candied pineapple and lemon slices, this is a zesty and animating wine that’s well balanced and impeccably made, but a bit short. Unusually for this conservative region it's closed with a screw cap. 89 (SP) 

Sauska  Tokaji  Late Harvest Cuvée 2023 - 11.5% / This may not be very concentrated, but it has a lovely balance of dried peach and mango character with delicate spice and a lively acidity. Moderate sweetness for this category and a long, refreshing finish that’s filled with spice. 93 (SP)

2022 LATE HARVEST

Lenkey Tokaji  Az Élet Szép / Life is Sweet  2022 - 12.5% /  This beautiful wine somehow manages to square the circle of charm and character in Tokaj. Delicate white tree, stone fruits and citrus blossom flavours fill the elegant, light-footed palate. Then comes a wave of candied orange and spice character at the delightful finish. A cuvée of 80% Furmint and 20% Hárslevelü vinified in stainless steel tanks. 93 (SP)

2021 LATE HARVEST

TR  Tokaji Édes  2021 - 12% /  Positive Tokaj modernism! Fresh pineapple and ripe citrus aromas pour from the glass of this vivaciousand juicy Tokaji. Nice mid-palate creaminess and a long, light-footed finish that pullsyou back for more. Wild-fermented in stainless steel tanks then in oak casks for 8 months. Closed with a screw cap in this deeply conservative region. 90 (SP)

2024 SZAMORODNI

Pelle  Tokaji  Édes Szamorodni  2024 - 12% / A powerful and cocentrated Szamarodni with intense Botrytis and acrisp acidity that needs a bit more maturation for all this to fully harmonize. However, it already has excellent drive and tension. Bold, long finish. A cuvée of 75% Furmint and 25% Hárslevelü that was fermented, then matured in Hungarian oak for 2 years. 94 (SP)

2023 SZAMORODNI

Grand Tokaj Tokaji  Édes Szamarodni  2023 - 10% / A revoutionary Tokaj Szamorodni! This pure Furmint has a fantastic freshness, the interplay of bright stone fruit and jasmine aromas with crisp acidity and medium body make it extremely appealing. Very long, clean finish that pulls you back for more. 92 (SP) 

Kvaszinger  Tokaji  Édes Szamarodni  2023 - 12% / A very fresh wine for this category with stacks of super-ripe apricot and mango aromas. The lively acidity makes this animating and the Mandarin orange flavour makes you linger.  Almost a pure Furmint. Matured in Hungarian oak barrelsfor 12 months. 93 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji  Szamorodni  2023 - 11.5% / Packed with dried flower and dried stone fruit and papaya aromas this is a delicous Szamarodni that combines the restrained richness and liveliness that the category is all about. Stacks of dried fruit character - auch candied citrus - at the finish, but clean and bright. 93 (SP)  

2022 SZAMORODNI

Balassa  Tokaji Szamorodni  2022 - 9.5% / A giant Szamorodni! Enveloping apricot and King Alfonso mango aromas of this opulent Tokaji? Very luscious, concentrated and creamy for this category, yet bright and pure with quite a bright acidity. If you don’t object to the ample sweetness, then you should find this delicious right now. 94 (SP)

Disznókö  Tokaji Édes Szamorodni  1413  2022 - 12.8% / This youthful late-harvested Tokaj has intense dried and candied orange character combined with a luscious sweetness and positive tannins. It’s marvellous how the acidity lifts the dense finish. A pure Furmint that was matured in well-used oak casks. 94 (SP)

2021 SZAMORODNI

Barta  Tokaji Szamorodni  Öreg Kiraly Dülo  2021 - 10% / A very restrained wine with delicate candied citrus and marzipan  aromas and a hint of floral honey from Botrytis on the nose. Rich with good textural interest on the palate. Moderate sweetness for the catgeory, but attractive grapefruit freshness at the slightly tannic finish. Still very young. A pure Furmint. 91 (SP)

Gróf Degenfeld  Tokaji Szamorodni  Organic  2021 - 10.5% / A very bright and zesty expression of this style with crisp acidity with stacks of candied lemon slice character. Long, sleek finish that’s very animating. Fermented and matured in 500 liter Hungarian oak barrels for a year.  92 (SP)

