Tasting notes
Complex bouquet with the notes of botrytis from the aszú berries, appricot and exotic flowers.
A long finish in a full bodied wine, where the alcohol, acidity and sugar creates the balance to result in a perfect harmony.
To make the famous aszú wine, botrytized (aszú) grapes are hand-picked and collected in dedicated containers throughout the harvest in several rounds during several weeks. At the end of the harvest they are soaked in a „base wine” made from normal (un-botrytized) grapes. They leave the berries in the base wine from 12 hours till up to 3 days, then they press the juice and fill it in oak barrels where it will ferment further and will age for at least 18 months.
On most aszú wines you will find a number with the word "puttonyos", which basically defines the amount of aszú berries mixed into the wine. In the old times they used the puttony (backpack) to measure the amount of aszú berries mixed with one Gönci barrel (136 liters) of base wine. So as an example, the 3 puttonyos wine had 3 backpacks worth of aszú berries in one barrel of fresh wine, the 4 puttonyos had 4 backpacks, etc. The concentration of aszú berries in the wine defines the taste intensity and sugar level. You can find 3-4-5-6 puttonyos aszú wines. The lowest level, the 3 puttonyos, needs to have minimum 60 grams residual sugar / liter, the highest level, the 6 puttonyos, has a minimum of 150 grams / liter sugar level.
Simkó Winery
Simkó Winery is a family owned winery located in Sárospatak, in one of the most beautiful towns in the Tokaj region. The family has produced wine for several generations. They prepare a wide range of wines including Szamorodni, Aszú and the prestigous Essencia as well which you will find in our wine offering.
Although the winery’s center is in Sárospatak, their vineyards are across 3 villages. They cultivate grapes in Királyhegy, Zsadány and Kincsem vineyards. Kincsem (My Treasure in English) is one of Tokaj’s most prestigious vineyard that has had 1st class vineyard classification for centuries. There are two alternatives why this vineyard is called „My Treasure”, one says that around the 17th century during the land works a plough revealed a treasure chest full of coins and jewels from the soil of the vineyard; others say that it was named after one of the daughters of baron Frederick Waldbott, a nobleman who owned the vineyard at the end of the 19th century. One thing is for certain, this vineyard and its wine is like precious gold, a real treasure!