Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2016 [500 mL]
(Tokaji, Hungary) - [WE 96] [WS 95]

The Oremus winery, founded in 1993 by the Alvarez family (Vega Sicilia, Alión, Macán and Pintia), is located in Tokaj on the banks of the Bodrog River, in a mountain range in northeastern Hungary, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2002.

The origins of Oremus date back to 1630, when Maté Szepsi Lacko, a Calvinist preacher, produced the first “Tokaj teardrop wine” (Tokaj Aszú) and offered it to Princess Susanna Lorántffy, wife of George Ráckózci, First Prince of Transylvania, to commemorate the Easter holidays. The unique gift was born from grapes grown in the Oremus vineyard, which in 1772 received the first classification of vines and was recognized as primae classis.

Tokaj has become increasingly legendary over its four hundred-plus years of history. The first mention of the greatness of Oremus vineyard wasn't until 1630, but it has now become one of the most widely acclaimed. The Tokaj region lies within a range of mountains in north-eastern Hungary. The Oremus winery is located at its geographical centre.

Aszú (teardrop) wine production is a meticulous process that is only possible with good vintages and under unique conditions that favor the development of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot). Measurements dating back centuries are still used, with 5 baskets (puttonyos) containing 25 kg of individually harvested Aszú noble berries covered in Botrytis added to the base must.

The grapes are macerated for 12-24 hours until they swell, before being gently pressed. Fermentation takes place in new Hungarian oak barrels. It is a slow process that can take up to one month.

The ageing process completes in 136 and 200 litre barrels for 2 to 3 years, before being aged in bottle for a further 2 or 3 years.

Tasting Notes: 
The objective with Aszú 5 Puttonyos wine is to achieve the best balance between acidity and sugar that we can obtain from the vintage. In this sense, it is a perfect wine for ageing to savor during vertical tastings. The amber color indicates the high level of noble rot infection in this 2016 harvest. The honey and fruity fragrances are delightful and the acidity on the palate is a sign of outstanding ageing potential.