Easter weekend opening hours at our estate: 18-19 April 10-17 | 20-21 April closed
Easter weekend opening hours at our estate: 18-19 April 10-17 | 20-21 April closed
Holdvölgy Culture 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú is more than just a selection of high-quality aszú berries. Each bottle embodies the excellence of Tokaj's historic classified first growths, showcasing the region's rich history and cultural heritage. It reflects the vibrant moments experienced at Holdvölgy, the values of each vintage, and the unforgettable memories that come alive with every sip.
When the planets are perfectly aligned, Botrytis cinerea, a parasitic fungus of the vine, transforms into a noble rot capable of elevating the grape's aromatic and taste profile: concentrated, deep, and complex, the perfect aszú berry.
The harvest of botrytized Furmint, Hárslevelű, and Zéta grapes is done exclusively by hand with a meticulous selection process. This selection begins in the vineyards, where each parcel is visited multiple times. Only the highest quality aszú berries are used to make the Culture 6 puttonyos aszú wine.
The aszú berries are macerated for 24 to 48 hours in a still-fermenting base made from exceptional 100% Furmint grapes. This dynamic process enhances the wine by infusing it with sugar, acidity, color, aroma, and a multitude of flavors from the berries. In each vintage, the goal is to achieve a 6 puttonyos aszú with perfect concentration, containing a sugar content of between 170 and 230 grams.
The pressing process takes place in Bucher presses. Initially, the base wine and the aszú berries are combined and pressed together in a pneumatic press. For aszú production, a mechanical JLB basket press is exclusively used, applying a pressure of 9 bar with an extended pressing duration to achieve a richer extraction. After fermentation, the wine is transferred into oak barrels.
Our CULTURE wines are aged for an average of at least 24 months in French Seguin Moreau oak barrels, which is longer than the required minimum of 18 months for this wine region. Each year on December 10, which is World Aszú Day, our aszú batches are made available en primeur. These batches are carefully aged and come with a guarantee until delivery.
After filtering, the aszú is bottled using our air-disinfected bottling line. Once bottled, the wine ages for an average of 6 years in our nearly 2 km long historic cellar, which provides the perfect conditions for this extended aging process.
Starting from the first day of aszú berry harvest, Culture aszú reaches a wonderful quality after an average of eight years of aging. The result is a characteristic, rich, and lively sweet wine, a unique Hungarian delicacy, produced in a limited number of bottles. Each year, the new vintage is released in mid-September. As the years go by and availability becomes more limited, the value of these wines gradually increases.
When stored properly, the essence of Culture aszús continually evolves and deepens. Its intangible value is increasing quickly. With careful and precise storage, it can maintain its quality for up to 100 years, making it not only perfect for celebrating life’s milestones but also an excellent opportunity for lucrative investment.
A tokaji aszú wine is unique and limited. It is about unrepeatable and exceptional
uniqueness just like the most important moments of your life. Furthermore, a premium quality aszú wine preserves its value even for a century. This allows us to recall our most cherished memories with just a sip, using bottles made from fruit harvested in the year as the event.
Tokaj Aszú wines are released eight years after the harvest. Based on Holdvölgy’s experience, this is the optimal time for the wines to reach the maturity needed for exploration. To ensure customers can enjoy wines from significant vintages for themselves or their loved ones, these wines can be purchased before their official release year. Our Preculture reservation program opens annually on December 10, which is celebrated as World Aszú Day.
The historically classified first-class vineyards of Mád, along with the professionalism of the team at Holdvölgy, ensure the successful completion of each Tokaji Aszú vintage. The expertise and dedication of our vintner and winemaker, the meticulous work of skilled hands, the integration of modern technologies, and our 500-year-old aging cellar all contribute to the creation of unforgettable Culture Aszús. 2006 óta minden évben elkészítettük a tételt.
We not only make a promise but also enter into a contractual obligation to produce the wines purchased en primeur. Once a reservation is made, a confirmation is issued stating that the reserved quantities will be delivered in perfect quality eight years after the harvest on August 15. During the wine's aging process, we regularly provide updates that are written by the winemaker.
The imprint of an ancient grape leaf from the Miocene epoch was discovered in Erdőbénye during the 1950s.
Winemaking in Tokaj began developing around 300 to 400 A.D. Research by István Balassa indicates that the term aszú was used as early as 1551 in Tokaj-Hegyalja to describe a specific wine type.
According to our current understanding, the oldest unopened aszú bottle, which was owned by the Saxon Royal Cellar, holds immense value.
Tokaj wines have begun to gain worldwide recognition, particularly among aristocrats and royalty. Louis XIV described Tokaji Aszú as the “wine of kings and the king of wines” after tasting it.
The Tokaj region was the world's first closed production district, established by a decree from Charles III in 1773. By this time, monarchs, kings and queens such as Louis XV, Friedrich II, and Maria Theresa were competing for the finest aszú bottles.
The world's first vineyard classification took place here, leading to significant development in the region while preserving its unique and traditional values. The area also gained popularity among artists; notable figures such as Goethe, Rousseau, Voltaire, Schubert, and Mozart were all inspired by Tokaji aszú.
Following the initial classification, Tokaj received its second designation, highlighting the quality dominance of the Mád basin on the international stage.
This vintage is regarded as the finest of the 20th century. In 1995, it was awarded a Grand Gold Medal at the World Wine Fair in Bordeaux, and in 1996, it was named the Best Wine of the Century in the USA. It has an aging potential of over 100 years.
UNESCO designated the region as a World Heritage Site, known as the "Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape."
The first Culture Tokaji aszú vintage was crafted. From this year on, we create the most noble gift of Tokaj in every vintage.
We create wines, which elevate the celebration and evocation of the significant moments in our lives through Tokaj’s historical excellence.
3909 MÁD,
ÁRPÁD U. 13.
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