Decanter 91pts:
All the hallmark mango and peach of Tokaji but lighter on its feet than most. An exotic touch of passion fruit combines with rich crème caramel to create a seductive, layered palate. About six months' ageing in oak brings woody spice and hints of church incense, while the acidity is racy for a wine this sweet. Elegant and refreshing."

— Beth Willard, December 2024

"Shortly after the start of the new millennium, the genuine shortage of aszú (botrytis) harvests and the limited volumes even in those vintages led us to explore other opportunities. We researched ways of producing more accessible, but equally vibrant, wines of around 100 g/L (equivalent to a 4 puttonyos sweetness). Rather than selecting individual berries shriveled by botrytis, Late Harvest relies on partial bunch selection, which naturally includes ripe, overripe and botrytised berries. This combination of different ripening stages of the berries inside the bunch gives a distinctive Tokaji character but does not require the long ageing of aszú wines. The harvested clusters are then pressed and the rich must fermented in the same manner as the dry wines, maintaining a balance of sugar and natural acidity. The Late Harvest spends about three months in barrels, using some new casks. As with all Royal Tokaji wines, quality, house style and balance is the focus." – Ben Howkins on Royal Tokaji Late Harvest

WINE
Essencia Late Harvest uses partial bunch selection, which naturally includes ripe, overripe and botrytised berries, giving a distinctive Tokaji character with only six months maturation in barrel. This wine highlights the natural acidity and freshness of native grapes Furmint and Hárslevelű and delivers fresh stone fruit and floral character, a silky texture and a long, crisp finish.

VINTAGE NOTES
After a cool spring, the vintage was characterised by a hot summer with temperatures often above 35°C and with persistent showers, accelerating maturation and leading to an early harvest. October saw fantastic weather with high temperatures, sunny days and no precipitation. These conditions were ideal for the Aszú berry formation and at last we were able to collect berries in large quantities, a generous proportion of which are included in this blend. There was an abundance of ripe fruit and the overall quality was excellent. An outstanding vintage with nice balance in the dry wines and unbelievable richness in the sweets .Overall, an outstanding vintage, ripe, rich, and balanced.

WINEMAKING
The grapes were harvested in October and at the beginning of November. After pressing, the settled juice was fermented in tanks and then the majority of the blend was transferred to barrels for five to six months aging.

TASTING NOTES
Pale gold colour with delicate citrus and spicy aromas. Light and refreshing on the palate with hints of white peach and honey. It has an excellent acid balance, a smooth, silky
texture and a clean, long, crisp finish