WSET Level3 Practice Short Written Answer Questions (Tokaj)

Answer

First, a base wine is made from grapes that have not been affected by botrytis. Then, botrytized grapes are macerated in the base wine for 12 to 60 hours, which can occur before, during, or after fermentation. The resulting mixture is then pressed, and the wine is aged in oak barrels for a specified period.

Grading Criteria

• For stating that Tokaji Aszú begins with making a “base wine from grapes not affected by botrytis,” you get 1 point.
• For mentioning that “botrytized grapes are macerated in the base wine,” you get 1 point.
• For explaining that the maceration can take place “before, during, or after fermentation,” you get 1 point.
• For stating that the resulting mixture is “pressed,” you get 1 point.
• For mentioning that the wine is “aged in oak barrels for a specified period,” you get 1 point.

Answer

Tokaji Essencia is made from botrytized grapes, whose production heavily depends on specific natural conditions, making the process difficult to control. The yield is low and unpredictable, and the grapes must be hand-harvested due to the need for meticulous selection. Harvesting is labor-intensive, requiring multiple passes to ensure optimal botrytis development.

Additionally, Tokaji Essencia uses only free-run juice, meaning a significant quantity of grapes is needed to produce a single bottle. As an extremely sweet wine, fermentation can take several years, increasing monitoring and production costs. Moreover, oak barrel ageing adds further expenses. These factors contribute to the high cost of Tokaji Essencia.

Grading Criteria

For mentioning the following features and their associated high-cost processes, you get 1 point each, up to a maximum of 5 points:

• Dependence on natural conditions: Botrytis development is influenced by specific weather conditions, making production difficult to control.
• Low and unstable yields: Botrytized grapes produce limited quantities of juice.
• Hand-harvesting requirement: Grapes must be handpicked due to the need for precise selection.
• Multiple harvests: Several rounds of harvesting are required to monitor botrytis growth.
• Exclusive use of free-run juice: This increases the number of grapes needed for production.
• Long fermentation period: Fermentation can take years, raising monitoring costs.
• Barrel ageing: The use of oak barrels adds to the cost.

Other valid points describing unique characteristics and costly processes of Tokaji Essencia may also earn points.