Tokaj Kikelet Pince – Wine Review 2025

Unique Atmosphere of the Tasting Room, Vineyard & Cellar

 Kikelet Pince’s estate and tasting room provide a serene and exclusive private sanctuary, beautifully nestled at the base of the hill beneath Tarcal’s iconic Áldó Krisztus Szobor (Blessing Christ Statue). Stepping into this picturesque location offers an intimate escape from the ordinary. The quiet, rolling vineyard surroundings set the perfect stage for a refined, private tasting experience where the natural beauty of the Tokaj landscape enhances every glass.

VT Borfőnök Reviews – 2026

Wine Tasting Experience

• 2024 Pezsgő Extra Dry Brut Sparkling Wine: VT Gold Medal (95/100). A magnificent, world-class sparkling wine that showcases absolute mastery over the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle). In the glass, it commands attention with an exceptionally elegant, ultra-fine, and persistent bead of bubbles that dances relentlessly to the surface. The bouquet is highly expressive and vibrant, opening with a crisp wave of green apple and fresh citrus peel before unfolding into deep, luxurious notes of toasted brioche, fresh yeast, and roasted nuts. On the palate, the attack is sharp, refreshing, and incredibly lively, driving a texture that is simultaneously creamy and electrifying. The mid-palate reveals wonderful autolytic complexity from its extensive time on the lees, striking a flawless balance between playful fruit-forward energy and structural weight. It finishes on a breathtakingly crisp, pristine note, marked by a lingering streak of chalky, salty minerality that demands another sip.

• Tarczal Hárslevelű 2023: VT Gold Medal (93/100). A taut, elegant, and deeply authentic estate wine that serves as the very soul of the winery. Crafted as a brilliant village blend, its name celebrates the fact that all of the estate’s parcels are nestled right here in Tarcal. Navigating a remarkably rainy 2023 vintage, the wine emerges with an exceptionally fresh, airy, and light fruitiness defined by charming elegance. The medium-intense bouquet greets the nose with a vast sea of tiny white flowers, juicy pears, quince, and crisp lime. Given a brief moment to breathe, a gorgeous wave of tropical fruits arrives—led by vibrant pineapple and mango—effortlessly lifting the sip. On the palate, it delivers a lively, filigree composition bursting with mandarin, white-fleshed grapefruit, and a core of lime honey. It finishes beautifully with a long, pebbly, volcanic loess minerality and lingering southern fruits.

• Váti Hárslevelű 2023: VT Gold Medal (91/100).  A beautiful expression of the region’s signature aromatic style, gleaming with a pristine pale lemon yellow color. The nose opens with a timidly blooming bouquet, delicately revealing notes of fresh quince, sweet acacia blossom, zesty citrus, and a hint of wild honey.  On the palate, the opening sip is utterly lovely, bursting with fresh flowers and juicy stone fruits. Suddenly, the wine transforms in a dizzying crescendo, evolving into a literally fiery, volcanic, multi-layered, and multi-voiced masterpiece.  This dry white wine showcases a highly fragrant, expressive character seamlessly coupled with a tight, vibrant acid structure. It completely fills the mouth with a flawless narrative—having a distinct beginning, a rich middle, and a grand finale. The finish is profoundly long, anchored by deep, soil-driven mineral notes, mineral saltiness, and a typical wet-stone character that beautifully reflects the raw majesty of the Tokaj region’s volcanic terroir.

• Furmint Tarczal 2023: VT Gold Medal (94/100). A spectacular, village-level dry estate wine that serves as a pure testament to the winery’s overarching philosophy. While Kikelet grows an equal amount of Furmint and Hárslevelű, the estate is traditionally synonymous with the latter—making this bottle a rare, definitive showcase of their ultimate essence poured into a Furmint.  Navigating one of the wettest summers in recent memory, meticulous vineyard work yielded beautifully pristine, healthy fruit.  The result is a fierce, primal Furmint that practically tastes like liquid lightning and raw earth. It opens with a deeply focused, slim, yet texturally thick and multifaceted profile driven by high, crystalline acidity and fiery minerals. The palate bursts with crunchy pear, pomelo, sharp citrus, and an exciting, sophisticated note of chamomile tea, all softened at the entry by the elegant influence of Tarcal’s loess soils.  It culminates in an intense, structural, and fiercely salty finish, delivering a complex, long-lasting experience with massive aging potential.

• Late Harvest 2018 NOV 30: VT Gold Medal 94/100.  A beautiful liquid masterpiece crafted using the precise ice wine technique. The glass releases a magnificent stream of ripe and wilted fruits, resting on a sophisticated background layer of cardamom spice, sweet vanilla, and toasted sugar. It feels dense and powerfully concentrated on the palate, carrying its high residual sugar effortlessly alongside a beautifully rounded, refreshing acidity. Each sip becomes an endless chase of decadent fruit flavors—moving dynamically from juicy ripe mango and thick apricot jam to deep dried fruits and candied orange—all wrapped in liquid honey, subtle vanilla, and bright orange peel.

