Plateau to be first UK restaurant to serve unique Royal Tokaji

Plateau Restaurant in Canary Wharf is the first in the UK to offer guests the unique experience of legendary sweet wine, Royal Tokaji Essencia 2003, served in a crystal spoon.

Plateau is now serving the extremely rare Essencia, the world’s most concentrated sweet wine, in a hand-blown crystal spoon with a specially-created dessert of spiced ginger bread and poached pear, from head chef Allan Pickett. Similar, but equally unique pairings have already proved hugely popular at some of the best restaurants in the US, including renowned French Laundry in California.

Royal Tokaji Essencia is made from the essence of the raisined Aszú grapes, only 2,300 bottles of the 2003 vintage were made available worldwide. Absolutely perfect conditions are needed in autumn for ‘bortytis’ (‘noble’ rot) to shrivel the Tokaji grapes into small brown raisins holding only 10% of their original juice. These "Aszú" grapes are picked, grape by grape rather than bunch by bunch and heaped together. Over the course of about a week, with no pressure other than the weight of the grapes themselves, a few drops of honeyed essence slowly ooze out. In the cool and dark of Royal Tokaji's historic fourteenth century cellars, deep below the town of Mád, the liquid transforms into an unctuous syrup in a unique wine-making process which may take up to eight years to complete. Approximately 20kgs of individually harvested Aszú grapes are required for each 37.5cl bottle.

The ultimate dining experience to end a luxurious dinner, Royal Tokaji Essencia 2003 is available at Plateau now served on a crystal spoon with a dessert of spiced ginger bread and poached pear (£13.50).