Pride of place on the Christmas table – Tokaj Aszú

At Christmas everything around us is adorned by festive decorations, lights illuminate the streets and homes, we are surrounded by various traditional decoration items and fragrant pinetree branches. One of the crowning glories of this festive period is the intimate and cozy family dinner with carefully prepared, mouthwatering dishes which are best accompanied by a truly amazing wine,Tokaj Aszú.

What makes aszús so special?

To many the price of a famed bottle of aszú may come as a shock. However it will come less of a surprise once you’ve learnt how many conditions need to be fulfilled for proper aszú berries to form and even though the climate of Tokaj is particularly suited to aszú production it is still not uncommon that in certain vintages some wineries cannot make aszú at all.

Tokaj aszú is not a wine for everyday drinking, however it can create an unforgettable experience when you uncork it for some special occasion.

Culinary tips for Christmas

There is no better loved holiday than Christmas, therefore this is a highly appropriate occasion to open a bottle of aszú. No table laid for a Christmas dinner is complete without a bottle of aszú. Thanks to the rich diversity of Tokaj aszús there is no limit to the number of potentially exciting combinations with food. Though aszú is a sweet wine its unique aromas and high acidity makes it a good companion to dishes other than desserts.

This characteristic is most welcome as it means that an aszú can actually accompany all the courses of a Christmas dinner.

Starting with starters aszús are great with foie gras served either as roasted in slices and garnished with candied fruit or prepared as paté served with jam, chutney or brioche. A glass of aszú is an excellent partner for saline, pungent blue cheese. Take a star form to cut smaller bites from toasted bread, cover them with spread made of Roquefort, Stilton or Gorgonzola cheese and garnish it with dried fruit. Another suggestion is to remove the seeds of dates, fill them with the cheese spread and then wrap them in thin slices of Serrano ham.