• Váti Dűlő Dry Furmint 2023: VT Gold Medal (94/100). Sourced from the iconic and historic Váti vineyard, this single-vineyard selection reveals serious, authoritative depth and density. Initially reserved, a brief moment of airing beautifully unlocks its complex bouquet, releasing a delicate perfume of green almonds, sun-ripened peaches, and bitter orange peel, all elegantly framed by a subtle hint of vanilla, wet stone, and wild herbs. On the palate, the wine is remarkably fleshy and substantial, showing a grand, full-bodied structure rarely encountered in dry white wines. Layers of winter pears, crisp yellow apples, and succulent peaches melt into a soft, luxurious mid-palate sweetness that perfectly integrates the wine’s tightly woven, smoothing acids.  The commanding presence continues into an incredibly long, magnificent finish packed with discreet southern fruits like papaya and pineapple, kissed by complex undertones of spicy ginger, fine cocoa powder, and golden honey.

• Košice Hárslevelű 2023: VT Gold Medal (94/100). A spectacular single-vineyard selection sourced from the high-lying, loess-covered slopes of the Kassai parcel (historically known as Košice), featuring 15-year-old vines. This wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation in oak and spans half a year of maturation on the lees in wooden barrels. Upon opening, it demands a 5-to-10-minute ventilation to unlock its tightly wound core. It greets the nose with a medium-intense, highly aromatic perfume of linden blossom, elderberry, white rose, white-fleshed cherry, and pear, while notes of wet flint whisper gently in the background. On the palate, the wine is thick, full of flavor, and layered with juicy stone fruits, white grapefruit, green apple, candied clementine peel, and herbal tea. These flavors are framed by a playful yet sophisticated acidity and a tight, bone-dry structure. It culminates in an incredibly long, commanding finish of wet flint and blood orange. A young, aristocratic wine whose initial aloofness will manifest into spectacular, rich complexity over long-term aging.

• Tokaji Fordítás 2019: VT Gold Medal (94/100). Presented by master winemaker Stéphanie Berecz, this outstanding sweet wine is a true triumph of historic craftsmanship and modern execution. While a genuine rarity in today’s wine world, Fordítás (Translation) carries the noble legacy of the 19th century, when the region famously utilized aszútészta (Aszú dough).  This ancient method involves taking the highly concentrated paste of botrytized Aszú berries left after the first pressing and soaking it once more in high-quality base wine. The resulting elixir is a less intensely sweet, deeply botrytized, and slightly more tannic style of sweet wine that is profoundly exciting. With its restrained elegance, it aligns flawlessly with contemporary global fine-wine trends. The nose offers a mesmerizing bouquet of dried apricot, rich honey, and delicate floral aromas characteristic of a top-tier Aszú, all wrapped in soft, noble botrytis notes. The palate masterfully balances this opulent sweetness with a bright, structural freshness and complex, tactile depth. It is a contemplative wine worth getting completely lost in—one that might even spark long-forgotten memories with every sip.

• Édes Szamorodni 2021: VT Gold Medal (95/100). An exceptionally elegant, sweet wine that brilliantly captures the essence of a stellar vintage. The wine introduces itself with an intense nose defined by youthful, vibrant aromatics, bursting with ripe, white-fleshed peaches, lush tropical fruits, rich chestnut honey, mandarin orange, and a touch of sweet vanilla. On the palate, it reveals deeply concentrated layers of candied orange peel, dried mango, and warm baking spices. The mouthfeel is delicately creamy, plush, and incredibly rich, yet it maintains a beautifully balanced, juicy energy. Thanks to a flawless backbone of integrated, vibrant acidity, it avoids any heavy sweetness and finishes completely clean, leaving a long, stunningly refreshed impression.

• Édes Szamorodni 2019: VT Gold Medal (95/100).  A wonderfully complex, noble sweet wine that beautifully displays the rewards of a few years of patient cellaring. Showing excellent evolution, the wine opens with an expansive bouquet brimming with deep, rich notes of authentic noble botrytis, honeyed quince, baked orchard fruits, and a sophisticated touch of roasted nuts. On the palate, the interplay between the dense, opulent residual sugars and the beautifully maturing fruit characteristics results in a deeply satisfying, texturally gorgeous wine. It coats the mouth with a velvety, luxurious weight, yet it remains perfectly light on its feet due to Tokaj’s trademark underlying freshness. The finish is remarkably long, layered, and complex, making it an absolute triumph of the Szomorodni style.

• 6 Puttonyos Aszú 2021: VT Platinum Medal (98/100). While the highly decorated 2019 vintage is an absolute triumph of rich, soul-embracing texture and diverse fruit flavors, this 2021 release scales an even higher peak of winemaking perfection, outshining its predecessor with jaw-dropping precision. If the 2019 is a warm blanket, the 2021 is a finely cut diamond.  It is a truly sensational vintage that displays a level of structural purity, laser-focused definition, and technical mastery that leaves the taster completely spellbound.  Capturing the absolute brilliance of a perfect botrytized harvest, it strikes an exquisite, almost impossible balance on the palate. It is loaded with intensely concentrated, exotic tropical fruit notes—passion fruit, ripe mango, and crystallized pineapple—yet it avoids any heavy or cloying weight. Instead, it is driven forward by an exceptionally striking, electrifyingly lively acidity that slices through the dense, opulent sweetness like a razor.  This vibrant, high-toned acid structure amplifies the deep, salty volcanic minerality of Tarcal’s terroir, fueling a finish that is grander, more elegant, and significantly more persistent than the 2019.  This is an elite, historic bottle built for decades of evolution—a masterclass in harmony that stands as a definitive, near-flawless monument to the region.

