In the winemaking process of Tokaji Aszú, what happens to the aszú berries?

The process of making Tokaji Aszú involves the distinctive use of aszú berries, which are botrytized grapes that have shriveled due to noble rot. These berries are integral to the quality and sweetness of the final wine. During production, the aszú berries are indeed macerated in base wine, allowing the sugars and concentrated flavors from the berries to be integrated into the wine. This step creates the desired rich, sweet character that Tokaji Aszú is famous for.

Maceration involves soaking the aszú berries in the base wine to extract their flavor and sugar, enhancing the complexity and profile of the wine significantly. The interaction between the berries and the base wine is crucial as it influences both the sweetness and the overall flavor characteristics, leading to the rich, luscious wines that Tokaji is renowned for.

The other options do not accurately reflect this important step in the winemaking process. For instance, fermenting the aszú berries separately would not allow for the inherent flavors to blend properly with the base wine, nor would discarding the berries retain the unique characteristics essential to Tokaji Aszú. Using the berries merely to sweeten the wine also doesn't capture the full extent of their role, as they