ROYAL TOKAJI ESSENCIA 2016 - 375ml

Essencia is the world’s most concentrated essence of its ripest grapes, it is the ’liquid gold’ that very slowly oozes from a pile of aszú grapes raisined by botrytis and climatic conditions.

From the winery

In 2016 we had a mild and dry winter with no serious frosts. This was followed by a long spring, with lovely, warm days but cool, almost chilly nights. The flowering season was unusually long resulting in uneven fruit set in many vineyards and across all grape varieties. From the middle of August, the botrytis began to spread all over the region and highly affected the grapes. By summer time we were quietly confident of an ideal harvest, straightforward with high quality – but July and August brought intermittent rain and hail, reducing the crop and encouraging botrytis.

Our expert pickers carefully selected the finest berries throughout September and October, and we were rewarded with a small Aszú harvest of exceptional quality.

Then the free run juice – in this case from first generation berries only – was collected. A gradual and very slow alcoholic fermentation took place spontaneously, lasting over 3 years.

Dark gold colour with reddish notes. The nose opens quite rapidly and gives a lot of botrytis and extreme complexity with lots of medlar, rosehip jelly, peach and pear.

In the mouth citric, bold and complex. Outstanding candied fruit character, cornel jelly, and a nice touch of lemon balm herbs. Balanced with endless freshness and fruitiness where the high acidity balances the sweetness and contributes to a long and thrilling finish to the Essencia.

Serve in a crystal spoon.

98 pts Vinous

The 2016 Essencia is a refulgent deep gold color. There’s no dabbling on the nose as it bursts with scents of Clementine, Japanese yuzu, quince and marmalade, all the tropes one expects from a Tokaji. Yet this being Essencia, those flavors are amplified without any loss in delineation. The palate is as unctuous as you expect, lacquering the inside of the mouth and this is why a spoon is included, not for show, but the most efficient means for transferring the wine straight onto the tongue.) The tastebuds tingle with glee, reveling in untrammeled sweetness, effortlessly offset by that razor-sharp acidity that renders it not cloying in the slightest. Purer than an angelic choirboy, the 2016 is armed with immense tension on the citric finish that offers Seville orange marmalade, strawberry, mandarin and quince. Outrageous and yet sophisticated and probably indestructible. Drink 2023 - 2200

98 Wine Spectator

A rich, vibrant sweetie that drapes the palate in a lush swathe of steeped Earl Grey tea leaf, mango lassi and baked peach flavors, with accents of pain d'épices, grilled Macadamia nut, candied ginger, white pepper and masala spices. Lip-smacking acidity reins in this rich explosion of flavor and texture, with a pinpoint, graceful precision to the balance. Long and expressive. Drink now through 2044. 191 cases made, 16 cases imported. (Sep 2024)

99 Wine Enthusiast

"Luxurious enough to be poured onto a spoon rather than in a glass and Royal Tokaji had crystal sipping spoons designed for this very purpose. Essencia is a marvel no matter how you serve or sip it. Ripe and stewed figs headline the aromas, with notes of clementine, white peach and lemon verbena. The palate is structured with rich fruit and tart acidity, while the finish is citric and mind-bendingly long." Emily Saladino, August 2024