Drink Tokaji Aszu before you die!
Why? Dubbed the wine of kings and the king of wines, this golden nectar was nearly lost to the ruthless senselessness of Communism. Thankfully, it was rescued once the Iron Curtain fell.
Ten Second Summary
- What it is: Tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos is one of Hungary’s great sweet wines, made in the historic Tokaj region from botrytised grapes affected by noble rot.
- Tastes like: Apricot jam, orange peel, marmalade, honey, saffron, spice, and vivid acidity wrapped in a luscious, velvety texture.
- Buying shortcut: Look for a strong producer such as Szepsy, Royal Tokaji, or Disznókő ↓ and start with tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos or 6 puttonyos.
- Best with: Blue cheese, foie gras, fruit tarts, almond desserts, or simply on its own as a contemplative after-dinner wine.
- When to drink: Many are delicious on release, but the best bottles can age beautifully for decades.
What’s on this page
- Why drink tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos?
- What is Tokaji wine?
- What does puttonyos mean?
- How Tokaji nearly disappeared
- Watch: Hugh Johnson on Tokaji
- Best Tokaji producers
- How to drink Tokaji Aszú
- FAQ
Why drink tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos before you die?
The region of Tokaj in Hungary has been making wine for at least 1,000 years. Records suggest it was the first region to make wine from grapes infected with the benevolent fungus Botrytis cinerea, known locally as aszú. They’ve been doing this since the 1500s. And laws regulating how Tokaji is produced have been enforced since 1737, making it one of the oldest delimited wine regions in the world.
This sweet, luxurious, velvety liquid gold was a favourite of King Louis XIV of France and became a staple of the French royal court during the 1700s. It also struck a chord with the Russian imperial court, the Habsburg monarchy, and of course the Hungarian nobility. Hence, it became known as the wine of kings and king of wines. Only the Cape of Good Hope’s Constantia rivalled the reputation of Tokaji during this period.
Great sweet wine should never be one-dimensional sugar syrup. The best Tokaji wine combines richness with freshness, sweetness with lift, and decadence with precision. That is exactly why tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos deserves a place on any serious wine bucket list.
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| Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos from Disznókő, one of Hungary’s most iconic sweet wines | © Disznókő |
What is Tokaji wine?
Tokaji wine comes from the historic Tokaj region in north-east Hungary. It is most famous for Tokaji Aszú, the sweet wine style made from shrivelled, botrytised grapes that are painstakingly picked berry by berry. These aszú berries are intensely concentrated, packed with sugar, acidity, and extraordinary flavour.
In the traditional method, the aszú berries were added to a base wine or must, allowing the sugars and flavours to be extracted. This helped create the rich yet vibrant style for which Tokaji became famous. The result is not just a sweet wine, but one of the most distinctive sweet wines in the world.
If you are interested in classic wine styles with real history, real individuality, and real nobility, Tokaji wine is impossible to ignore.
What does puttonyos mean?
The sweetness level of a Tokaji Aszú wine was traditionally indicated by the number of puttonyos. A puttony was a traditional basket used for harvesting grapes. The sweet, concentrated aszú grapes were added to barrels of wine to extract the sugars and flavours of the berries. The more puttonyos added, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.
In simple terms, tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos is very sweet, while 6 puttonyos is richer and more intense again. Beyond that sits the extremely rare Eszencia, made from the free-run juice of the aszú grapes themselves — one of the most extraordinary sweet wines on earth.
For many wine lovers, 5 puttonyos hits a beautiful sweet spot. It gives you all the honeyed, botrytised opulence Tokaji is famous for, but still with terrific freshness and drinkability.
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| Hand-picking aszú berries in Tokaj: the painstaking harvest behind great Tokaji wine | © Disznókő |
How Tokaji nearly disappeared
It all became a bit of a shambles, though, when Communism arrived in its glorious ignorance after World War II. Volume became the mantra, with tradition and quality pushed aside. One of the world’s most storied sweet wines was reduced to something far less noble than it had been.
Thankfully, Tokaji did not stay lost. After the Iron Curtain fell, investment, expertise, and renewed ambition helped revive this legendary wine. That revival matters because Tokaji is not just another sweet wine. It is one of the great historic wines of Europe.
The significance and uniqueness of Tokaj’s winemaking culture and traditions were further recognised in 2002, when the region became a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Watch: Hugh Johnson on the revival of Tokaji wine
Legendary wine writer Hugh Johnson played a visible role in the post-Communist revival of Tokaji. If you want a little more background on how this historic region found its way back after decades of decline, this is well worth a watch.
Hugh Johnson discusses Tokaji wine and the revival of one of Hungary’s greatest sweet wine traditions.
Best Tokaji producers
If you want to tick tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos off your wine bucket list, the following producers are a superb place to start.
- Szepsy (István Szepsy) – a legendary name in Tokaj and one of the region’s great modern champions, known for high-quality wines that express Tokaj’s volcanic terroir, as well as helping lead the way in premium dry Furmint.
- Royal Tokaji Company – founded in 1990 and a major part of Tokaji’s modern revival, especially known for single-vineyard Aszú and the incredibly rare Essencia.
- Disznókő – a historic estate dating back to 1413, renowned for consistently excellent 5 and 6 puttonyos Aszú made in a style that feels both modern and precise, yet deeply traditional.
Any one of these producers should give you a very good sense of why Tokaji was once one of the most sought-after sweet wines in the world — and why it still deserves a place on any serious wine lover’s bucket list.
How to drink Tokaji Aszú
Tokaji Aszú is brilliant with food, but it also shines on its own. Try it with blue cheese, pâté, fruit-based desserts, or nutty pastries. It can also be magnificent simply served in a small glass at the end of the evening when you want something rich, civilised, and memorable.
A lot of sweet wines become tiring after a glass. Good Tokaji does not. That cleansing acidity is the secret. It keeps the wine alive, bright, and deeply moreish.
In other words, this is not just dessert wine. It is one of the world’s great drinks.
Frequently asked questions about Tokaji Aszú
What is tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos?
Tokaji aszu 5 puttonyos is a classic Hungarian sweet wine from Tokaj, made using botrytised aszú grapes. The 5 puttonyos level indicates a rich, luscious style with substantial sweetness balanced by high acidity.
Is Tokaji wine very sweet?
Yes, Tokaji Aszú is definitely a sweet wine, but the best examples are beautifully balanced by vibrant acidity, which stops them from feeling cloying.
What does puttonyos mean in Tokaji?
Puttonyos refers to the traditional baskets once used to measure the quantity of concentrated aszú berries added during production. More puttonyos traditionally meant a sweeter, more concentrated wine.
What does Tokaji Aszú taste like?
Great Tokaji Aszú typically tastes of apricot, marmalade, orange peel, honey, spice, and sometimes saffron or dried fruits, all carried by a luscious texture and bright acidity.
Is Tokaji one of the world’s great sweet wines?
Absolutely. Tokaji has one of the great reputations in wine history and has long been regarded as one of the world’s finest and most distinctive sweet wine styles.
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