Disznókő Tokaji: Latest Releases

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 09, 2024

I have adored and drunk Hungarian Tokaji for over 20 years now, and though I don’t have the time to visit the region or report as widely as I would like to, I do taste the wines whenever possible. There is no escaping the fact that sweet Tokaji wines are a niche outside of Hungary, notwithstanding the quality and the effort that goes into making them and the value they represent. That was evidenced by a tasting of Disznókő’s latest releases at St. Martin’s Hotel in London. Maybe it was because of the inclement weather outside, but I found myself alone in the tasting room with estate director, László Mészáros (picture below). Invited sommeliers were only notable by their absence. That is a great pity, emphasizing what a tough category sweet wine is at the moment, out of vogue with consumers whether it is Sauternes, German Riesling or, indeed, Hungarian Tokaji.

Of course, not all Tokaji is sweetened by Aszú berries, and dry Furmint can be exceptional. Disznókő’s dry wines under the “Inspiration” label are simply delicious and an outstanding value for money. Personally, I enjoy these wines when blended with a little Hárslevelú grape variety, a bit like adding Semillon to Sauvignon Blanc. Quality reaches its peak with their range of sweet wines at the higher levels of Puttonyos, five or six. Their single vineyard bottling from the Kapi Vineyard has wonderful tension and complexity. A handful of more mature vintages were less interesting, to be honest. That does not infer Tokaji cannot age; rather, it underlines the strides that have been made at the estate over the last decade.

Estate director László Mészáros

I will leave it there for now. Hopefully, this brief foray into Tokaji will spur interest in these exceptional wines and one of the region’s finest producers.

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