2023 Tokaji Oremus Late Harvest 500ml, Hungary

Lovely vibrancy and purity, with clear etched flavours of pear, peach and lemon curd, cloaked in fig leaf, linden and celery tops. Orange peel and clementine juice add a subtle zesty lift, sustaining the rich, persistent yet energetic palate. Great balance between concentration and verve. Drink: 2025 – 2030 20 Jan 2025

93 points, Decanter

Oremus sits firmly among Tokaj’s elite, owned by the Álvarez family of Vega Sicilia, and has played a major role in the modern revival of the region. The vineyards lie around Tolcsva on a mix of volcanic soils that bring both richness and a distinctive mineral edge, while the long, misty autumns encourage the development of botrytis. The Late Harvest style is a little more relaxed than the great Aszú wines, but in the right hands it still captures that magical balance between sweetness and freshness.

The 2023 is immediately inviting. There’s ripe apricot, peach and orange blossom, with honey, candied citrus and a gentle hint of spice. It feels generous on entry, then brightens through the palate as a line of acidity cuts through the sweetness, keeping everything lively and precise. A faint mineral note sits underneath, giving it shape and stopping it from ever feeling heavy.

This is where you can have some fun with food. It works beautifully with fruit driven desserts like apricot tart or poached pears, but it really comes alive with contrast. Think blue cheese with a drizzle of honey, a lightly spiced crab dish, or even something like Vietnamese caramelised pork where sweet, savoury and spice all collide.

Drink now for its freshness and lift, or hold for 5 to 10 years as it gains more honeyed, nutty complexity.