Erzsébet Pince in Tokaj (http://www.erzsebetpince.hu/en/) – a wonderful visit and tasting with Hajnalka (Hajni) Prácser. Hajni is the daughter of the winery’s founder, Erzsébet Prácser, and together with her brother, Miklos, now run Erzsébet Pince. Of special interest are the cellars that were built in the 1700’s, and that formely served as the fermenting and aging cellars for the tsars and tsarinas of Russia. I had originally asked Gábor to arrange a tasting of Erzsébet Pince’s full portfolio of dry wines, as well as a vertical tasting of their Aszús (11 dry wines and 7 aszús). I don’t know what I was thinking! We wisely decided to scale back on the dry wines.
Wines tasted:
2011 Zafír dűlő (vineyard) – tight as first, but opened up with some air and warmth, elegant but with good structure
2011 Betsek dűlő – made with 95% hárslevelű, per Hajni “very harmonious, together,” “great character, great minerality,” good structure and acidity, a very nice wine; buy
2013 Király dűlő – a dry furmint, more aromatic, peaches
2012 Király dűlő – I preferred the 2013
2013 Aszú (6 puttynos) – honey, concentrated
2010 Aszú (6 puttynos) – sweet with good acidity, floral, good balance, concentrated; buy
2008 Aszú (5 puttynos) – the oak comes through
2002 Aszú (5 puttynos) – softer, per Hajni “more sauternes style,” “in a perfect state, harmonious;” buy
2003 Aszúeszencia – this category has more than 6 puttynos, but no longer exists; spicy, tangerine, dried apricots; buy
1999 Aszú (5 puttynos) – sherry colored, with a sherry nose, dry finish
1993 Aszú (5 puttynos) – their first vintage, dark like a madeira, good acidity, some smokiness, spicy as opposed to sweet; buy