Demeter Zoltan  Tokaji Szamorodni  Anett  2021 - 9% / Concentrated, luscious and creamy, this is a rich expression of this category, but it has fantastic vitality and purity, the dried stone fruit and pineapple flavours cascading over your palate at the vibrant and elegant finish. 95 (SP)  

Kikelet (Berecz Stéphanie)  Tokaji Édes Szamorodni  2021 - 11.5% / An elegant and restrained wine for the category with fine stone fruit and leafy aromas. Rich texture, but moderate sweetness plus a zesty acidity. Long, subtle finish.  59% Furmint, 26% Hárslevelü plus small amounts of aromatic grape varieties. 92 (SP)

Pelle  Tokaji  Édes Szamorodni  2021 - 11% / A very elegant example of this category with subtle dried fruit and floral honey aromas. Long, graceful and precise finish with underplayed power. A cuvée of 75% Furmint and 25% Hárslevelü. Fermented and matured in Hungarian oak. 94 (SP)

2019 SZAMORODNI

TR  Tokaji Szamarodni  2019 - 11.5% /  The interplay of the complex texture, elegant acidity and restrained power makes this a very appelaing. Forthright dried apricot, orange peel and floral honey aromas. Long, silky finish that’s beautifuly balanced. Matured for 18 months in oak casks. 94 (SP)

2018 SZAMORODNI

Lenkey  Tokaji Édes Szamarodni  Birtok Estate  2018 - 12.5% / I love the way this great Számarodni combines impressive richness with impeccable balance. Well-rounded in the best sense. So much vitality and positive energy for this hot and dry vintage. Very long velvety finish. Matured in Hungarian oak barrels for 15 months.  95 (SP)

2022 ASZÚ

Balassa  Tokaji  Villö Aszú  2022 - 9.0% / Very deep and powerful with layer upon layer of bitter orange, dried apricot and mango flavours. Mysterious, but not in a funky way, rather extremely pure. Enormously structured, this soaking up a lot of the sweetness, then comes the fantastic mineral acidity and a wealth of delicate dried fruit notes at the dazzling finish. 96 (SP)

Sauska  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos  2022 -11.5% / An elegant Botryts wine with an attractive combination of lightness and creaminess. The flavours of Mandarin orange and super-ripe pear are no less appealing.Long finish with a delicate streak of caramel. Still very young, this may show better after a couple more years of maturation in bottle. 94 (SP)

2021 ASZÚ

Patricias  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2021 - 11% /  A well-crafted Tokaji Aszú with abundant dried apricot fruit with notes of marzipan and mint. Concentrated and succulent with well-integrated oak. Moderate sweetness for this category and a long, well-structured finish thanks to the fine tannins. 94 (SP)

Pelle  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2021 - 10% /  Super-vibrant for an Aszú thanks to the electric acidity, this races across your palate with great drive and energy. The restrained structure helps this feel light and bright in a positively modern way. Still needs some time in bottle to reach its best drinking form, but great potential. A cuvée of 75% Furming and 25% Hárslevelü that matured for 2 years in used Hungarian oak barrels. 96 (SP)

2020 ASZÚ

Tokaj-Hétszölö  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos  Nagyszölö-Dülö 1er Cru   2020  -  11% / A joyfully succulent, citric and floral Tokaji Aszú with stunning youthful fruit that’s only delicately honeyed. The subtle tannins gently underline all this. Long, refined finish. A pure Furmint that fermented, then matured for 2 years in 300 liter Hungarian oak casks. 95 (SP)

2019 ASZÚ

Barta  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Öreg Kiraly Dülo  2019 - 11.5% / Just beginning to pick up some toasty bottle age character this is an elegant and aromatically complex Tokaji Aszú with a wide spectrum of dried fruits, apricot taking centre stage. I love the delicate toasty oak character at the long, textural finish. Matured in a mixture of French and Hungarian oak. 94 (SP)

Grand Tokaj  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos  2019 - 9.5% / The succulent dried peach and apricot fruit is augemented by floral and orange zest aromas that makes this enticing. The lively acidity keeps it very clean, deftly balancing the creaminess at the long clean finish. Matured for 2 1/2 years in Hungarian oak casks.  93 (SP) 

