Domaine Hétszölö

Domaine Hétszőlő takes its name from the seven vineyard parcels on the southern slope of Mount Tokaj that the Garai family assembled into a single estate in 1502. A document from 1571 already records one of the earliest written references to Aszú grapes being harvested here, placing the estate at the very origin of Tokaji wine as we know it. The property passed through the hands of Transylvanian princes, the Habsburg crown and the Hungarian communist state before being privatised in 1991 by Grands Millésimes de France. In 2009 it was acquired by Michel Reybier — also the owner of Château Cos d'Estournel — who began converting all 55 hectares to certified organic viticulture.

The vineyards grow on volcanic bedrock covered by an exceptionally thick layer of loess, which distinguishes Hétszőlő from the more volcanic, mineral-driven estates to the north of the appellation. The loess imparts a silky texture and characteristic honeyed richness. Grape varieties are Furmint (73%), Hárslevelű (18%), Kövérszőlő (5%) and Sárgamuskotály (2%). Two plots — Hétszőlő and Nagyszőlő — hold Premier Cru classification in the 1772 ordering of Tokaj vineyards, considered the world's first official vineyard classification, eighty years before Bordeaux 1855.

The range covers all the historical styles of Tokaj. Dry Furmint is fresh, crisply acidic and mineral. Szamorodni is made in two versions: édes (sweet), with a honeyed and floral character, and száraz (dry), with an oxidative, nutty profile recalling Amontillado Sherry. The flagship is Tokaji Aszú: hand-selected botrytised berries are macerated in base wine before fermenting and aging in oak barrels from the Zemplén Mountains. The 2010 Aszú 5 Puttonyos earned 92 points from The Wine Advocate and 93 at the Decanter World Wine Awards. In exceptional vintages, an Eszencia is produced — the ultimate concentration of Tokaji, with up to 390 g/L of residual sugar. The entire Tokaj-Hegyalja region was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.