winemaker's notes:
#44 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2009
Only eight vintages of the Royal Tokaji Red Label have been produced since its premier release of the 1990 vintage. Since then, the Red Label has been made in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2005. This wine is a blend of carefully selected grapes from several of Royal Tokaji's first and second growth vineyards.
The 2005 Red Label is imbued with a golden amber color. Its perfume resonates with ripe fruit, honey and orange peel. The palate offers lusciousness and complexity balanced by fine acidity, which leads to a clean and refreshing finish. It will age beautifully for several years.
Serve slightly chilled (50 to 54 degrees) in a small port glass or a glass of similar size (there are approximately eight two-ounce servings per 500ml bottle). Tokaji Aszú wines are wonderful on their own as an apéritif or as a digestif, with cigars and petits fours. These wines also pair well with a wide variety of foods, including foie gras, fruit tarts, chocolate desserts, and blue and soft cheeses.
critical acclaim:
"
Slight oxidation adds nutty accents and an iodine note to this sinewy dessert white. There's not a log of flesh, yet this is intense and complex, with apricot, honey, smoke, spice and mineral flavors that won't quit. This has a dry, chalky feel on the finish. From Hungry. Drink now through 2025."
94 Points
Wine Spectator