Kikelet (Berecz Stéphanie)  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2019 - 11% / Super-elegant and beautifully balanced this is a graceful expression with refined apricot, floral honey and just a touch of marzipan.  Just beginning to develope spicy bottle mauturation character at the long, moderately sweet finish. 94 (SP)

Kvaszinger  Tokaji  Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2019 - 11% / This has racy acidity for the vintage and zips over the palateat a brisk clip. Concentrated dried apricot and mango fruit are wrapped around the restrained structure and the finish is beautifully supported by the fine tannins. Already delicious, but has excellent ageing potential. 95 (SP)

Oremus  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos  2019 - 11% /  Still very fresh for 2019 this has vibrant lime marmelade, tropical flower  and fresh apricot aromas with a delicate touch of vanilla. On the concentrated and very elegant palate there’s a terrific inegration of orange marmelade and oak flavours into which the minerality is deftly wound. Extremely refined finish with so much youthful energy. 96 (SP)

Pelle  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2019 - 12.5% / A great Aszú with spot-on balance and excellent acidity.  Great papaya fruit and quite some power for a vintage that’s usually all about elegance. The mineral acidity keeps this bright at the long, richly textural finish. A cuvée of 75% Furming and 25% Hárslevelü that matured for two years in used barrels of Hungarian oak. 95 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos (Blue Label)  2019 - 11.5% / Now at its ideal drinking age this is an excellent introduction to the world of Tokaji Aszú. A delightful combination of floral honey and dried apricot richness with restrained tannins and animating acidity create a satisfying whole. 94 (SP)  

Sauska  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2019 - 11.5% / Just let go and sink into this beautiful modern style Tokaji Aszú! Deep and rich this is like drinking an essence of pineapple crême brulée. Dense and creamy, but beautifully balanced the sweetness already fully integrated into the very polished whole.  95 (SP)

2018 ASZÚ

Demeter Zoltan  Tokaji Aszú  2018 - 10% / This fabulous Tokaji Aszú is as luscious as it is refined. The concentration of dried mango and caramelized apriot flavors is wonderful, but the most important thing is the great elegance at the finish that has a lot to do with the delicate bitter orange character there. Forget the troubles of the world for a long, lingering moment! 96 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  (Gold Label) 2018 - 11% / A dense and decadent Tokaji Aszú with great power and a delightful freshness for this hot and dry vintage. Very apricot brûlée, but with a tension from orange acidity and bitterness plus atouch of marzipan richness. 95 (SP)  

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Mézes Mály  2018 - 11% / Why can't the whole world appreciate the beauty of great great single-vineyard Tokaji Aszú like this? It deftly deliveres gigantic concentration with a mineral freshness that makes it very dyanmic and exciting. The balance is spot-on, the sweetness already beautifully integrated. 97 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Birsalmás  2018 - 11.5% / This is rich and creamy, but also very graceful. Masses of dried apricot and papaya, but also wonderful orange zest fresness. Long compact finish, that’s much less sweet than the first impression suggested. 96 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Betsek 2018 - 11% / The aromas of freshly baked biscuits and toast overlay a deep well of dried apricot and almond paste. Packs quite a punch, but in a very elegant way. Still so young, but this has enormous power and depth at the huge finish. Try to be patient, because it has a great future. 96 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Nyulászó  2018 - 11% / At once dense and noble, this is an inceribly deep, complex and subtle wine. Yes, there’s also masses of candied orange and dried apricot, but I'm only describing the surface features of this great wine. Extraordinary delicacy at the finish for a wine with this enormous concentration! 97 (SP)

Royal Tokaji  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Szt. Tamás  2018 - 11% / Incredibly refined and subtle, this great masterpiece of finesse glides over your palate and off into the distance. The deep fine tannins make this seem much dried than it really is, placing it in a compellingly beautiful no man’s land between richly dry and forthrightly sweet. Incredibly long, refined finish. 98 (SP)

