A tasting organised by Eminent Wines of wines from Tokaj Hetszolo and Chateau Cos d'Estournel, both estates are owned by Domaines Michel Reybier, held at Searcys - The Gherkin. Many thanks to Raphael Reybier, CEO of Tokaj Hetszolo for the kind invitation; and Jerome Jacober, CEO of Eminent Wines for hosting the tasting. A video of the event can be found here, pictures of said event can be found here - both are courtesy and copyright of Eminent Wines. Guide prices are retail prices given by Eminent Wines.
TOKAJ HETSZOLO
(image courtesy of Eminent Wines)
2010 Furmint Selection (dry)
£13.50 | B
Clean nose, really bright; primary fruits dominate, citrus and appley notes. On the palate, showing high, racy acidity; really fresh, runs through; nice aperitif style wine.
2010 Sarga Muskotaly (semi dry Muscat)
£14.50 | A-
Incredibly lifted nose, lots of white flowers, acacia and daisies; the floral notes are really singing here, very pretty aromatics. Only gently off dry, perhaps ~10g/l residual sugar; green apples and pears on the palate, still has bags of freshnes, but theres decent generosity of fruit in mid palate; rather unusual but to me at least, very appealing style.
2007 Late Harvest
£15.50 | B+
Lots of floral notes, but tends towards the sweeter, honeyed end of the specteum, still fragrant and lifted. The nose makes you expect a sweet wine, but this isnt fully sweet; yes, theres perhaps 30-40g/l residual sugar but doesnt have the heft or weight to make it a sweet wine; sweet apples and notes of marmalade. Somehow the nose and palate doesnt quite match up.
2003 Tokaji Aszu 3 puttonyos
£19.50 (50cl) | B+
Good fruit, honey, sweet citrus and floral elements on the nose. Feels rather light on the palate, sweet valencia oranges and tangerines; there isnt much weight, a bit too fleeting for my liking; fresh and clean finish. Good wine still, but isnt remarkable.
2001 Tokaji Aszu 5 puttonyos
£28.50 (50cl) | B+
Thick honey, acacia and tinned peaches on the nose; full on aromas, isnt shy; its clean but smells quite heavy. Good intensity of flavours, mor sugar but also more acidity, still feels balanced; sweet oranges and clementines again, feels thin for a 5 puttonyos, I can only surmise its going for a lighter, fresher style. Pretty, very together, but unfortunately just that bit too light.
2001 Eszencia
£245 (37.5cl) | A
Properly heavy, you can see it glooping out of the bottle. Treacle, golden syrup, laden with overly ripe and tinned peaches. On the palate, its heavy and concentrated, like drinking what little juice there is from dried apricots; good concentration of flavours; does feel heavy and lumbering, but I guess its unavoidable for something with 400+ g/l residual sugar; still quite balanced Not sure this would raise the dead, though ...
The view from Searcy's - The Gherkin
CHATEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL
2009 Goulee Blanc
£26.50 | B
Neutral nose, some white fruits and perhaps floral touches, but its nowehere near as lifted as the dry Tokajis. On the palate, shows white stone fruits, but its reserved and shy; clean, neutral and correct but I fear it lacks excitement and verve.
2005 Goulee Rouge
£26.50 | B+
Red fruit and gentle spice on the nose; theres red cherries and currants, with some vanilla and spice too; its a very correct nose. On the palate, its very rounded and integrated; red fruit dominates again, sweetness and ripeness, but its all very soft; hardly any tannic grip left; gentle acidity - all very balanced and 'together' but doesnt set your pulse racing.
2007 Les Pagodes de Cos
£34.50 | B+(+)
Good fruit here; rather dark fruit and brambles; theres more spice and savoury notes, almost dusty / gravelly along with heat on the nose, like baked earth. On the palate its very rounded; better concentration of fruit than the Goulee, the mid palate is quite long; dark fruit and spice on the palate. Good acidity, some grip on the finish, could perhaps develop for a few more years, drink now - 2017+.
(image courtesy of Eminent Wines)
2007 Cos d'Estournel
£130 | A-(+)
Voluptuous on the nose, eagerly leaps at you - the Goule and Pagodes you really had to fish for the aromas, not here. Dark fruit, with indian curry spices, also some animal / gamey / meaty nose; again a touch of the baked earth as well. Good fruit showing, ripeness yet rounded; more power and concentration on the mid palate; more fruit and generosity, sustained flavours, decent length. Tannins are there, but its ripe and gentle; very balanced; showing rather well at the moment (perhaps even too well given its youth); not sure its for the very long haul, I'd be interested to try this again in five years time to see how its got on; drink 2015 - 2025+
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