Puklus Pincészet
János Puklus, founded the wine cellars in 1974. At the beginning, the great-grandfather’s wine growing area was the heart of the property and then they acquired and planted more new areas with grape. Their wine growing areas are found at the southernmost part at the foot of the Tokaji hill in Hungary, on the excellent slopes of the village Bodrogkeresztúr, Tarcal and Bodrogkisfalud. Nowadays a plantation of 15 acres is cultivated. At present the Furmint and Muscatine grapes are the main varieties but there is also Zeta, fat grape “gohér” (early ripening variety). It is here that the Puklus family treats the youthful, fresh wines as soon as possible so that the customers would be able to taste them in almost fresh and fruit-rich conditions. Traditional ripening of the wines takes place in four cellars of more than 300 years old, which are equipped with little wood “gonci” barrels. Here the wine specialties such as Tokaji Aszu, “Szamorodni” and ” Fordítás” (a variety of Tokaj) will be seasoned. János Puklus was elected as the “Wine Grower of the Year” at the foot of the Tokaji hill in the year 1999.
Tokaji Szamorodni

Region: Bodrogkeresztur, Tokaji
Color: Pale orange
Aroma: Dried berries and plums
Tasting Notes: Tropical notes with subtle levels of botrytis. Rich and lively with some nutmeg, orange preserves and apricot compote.
Food Pairings: Creme Brulee, Tarts and Custard
Grape Variety: 100% Furmint
Alcohol Level: 12.5%

Vinification: After gentle pressing the wine mature for 18 months in the so called gönci barrels and after bottling rests for a further 10 months in Puklus cellars
Notes/Facts: Szamorodni is Hungarian dialect for “as is” or “as it comes”. As the grower waits for the berries to achieve acceptable levels of noble rot, some of the earlier passing picks in the vineyard go into the making of this entry level and value version of Tokaji without the designation of “aszu”.

Tokaji Aszu Essencia 2002

Region: Bodrogkeresztur, Tokaji
Color: Deep bronze and orange
Aroma: Dried plums, honeysuckle and toffee
Tasting Notes: Notes of golden raisins, orange blossom and burnt orange zest, dried apricots, quince and tobacco with intense warmth and rich layers of white chocolate and just the right amount of acidity to complete the perfect picture of balance.
Food Pairings: Crepes, merengues, chocolate based desserts, and nut based desserts like grilled Baclava.
Grape Variety: Furmint and Muscat
Alcohol Level: 10.5%

Vinification: After gentle pressing the wine mature for 36 months in the so called gönci barrels and after bottling rests for a further minimum of 6 years in Puklus cellars.
Notes/Facts: Essencia is produced in the classic method using only the free-run juice that drips from the “puttons” as the aszu berries await their pressing and a base wine is never added. This nectar produced from the gentle pressure of the grapes’ own weight is rich and unctuous and looks like spun honey. Because sugar levels can be as high as 85 percent, the juice ferments extremely slowly and the alcohol percentage is conversely lower.

Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos

Region: Bodrogkeresztur, Tokaji
Color: Goldish deep orange
Aroma: Dried prunes, honeysuckle and spices
Tasting Notes: Luscious, oily, orange spices and white chocolate. Dense and multi layered with tropical notes, more botrytis, less floral notes and more salinity.
Food Pairings: Waldorf salad, glazed pork and chocolate cheesecake.
Grape Variety: 100% Furmint
Alcohol Level: 11%

Vinification: The aszú berries are opened with a special machine that makes the shriveled aszu berries look trampled which becomes the aszu paste. To this either must or fermenting must or base wine is added whereby the maceration begins.
Notes/Facts: Péter Puklus, chief winemaker and son to Janos, has been named Winemaker of the Year in Hungary’s famous Tokaj wine region for 2011.

Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos

Region: Bodrogkeresztur, Tokaji
Color: Golden honey
Aroma: Dried prunes and figs
Tasting Notes: Deep golden colour with classic tropical notes, plenty of botrytis, rich and pronounced. All spice, dried apricot and burnt orange peel start to show through.
Food Pairings: Carrot cake, Christmas pudding and cheeses like Danish Blue or Cabrales.
Grape Variety: 100% Furmint
Alcohol Level: 11%

Vinification: After gentle pressing the wine mature for 22 months in the so called gönci barrels and after bottling rests for a further 18 months in Puklus cellars.
Notes/Facts: The aszú wines are vinified in the traditional gönci barrel (136 l) and szerednyei barrels (180-220 l), of which many of the wines spend a time between 4-6 years in oak sometimes even longer. It is this philosophy that we refer to Puklus winery as “traditional” as opposed to the “new” style of making aszú wines.