Domaine de Disznoko - Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2011
Disznókő is an estate located in Tokaj, Hungary. Declared First Growth in 1732, it is one of the most favourable sites for aszú grape development in the Tokaj Wine Region. The estate is among the warmest in the region: heated by constant summer warmth rising off the Great Plain to the south, and protected from cold winter winds by the Zemplén Mountains to the north. Disznókő has one single tract of land with 104 hectares of vines set in the 150 hectares of the property and the wineries are set in its vineyard. Historically owned by various aristocratic families, the estate was nationalized under Communist governments in the 20th Century. Since 1992, the estate has been under the ownership of AXA Millésimes.
The highly selective harvest, entirely by hand, occurs from late August through to early November on several pickings in the vineyard. Picking aszú berries is extremely labour intensive, demanding great skill from the harvesters.
The making of Aszú wine (“Wine of Tears”) is a meticulous process, which requires great patience and precise know-how. This is only possible in good vintages, when nature brings rain at the end of summer and sun and wind at the beginning of autumn, which are the essential conditions for the production process of noble berries. The berries swollen due to humidity split, Botrytis Cinerea settles in its skin and creates noble rot. To the must in Gönc cask (136 litres), five 23 kg saddlebags ("Puttony" in Hungarian) of noble berries from Aszú are added. The noble berries of Aszú macerate with the must then after one or two days, the berries swell and they are then pressed. The fermentation of Aszú's must is a slow process that can sometimes take up to two months. It is then put into wooden barrels and left in a protected press, while waiting for the fermentation to stop by itself. A little Eszencia, harvested drop by drop from the Aszú berries, is then added. Aszú wines are aged in small barrels of 136 litres (called "Gönc") and 220 litres ("Szerednye"). The 2011 vintagewas hot and dry. Maturation came very early but botrytization was slow and limited due to a lack of moisture. This drought has caused the lowest proportion of Eszencia ever produced in the estate.
