2018 Disznoko Tokaji 1413 Szamorodni Édes 500ml, Hungary

Smells like an excellent pineapple and passion-fruit coulis with creme caramel! Surprisingly light and elegant, in spite of the ample grape sweetness. Long and very clean finish with quite some subtlety.

94 points jamessuckling.com

Disznókő Tokaji 1413 Szamorodni Édes is a beautifully nuanced sweet wine from one of Hungary’s most historic and revered estates. Named after the year 1413, when the Disznókő estate was first mentioned in historical records, this wine is a tribute to centuries of Tokaji tradition—crafted in the Szamorodni style, which means “as it comes” in Polish, referencing the way whole grape bunches are harvested with a natural mix of botrytised and healthy grapes.

Unlike the more concentrated Aszú wines, Szamorodni Édes (sweet Szamorodni) is less overtly rich and more delicately sweet, offering an elegant balance between honeyed fruit and savoury complexity. Fermented and aged under a thin layer of flor yeast in traditional Hungarian oak, the wine develops subtle oxidative notes, adding layers of depth and character.

The grapes, predominantly Furmint with a touch of Hárslevelű, are grown on Disznókő’s volcanic soils that give the wine its signature mineral edge. The wine is matured for at least a year in cask, resulting in a style that is both rich and vibrant.

In the glass, it offers aromas of dried apricot, orange peel, walnut, chamomile, and gentle spice. The palate is silky and mouth-coating, with flavours of honeyed citrus, dried stone fruit, and a saline finish carried by crisp acidity. It’s complex yet easy to drink, with a savoury twist that makes it endlessly food friendly.

Pair it with duck liver pâté, aged cheeses, roasted nuts, or fruit-based desserts. This is a refined, old-world sweet wine with a sense of place and history.