Vinification Oremus-Vega Sicilia
The time of harvest depends on the style of wine. For Mandolas and Petracs, only non-botrytised berries are harvested. For the Late Harvest, Aszú and Eszencia, the botrytised berries are hand harvested, which takes weeks, the harvesters picking only the botrytised berries, several times per day. Mandolas et Petracs are fermented in French and Hungarian oak-barrels then aged in the traditional small 136 litre-barriques, or 'Gönc', with bâtonnage. The Late Harvest cuvée is a modern re-interpretation of the Tokaj wine. At the harvest, bunches that show at least 50% of botrytised berries are picked, several times a day, from different varieties. The aim being to obtain a sweet, but very well-balanced wine. The fermentation takes place in 136 litre 'Göncs' or 220 litre 'Szerednyes', for 30 days, and stops naturally when the level of 12° of alcohol is reached. Then the wine is aged for 6 months in Hungarian oak barrels. After being bottled, it stays some further 15 months in the bottle before being released. Fot the Aszú wines, Tokaj-master Andras Backsos follows the centuries-old traditions. He uses Furmint, for its spicy notes, Hárslevelü fot its floral aromas, Zéta for a hint of honey and Muscat for its fruity touch. Producing Aszú means a very careful process which demands a great deal of patience and know-how. It is only made in great vintages: you need a rainy summer-end, and sunny and windy weather at the beginning of the autumn, for those are the ideal condition for the Botrytis cinerea to develop. The method used has not changed in centuries; it means adding to a most of dry Furmint with a good acidity level, 3, 5 or 6 23 kg-baskets ('puttonyos', in Hungarian) of botrytised 'Aszú' grapes. These Aszú grapes are then left to macerate in the most between 24 to 48 hours before pressing. The fermentation of this Aszú-most is very slow - it takes up to 2 months. Then the wine is transferred to oak casks in a protected environment and one has to wait for the fermentation to stop naturally. The Aszú-wijnen are aged in 136 litre-barriques (aka Gönc) or 220 litre-ones (Szerednye). Both are made exclusively with wood grown in the Tokay-region. The ageing takes place in underground cellars dug in the volcanic rock. The wine stays there for two to three years at a constant temperature and humidity level. Then the Oremus Aszú is bottled. It will age in bottle for one more year before being released on the market. Then it will develop further for decades... Eszencia is the richest and rarest of all Hungarian Tokaj wines. It is only produced in exceptional years when the development of botrytis is optimal. It is the natural essence of botrytised grapes whose juice flows out drop by drop... In short, a legendary wine.