"The Dobogo Vineyard owned by Izabella Zwack is the only one in the Tokaj region which produces Aszu exclusively with the highest number of puttonyos - Dobogo 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszu .The Dobogo 6 Puttonyos 2004 vintage is a premium quality Tokaji Aszú combining traditional handcrafted winemaking methods with the most up-to-date technology, while its fresh, pleasing, fruity taste denotes outstanding quality. These well deserved prizes – two international and one at home – are evidence that Dobogo Aszu is now fully established among the prestigious wines of the world and is well on the way to achieving its aim of becoming the Chateau Yquem of Tokaj.
Awards received for the 2004 Dobogo 6 Puttonyos Aszu:
Decanter World Wine Awards - Trophy – Regional Grand Prize, Central and Eastern European sweet wines
International Wine Challenge 2009 – Gold medal
10th Pannon Bormustra – Csúcsbor (“Top quality wine”) award
The vineyard also received a flattering review in the Wall Street Journal’s Food & Drink column which on 11th June ran a long and detailed coverage of the Tokaj wine region, its wine growers and vineyards, its history and present and future perspectives. The article praised Izabella Zwack’s Dobogo 6 Puttonyos Aszu as ranking among the best.
Meanwhile, Wine Enthusiast magazine recommended Budapest as a summer holiday destination, mentioning food and wine highlights in the Hungarian capital that gourmet visitors from all over the world should not miss. “After a day spent shopping one can pleasantly unwind with a Dobogo dry Furmint in the bar of the Déryné restaurant” – states the article. The article also praised the museums of Budapest, which “rival any museum in Europe but whoever desires a special experience should make for the Zwack Museum and Visitors’ Centre for a “wine-tasting and museum visit in one.”
The popular Sherman’s Travel recommends Tokaj and specifically Dobogo as a summer or autumn destination. The authors especially recommended the “perfect” Mylitta and Furmint wines.
Dobogo vineyards lie in the heart of Tokaj. Founded in 1869, the winery has belonged to Izabella Zwack since 1995. It is Izabella’s and her winemaker, Attila Domokos’s goal to produce wines which will once more put Tokaj on the map internationally. While an important part of Izabella’s philosophy is to remain resolutely loyal to the traditions of Tokaj, at the same time she is constantly developing the winery’s wine-growing technology.
As a result, the Dobogo dry Furmint, the vineyard’s first attempt to produce a serious, well-rounded and full-bodied dry wine, is served in many of the best restaurants in the world. Izabella has named her late harvest wine Mylitta after her great aunt, who was a muse of the poet Endre Ady. This is a wine that distinguishes itself, when compared with the iconic qualities of the Aszu, for its elegance, freshness and tantalizing bouquet.
The Dobogo vineyard also produces a blue cheese as well as wine vinegar. Dobogo Blue is made from specially selected cow’s milk from the snowy peaks some 2000 metres up in the mountains of the South Tyrol and is married to the richly-flavoured Tokaji aszu grapes. Dobogo Ishtar is the first wine vinegar to be made from Aszu wine, a long time dream project of Izabella’s. With it’s exciting, mellow, full-bodied wine vinegar characteristics which - according to the proud owner - really bring salads to life, it is also delicious when sprinkled onto vanilla ice cream.
Plantations: Palota 3 ha, Betsek 2 ha, Úrágya 0.53 ha, Szent Tamás 0.7 ha
Grape types: Furmint 70 %, Hárslevelű 20%, Sárga muskotály 10%
Yearly production: 20 000 bottles
Source and further information: dobogo.hu
03.07.2009