2009 Tinon Dry Szamorodni

Notes & Pairings

Originally called Ordinárium (ordinary wine) in the 1600’s, Főbor (prime wine) after that, and later, due to the immense popularity in the Polish market, Szamorodni (as comes off the vine) became the official name (itself a Polish word) in the early 1800’s. The name refers to healthy, shriveled and botrytized grapes all being harvested and fermented together. Dry Szamorodni goes a few steps further by adding Claspodorium cellare (a special mold covering the entire cellar) and a native yeast veil (flor) that protects the wine in barrel. Not only are these yeasts specific to Tokaj’s volcanic cellars, but the evaporation rate is also the reverse of Jerez in that alcohol evaporates without water loss so the wines actually lose .5% alcohol each year. Samuel Tinon made his first Szamorodni by mistake and luck: two barrels of 2001 Aszú that seemed destined to spoil and were marked “throw away” developed a veil of yeast over the summer and were changed into Szamorodni. After one night of maceration on the skins, primary fermentation of the wine took about three weeks. After 6 months on the lees, the first blending took place and the resulting wine spent 5 years in 220L barrels with both previously mentioned cellar micro-organisms at work. The final blend was made after these 5 years.

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