Puttonyos is a unit for the level of sugar in Hungarian wine Tokaji. It is traditionally measured by the number of Coal scuttle of sweet noble rot grapes (known as Aszú) added to a barrel of wine, but is now measured in grams of residual sugar.[ The puttony was actually the 25 kg basket or hod of Aszú grapes, and the more added to the barrel of wine, the sweeter the eventual wine.][ Measurement ranges from 3 to 6 Puttonyos. A Tokaji made entirely from Aszú grapes is not labeled using the Puttonyos system but is known as Eszencia.][Kissack, Chris, thewinedoctor.com Wine Glossary: Puttonyos ]
Residual sugar levels (grams per litre)
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3 Puttonyos – 60
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4 Puttonyos – 90
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5 Puttonyos – 120
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6 Puttonyos – 150
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Aszú Eszencia – 180
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Eszencia – 450
New regulations
From the 2013 harvest the new regulation requires minimum 120 g/L residual sugar in every Aszú wine. The producer still may use the puttonyos number on the label.
The ageing criteria has also changed from minimum 2 years barrel and 1 year bottle ageing to minimum 18 months barrel ageing.