Tokaji 6 Puttonyos Aszú Lapis 2003 500ml

Wine Description for Tokaji 6 Puttonyos Aszú Lapis 2003 500ml by Királyudvar

Colour & Appearance

Deep, luminous amber with golden reflections – the colour alone already tells of maturity, concentration and the noble rot that makes this wine possible in the first place.

Nose

The nose is dense, complex and possessed of an almost aristocratic dignity. Caramel, baked apple and apricots – fresh as well as dried – form the sweet foundation, layered above which are honey, Peach Melba and malt. Oriental spices such as allspice, clove and cinnamon lend exotic depth to the whole, whilst incense, earthy notes and a hint of beeswax complete the complexity. Botrytis in its purest, noblest form.

Palate

On the palate the wine unfolds creamy and extraordinarily well-balanced – rich yet finely textured, never heavy-handed. Nuts, honey, apricot and red apple combine with floral and nutmeg aromas, black tea, ripe lemon and an elegant hint of bergamot. The acidity – the backbone of every great Tokaji – shows itself at this stage still restrained, yet is always present and promises a brilliant future.

Finish

Long, warm and carried by mineral precision. The sweetness fades slowly, the acidity gains definition – a finish that invites contemplation and unmistakably signals the greatness of this vintage.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Lapis – one of the estate’s finest – lies on volcanic soil composed of grey and brown clay as well as white rhyolite tuff at elevations up to 230 metres. A terroir that inscribes minerality, tension and longevity into the wine.

Grape Variety & Vinification

78% Furmint and 22% Hárslevelű, spontaneously fermented in 500-litre wooden fermenters of Hungarian oak. Maturation over 28 months in 2,250-litre casks, followed by at least six further years of bottle age before release. Six butts of noble-rotted berries at 22 kilos per 136.5 litres of base wine – an effort that makes the 6 Puttonyos the crown of the Tokaji pyramid.

Food Pairing Suggestions

A classic companion to foie gras parfait, where the wine’s sweetness and the creaminess of the liver enter into a timeless symbiosis. Equally magnificent with robust blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton – the salty interplay with the sweetness is simply irresistible.

Special Features

Királyudvar – „the court of kings“ – ranks among Tokaji’s historically most significant estates and once supplied the Habsburg court. Louis XIV is said to have called Tokaji the „wine of kings and king of wines„. This Lapis 2003 is an investment in a wine whose finest hour is still to come – should you open it today, you ought to give it at least two to three days of air.