• 2019 6 Puttonyos Aszú: VT Platinum Medal (96/100). A monumental, award-winning masterpiece that stands at the absolute pinnacle of Tokaj winemaking, proudly decorated as the Wine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences 2025 and a Gold Winner at the 2025 Vince Awards.  This sensational vintage displays breathtaking structure, purity, and flawless precision, capturing the true brilliance of a legendary botrytized harvest.  The unique magic of Tokaj Aszú lies in the fact that its labor-intensive method is entirely peerless worldwide, achievable only when nature perfectly aligns the stars—as it did so spectacularly in this vintage.  Even prior to bottling, the sheer greatness of this elixir was undeniable, and its subsequent aging has seamlessly locked its components into perfect harmony.  It explodes on the senses as a true “fruit bomb,” releasing an exceptionally diverse bouquet that ranges from elegant white flowers and crisp, fresh white-fleshed fruits to concentrated tropical notes and honeyed dried apricots. On the palate, the mouthfeel is incredibly rich, deep, and luxurious, embracing the soul like a soft, warm blanket.  Yet, it remains completely light on its feet; a striking, lively, and vibrant acidity cuts through the dense sweetness, preserving the refreshing, mineral, and citrus core of Tokaj’s volcanic terroir.  The aftertaste is majestic and lingers indefinitely, proving why Tokaj Aszú is incomparable to any other sweet wine on earth. In the words of master winemaker Stéphanie Berecz, this bottle acts as an “energy drink” for the mind—a restorative medicine for the soul that helps correct wandering thoughts and anchor the senses. It is a historic, regal experience that beautifully holds the past, present, and future within a single glass.

• 2003 6 Puttonyos Aszú: VT Platinum Medal (99/100).  A near-perfect, majestic masterpiece of historic proportions that stands as the absolute crown jewel of Kikelet Winery. Sourced directly from Stéphanie’s highly guarded private library cellar, this ultra-premium elixir is an incredibly rare treasure with only about 300 bottles ever produced. Decades of patient, pristine cellaring have transformed this vintage into a transcendent tasting experience that completely defies ordinary description.  The color is an exquisite, deep liquid amber with a brilliant mahogany glow. On the nose, it releases a staggering, highly sophisticated symphony of aromas that only time can forge: dried figs, dark chestnut honey, black tea, espresso bean, and complex oxidative notes of toasted walnuts, dark chocolate, and old cigar box. On the palate, it delivers a deeply regal, monumental structure. The texture is immensely thick, oily, and concentrated—almost weightless in its majesty—as its massive residual sugar has completely melted into the wine’s historic character. What elevates this bottle to the stratosphere of fine wine is its indestructible volcanic acid spine, which remains marvelously vibrant, beautifully offsetting the opulent density and driving a finish that does not just linger for minutes, but evolves on the palate for hours. It is an utterly unforgettable, legendary masterclass in balance, depth, and terroir-driven longevity. This is more than a wine; it is a living piece of Tokaj history and the ultimate definition of best-in-class perfection.

Dessert Pairing

• Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie: A brilliant addition to the first visit, this freshly baked pastry is simply delicious. It delivers a masterclass in texture, striking a flawless balance between vibrant citrus tartness and delicate sweetness that effortlessly rivals the finest boutique patisseries in Paris.  This fun surprise went amazingly well with Dry to Sweet lineups. 

Staff Knowledge and Service

Hospitality at Kikelet is exceptionally attentive, professional, and warm, earning a stellar service score of 98/100. The experience seamlessly unfolds in two unforgettable parts. On our first visit, we were treated to a hospitably guided initial tasting by the winery’s manager, Viki, who provided us with a sweet, highly personalized introduction where no detail is overlooked. 

This set the stage for a second, broader, and expert-level master tasting hosted by master winemaker Stéphanie Berecz herself.  Stéphanie’s profound viticultural insights and unmatched expertise took us on a wine journey like no other.  Her deep dive into the single-vineyard terroirs in a methodical order opened and refined our palates in a way that is utterly transformative, as she blended French sophistication with local passion and a mastery of allowing each wine to be fully expressed.

 Overall Experience

A visit to Kikelet Pince is a flawless, must-visit destination for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the rich history and modern perfection of Tokaj winemaking. From world-class, rare library vintages to welcoming, top-tier service and a stunning hillside backdrop, it delivers an unforgettable journey for the senses. Deservingly backed by its multiple VT Platinum & Gold Awards, and with Stephanie being the first ever recipient of the VT Wine Maker of the year 2025, Kikelet stands as a definitive highlight of the region.