What a delightful glass this Hungarian Château Dereszla Tokaij Dry is. It's a coupe of white wine from the Furmint, Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Kabar, and Harslevelű varieties.
The ancient Chateau Dereszla
The Dereszla winery has a rich history. The first written record of Dereszla dates back to the early 15th century. Over the next two hundred years, the winery passed through various owners. In 2000, after several years of neglect, the D'Aulan family from Champagne realized that this estate, with its rich heritage, was worthy of renovation. After updating the equipment and introducing the latest technology, they connected the estate's five separate cellars into a single, larger, more practical space, 1,100 meters long.
The estate owns 27 hectares of vineyards spread across the designated "Grand Cru" area, and the wide diversity of soils across these holdings is a crucial factor in the complexity of their wines. In fact, there are 15 different terroirs at Dereszla, each contributing to the complexity of the resulting wines, which range from dry to luscious and sweet. The base wines are primarily based on the Furmint grape variety, unique to the region, with Muskotaly also adding complexity to the late-harvest and Aszú wines.
Completely manual harvesting for the Tokaij Dry
The harvest is carried out manually. The must ferments in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Finally, the wine is aged for six months on its fine lees: 85 percent is aged in stainless steel tanks and the remaining 15 percent is aged in new oak barrels. The Furmint variety brings acidity and body, while the Sárgamuskotály adds flavor, and the Kabar gives the wine a subtle hint of spice.
Château Dereszla Tokaji Dry Blend combines captivatingly diverse notes of ripe pears, citrus fruits, and, typical of the region, honey. On the palate, this dry blend of regional varieties Furmint, Muscat, and Kabar is wonderfully complex, aromatic, and zesty. It has a lovely, fresh minerality. It's an excellent choice as a high-quality aperitif, but also pairs perfectly with seafood, sushi, and white meat. Enjoy this Château Dereszla tasting experience.
2023
