The greatness of a tradition
The Aszú wines are the differentiating factor of this family of great wines. They combine tradition, innovation and excellence, and become sublime wines with their roots in a unique terroir.
Oremus is the symbol and example of the rewarding of time, experience and knowledge, of the real expertise in the art of wine.
The production of the Aszú wine (wine of tears) is a meticulous process, which requires great patience and extensive know-how. It is only possible in good vintages, when nature brings rain at the end of the summer and sun and wind in early autumn, which are the essential conditions for the process for noble berries to from. The berries swollen due to the humidity split and the "Botrytis cinérea" establishes in its skin and creates the noble rot.
The same formulas are used to make the wines as have been used for hundreds of years.
To the must in a Gönc barrel, that is 136-litres, 3, 5 or 6 23-kg panniers ("puttony" in Hungarian) of Aszú noble berries. The Aszú noble berries are macerated with the must and we then wait for one day or two for the berries to swell and they are then pressed.
The fermentation of the Aszú must is a slow process that can sometimes last up to two months. It is then put into wood barrels and is left in a protected wine press, waiting for the fermentation to stop by itself. We then add a little Eszencia, which has been collected drop by drop from the Aszú berries. We thus symbolically return its soul, which is embodied in the Eszencia.
The Aszú wines are aged in 136-litre (called "Gönc") and 220-litre ("Szerednye") small barrels. Oak from the mountains that border the winemaking region is used to manufacture the barrels. The Aszú ageing takes place in underground wineries dug out in the volcanic soil. The wine is left to age here for 2 to 3 years, at a constant temperature and degree of humidity. After being bottled, the Oremus Aszú is left to continue ageing in the bottle for a year, which is the opportunity for it to embark on a journey of development that can even last several decades.
Description
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 favour 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.
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 savour during vertical tastings. The amber colour 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.
General information
Alcohol by volume
11.5 %Sugar
160 g/lAcidity
10.2 g/lVariety
Furmint, Hárslevelü, Zéta, and SárgauskotályAverage age of vineyard
19 yearsVineyard surface area
98 haPlanting density
5,660 plants/haAltitude
200 mYield
200-500 kg/ha (3-5 hl/ha)Harvest
100 % hand-picked, in two or three shifts from late September2016 Vineyard cycle
Winter was cold and long, with limited snowfall and cold rains in February. Spring was dry with mild temperatures, producing early budbreak and flowering on the vine. The first buds on the Furmint vines began to appear very early in the cycle on 8 April, the flowering occurred in early June, and the dry period turned out to be ideal for the setting.Summer went by without extremes, sporadic precipitation falling throughout the season. Fast and early ripening in autumn provided rich flavours and balanced acidity. Early September saw significant influence from precipitation, helping to create the great Aszú grape quality.
Storage, serving and drinking window
This wine is suitable for drinking now, but it can be aged for up to 40 years if stored in the ideal conditions of: 12-14 ºC / 54-57 ºF and 60 % relative humidity.The recommended drinking temperature is 10 ºC / 50 ºF.
Production
24,714 bottles 50 cl.