Great dry Tokaji – Gizella Barát Hárslevelű 2018

Gizella is one of the best producers of Tokaj, making wines in a modern, precise and crispy, almost steely fashion. Their entry level white (reviewed here) and the Szamorodni (see here) are both at the top of their class, just as is this single vineyard Hárslevelű.

Quite modern. Smells Australian to me, kind of… not typical for a dry Tokaji, neither for Hárslevelű. Perfectly clean, as opposed to the majority of wines from the region. Give it some air and Tokaj starts to show up, bringing quince and citrus notes, and some ginger. This has depth to it, real complexity, and it’s not heavy at all. Medium bodied, hits only 13%, but it offers layers and layers of flavors. A lot to enjoy here and it’s easy to drink, too. Very well made, serious wine.

Rating: outstanding, 91 points. 
Price: €14 / 4850 HUF in Hungary, €16 EUR in Germany.
Stockist: Bortársaság and more, Borstore in Germany.
Tasted: June, 2020.
Value: great.
Drinking window: now – 2024.
Source: own purchase.