2008 Tokaji, Essencia, Royal Tokaji Wine Company, Hungary

"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” as Mary Poppins once said, and the legendary Essencia wines of Tokaji were long heralded for their medicinal qualities not to mention their high sugar content. Nowadays the healing capabilities of this magical wine may not be quite so readily accepted but Royal Tokaji’s 2008 Essencia certainly puts a very broad smile on ones face. A deep golden hue with a plentiful supply of opulent viscosity. Emerging from the syrupy depths comes a rich honeyed nose encapsulating juicy apricots, sweet pear, white tea, wood sap and delicate orange blossom that holds true for as long as you care to keep it in the glass. The palate is the definition of unctuous, packed full of honeyed apricots and oozing with a deliciously languid, mouth-coating seduction. A fresh citrus drive provides all the necessary vitality to ensure this mind-blowing wine powers through on to an incredibly long, thickly coated finish adding beautiful floral notes and a touch of demerara as it goes. In reality it is difficult for a tasting note to do this wine justice and whilst it might cost a little more than ‘tuppence a bag’ there is no denying this is a truly ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ offering. Surely a 100 point wine. Drink from here to eternity.

Ben Upjohn, Senior Private Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd