Tokaji Furmint Late Harvest Chateau Dereszla 2016 37,5 cl.

Many inside and outside Tokaj believe that with the Furmint grape you have one of the world’s best grapes for both dry and sweet white wines. Furmint Late Harvest from Château Dereszla is made from grapes that are harvested from parcels with primarily volcanic soil. The grapes for dry wines are usually harvested in September, but for this wine, part of the grapes are allowed to be attacked by the noble rot (botrytis). Fermentation takes place at a low temperature in Hungarian wooden barrels and the wine is then matured for a few months in the same barrels.

A very aromatic, elegant and fresh wine despite the sweetness, with nuances of apricot, pear, marzipan and exotic fruits (mango, passion fruit). Quite harmonious in the aftertaste, with good finesse.

Served as an aperitif or for dessert.

Château Dereszla is located in the middle of the Tokaj district and has by far one of the oldest and most exciting stories in the area. The castle was built by the Hungarian king Zsigmond in the early 15th century, and the cellars were used to receive the wines that the local winegrowers had to pay as taxes. From 1450 to 1845, the castle experienced many changes of ownership, and was, among other things, owned by some of Europe’s most famous noble families. Up until World War II, it was owned by a Jewish merchant, which meant that it was confiscated by the state during the war. Later, during the Hungarian communist regime, it was transformed into a state wine cooperative, where wines from the entire Tokaj district were matured.

When the state opened up to privatization in the 1990s, Château Dereszla was first acquired by CANA, one of France’s largest agricultural cooperatives, but fortunately for the place, the Champagne d’Aulan family fell in love with the property and bought it in 2000. talk about a rescue! A huge restoration work was started. The five separate cellars were linked together and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. However, the castle’s historic cellars have been preserved in their original style and are used for cask aging of wines. The same historic cellars were also added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004.