2017 ASZÚ

Gróf Degenfeld  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Selection  2017 - 10.5% / Very dense dried apricot, dried mango, orange marmelade and forest honey aromas. Incredibly compact and concentrated with a bright acidity that lifts the luscious sweetness and huge structure. Extremely long, complete finish with incredible spicy complexity. Decades of life ahead of it! Fermented, then matured in 300 liter Hungarian oak barrels for 2 1/2 years. 97 (SP)

Disznókö  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2017 - 12.5% / You realy taste the long Indian summer of this vintagein the beautifully ripe pure golden fruits of this creamy yet vibrant masterpiece. A mouthfilling masterpiece that’s moderately sweet for the category with great elegance. Spot-on balance right through the extremely long finish. Still at the very beginning of its best drinking phase. A pure Furmint.  96 (SP)

Tokaj-Hétszölö  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Hétszölö-Dülö 1er Cru   2017  -  12% / The incredible interplay of concentrated spiciness, dense carmaelized apricot flavour and freshness make this a very great Tokaji Aszú.  Fabulous mineral acidity drives the extremely long finish where you seems to accelerate to almost light speed!  A cuvée of 75% Furmint and 25% Hárslevelü that matured for 32 months in 300 liter Hungarian oak casks. 98 (SP)

Oremus  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2017 - 11% / This has great concentration, but what’s more important it is the exceptional elegant and refinement for a Tokaji Aszú built on this scale. I love the lime freshness and the great Yamanashi white peach and exotic fruit coulis flavours. Perfectly integrated touch of vanilla oak. Extremely long and refined finish. 97 (SP)

Patricias  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2017 - 11.5% / Very deep nose with great savoury complexity alongside the deep dried apricot and candied orange character. For a dessert wine of this concentration and stature the balance is already stunning at just over 8 years of age. Fabulous creamy and mineral finish that goes on and on. Matured for 2 1/2 years in Hungarian oak casks. 96

2016 ASZÚ

Disznókö  Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos  2016 - 12.5% / The dense dried fruits and mint aromas pull you into this concentrated and crisp Tokaj Aszú wine that reminds me of the wines from the 1990s. Now, just beginning to pick up some toasty mature character. Surprisingly dry and fresh finish that gives that pulls you back for more of this moderately honeyed beauty. 95 (SP)    

2013 ASZÚ

Grand Tokaj  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Sarvas Single Vineyard  2013 - 9% / Deeply honeyed with a wealth of spices and raw sugar flavours that cascade over your palate.  Then the bright acidity comes  through, lifting you and the wine up to a higher plane.   Matured for 3 years in Hungarian oak casks.  96 (SP)

Grand Tokaj  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  Kövágó Single Vineyard  2013 - 10% / The pale colour fits with the vibrant citrus aromas of this radically modern Tokaji Aszú. Some almond paste character develops with aeration. Concentrated and rich enough, but without the honey or the spices widely associated with these wines. Bright orange zest finish. Still very young! Matured for 2 1/2 years in Hungarian oak casks.  94 (SP) 

2011 ASZÚ

Dobogó  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2011 - 9.5% / 3 years barrel aging in well-used Hungarian oak barrels plus more than a decade in the bottle have given this astonishing Tokaji Aszú huge spicy complexity and breathtaking elegance. Also great dried orange peel, date and fig flavours. And the thread of savoury character that runs through all this makes it even more remarkable. More than 3,000 bottles of this masterpiece were produced. 98 (SP)

2000 ASZÚ

Lenkey Pincészet  Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos  2000 - 11% / Forget the sweetness, this is all about texture and aromatic originality. The first impression in the nose reminds me of cold filtered coffee, but that only hints at how unconventional the flavours of this wine are. The balance is in an extraordinary noman’s land between sweet and dry. The nearest description I can find for the flavour is old-fashioned British orange marmelade (the dark stuff!), which also fits because of the crucial role bitterness plays at the almost endless finish. Matured in Hungarian oak barrels for 2 years. 98 (SP)

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Lenkey  Tokaj  Two Thousand Ten  2010 - 16% / Step into this time machine and beam yourself back to the Tokaj of the 18th century. Barely off-dry in the context of this region, but deeply structured with intense spiciness and racy acidity. Also a touch of candied lime. Where is all that alcohol? I can’t taste it at all. Matured for 5 1/2 years in a single Hungarian oak barrel, so very limited production. 96 (SP)