WTN: '03 Mandolas Oremus Tokaji Dry

My daughter brought me this back from Hungary along with three other bottles that were better known. Posted this info on WLDG two years ago and Robin's comments were "never had a good dry Tokaji" and something like "most are rather simple wines". With all the respect I have for our leader I assumed this was bad stuff and left the bottle to rot in the cellar. My daughter comes home over thanksgiving and sees the wine in my cellar and asked why I had not drank the wine. I wanted to say "Robin thinks it is crap" but being a stand up guy I said "just waiting for the right time". With some marinated mussels/roasted red peppers I opened the bottle thinking it would not be worth drinking. Well I was wrong. Lots of nut flavors at the beginning, structured with good acidity and a long finish hinting that it had some time to go. May have been a little short in the middle but a very worthy wine and my wife thought it was very good. What helped was the perfect match with the food. If I had another bottle I would send it to Louisville.
Walt

Robin's comments were "never had a good dry Tokaji" and something like "most are rather simple wines".

Robin needs to try dry Tokaji from Szepsy. They are some of the most profound white wines I've ever tasted. Especially the Furmint Szent Tamas.

Robin needs to try dry Tokaji from Szepsy. They are some of the most profound white wines I've ever tasted. Especially the Furmint Szent Tamas.

Even the lesser known dry ones can surprise - as did this bottle which was one of the best 10€ wines I've had.

-O

Bill and Otto,

Thanks for the confirmation. Nuts and spice is what I got on this very interesting wine. I was surprised with the complexity and that it appeared to be a wine that would age several more years. I assume '03 was hot in Hungary which made my wine even more interesting to age. Where is Robin? I have searched the room with my beady little eyes expecting him to come out of hiding and admit that he needs to re-evaluate dry Tokaji.

We have two problems, at least in St. Louis, with these wines. First they are almost impossible to find and second, what are they going to call it since soon the word Tokaji will be banned and only Alsace can use a similar but different spelling.

Walt

what are they going to call it since soon the word Tokaji will be banned and only Alsace can use a similar but different spelling.

Walt

Walt, sarcasm translates poorly on the internet! EVERYONE knows that it is Collio, not Alsace, that can use 'Tocai' for its F-R-I-U-L-A-N-O!

what are they going to call it since soon the word Tokaji will be banned and only Alsace can use a similar but different spelling.

Walt

Walt, sarcasm translates poorly on the internet! EVERYONE knows that it is Collio, not Alsace, that can use 'Tocai' for its F-R-I-U-L-A-N-O!

Bill,
It was not sarcasm, it was a alzheimers. Of course it is Friuli that has the problem. I am a major fan of NE Italian Fruili and could never understand the reason for the conflict since everyone knew that Hungary only made good Takaji in a very sweet form. This was before I tried the dry tokaji. Think I will blame that on Robin also.
Walt

what are they going to call it since soon the word Tokaji will be banned and only Alsace can use a similar but different spelling.

Walt

Walt, sarcasm translates poorly on the internet! EVERYONE knows that it is Collio, not Alsace, that can use 'Tocai' for its F-R-I-U-L-A-N-O!

Bill,
It was not sarcasm, it was a alzheimers. Of course it is Friuli that has the problem. I am a major fan of NE Italian Fruili and could never understand the reason for the conflict since everyone knew that Hungary only made good Takaji in a very sweet form. This was before I tried the dry tokaji. Think I will blame that on Robin also.
Walt

Actually Walt, both Collio and Alsace are banned from using Tocai (as in Friulano) and Tokay (as in Pinot Gris), since Hungary joined the EU. 2005 was the last vintage that the usage was allowed (though Alsace seems to have been quicker to react than Collio where producers were still scrambling to come up with a name last year.) Tokaji in Hungary, being a region, will continue using it's name on both dry and sweet wines.

I've had a couple vintages of this in the past, and it's been very nice. I recall some minerality and a bit of the nuttiness you mention though not so strong as your note makes it sound. Maybe that's the hot year -- I find that white wines tend more toward nutty flavors in warmer climates.