Gizella, Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2019 (9.5%)
£190/50cl Danube Wines
The 2019 vintage wasn’t an easy one in Tokaji – after a wet spring, flowering passed off well and the summer was hot. It was also, though, intermittently wet, and downy mildew was unusually severe in the vines. It ended up being a short crop as a result, but it was also analytically excellent, as this 6 puttonyos wine shows. Its ample honeyed fruits are lent complexity by the intrigue of botrytis. On the palate, the wine is thick-textured and sweet, with a delicate grape-acid balance but with those botrytis notes bringing both structure and complexity all the way through the palate to the long, crème anglaise-rich finish. It will undoubtedly age well, but also serves as a toothsomely rich Tokaji to enjoy before too long.
‘2019 was awesome,’ recalls László Szilágyi, the owner-winemaker at Gizella. ‘The sugar-toacidity ratio and the quality of the botrytised berries was top notch; all was set for a perfect Aszú vintage. The conditions in Tokaj are perfect for making high-quality, botrytised sweet wines. The grape varieties, mostly Furmint, the humidity, the ability to overripen grapes and the volcanic soil all offer great opportunities to create the perfect balance.’
Gizella is named after Szilágyi’s grandmother, who started the winery with her husband. It was passed down to Szilágyi’s parents, before he took the reins about 20 years ago. ‘I started with only 1ha, now it’s 20ha, spread over 11 single vineyards and very diverse volcanic soils, which have enabled us to develop a unique portfolio of wines,’ he says. One of his priority projects is the reconstruction of the Szil-völgy vineyard in Tarcal, which dates back to at least 1612.
‘This is our top Aszú and we only make one or two barrels, but not every year; in 2019 we made 1,115 bottles,’ Szilágyi says. ‘Year by year, I set personal goals and levels of quality, with the aim of creating a Gizella style in both dry and sweet wines. Achieving a Best in Show is an important milestone for me, and encourages me to keep on dreaming and working.’