2011 Vega Sicilia Oremus Eszencia

After the borders in Hungary opened to foreign investors, the Alvarez family, also known for Bodegas Vega Sicilia, bought this winery in 1993. Oremus is one of the great ancient producers of Tokaj, descriptions have been found from the 14th century. The Alvarez family has spared no expense to make this wonderful company an absolute top producer. In 2003 Oremus was named Winery of the year in Hungary. In addition to the classic large sweet Tokaj's, they also produce a dry white furmint that is not to be missed. It is characterized by strikingly complex fruit, vibrancy and fine new wood tones.

In 1991, the Spanish family Álvarez, owner of the famous Vega Sicilia, started negotiations to take over the vineyards in Tokaj. In 1993 Vega Sicilia acquired the company and the vineyards gave it the name 'Oremus'. 'Oremos' in Spanish means 'Let us pray' and this is Oremus in Latin.

The history of the vineyards of this Tokaj estate dates back to 1616 when Prince György Rákóczi acquired the vineyards of what is now Oremus.
In 1631, the Calvinist preacher Maté Szepsi Lackó made the first wine from botrytis-affected grapes. It became the first Aszu.
In 1993, Vega Sicila acquired the company and renamed it 'Oremus'. Much was invested in the renewal of the company and a technical team from Vega Sicilia saw to it that - with respect for tradition - a high-quality wine was made. oremus

Vega Sicilia now has five special domains in the group. Oremus plays a special role in this. They are wines with character and can be used gastronomically.

Eszencia is the richest and rarest of all Hungarian Tokaj wines. It is only made in exceptional vintages, when the harvest of the noble rot-affected grapes is very high. It is the natural essence of noble rotten grapes from which the juice seeps drop by drop, which is then transformed into the Oremus Eszencia: a legendary wine.

This exceptional nectar is different from the other Aszú wines. It is an unimaginably rich wine that is unique worldwide. It has a low alcohol content (1 to 3%) because the enormous amount of sugars fail to ferment completely, it is not rare that this wine contains 500 grams or more residual sugar per litre. The aszú grapes are harvested one by one. Each grape picker harvests between 5 and 10 kilograms of grapes per day. These grapes then rest for 15 to 20 days in the vinification rooms of Oremus, while the quantity of grapes increases every day until the end of the harvest. Meanwhile, the gentle pressure of the weight of the grapes causes the juice to slowly seep out. At the end of this period, the must is placed in a 50 liter glass container, in which it undergoes an extremely slow fermentation. After 2 years, the wine is put in 68 liter barrels ('átalag'), in which it is further matured. Afterwards, the wine matures further in the bottle, an aging process that can take several decades. A drink of the gods!

The 2011 Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Eszencia is released in 2022. This is the top among dessert wines. This Eszencia possesses a magnificent scent of dried flowers, bergamot, dried pear, peaches, orange peel and candied ginger. Our entire palette is overwhelmed by a sweet mix of citrus fruits, salty mineral impressions and exotic spices, silky smooth in taste. An astonishing acidity contrasts with the 524 grams of residual sugar and an alcohol percentage of (only) 2.5%, which provides a remarkably fresh taste experience.