If you are reading this post from a different country than Hungary, then maybe I really need to introduce you to this grape variety which is really the most well-known, thanks to Tokaj and its delicious Aszú wine.
Furmint is a white grape variety originated in Hungary, although there are different stories from other countries, science is still on Hungary’s side because only in Tokaj we can find a good deal of clonal selection like White Furmint, Lazafürtű (loose-bunched), Piros (pink-berried) and Változó (variable). The grape is an early budding variety but ripens slowly toward the end of the season which makes it happen to harvest late or noble rotted a.k.a. botrytised with concentrated sugar levels and can produce the nectarly sweet and super complex Aszú wines.
It belongs to a big family of grape varieties regarding that one of his parents is probably Gouais Blanc and that makes it a sibling of Chardonnay, Gamay, Riesling and 80 other grapes.
But Furmint is a partent itself of Hárslevelű which is usually blended with it in Tokaj and an other interesting variety, the Plantscher from Switzerland.
You can find delicious wines from this grape most likely in the Tokaj region but if you are looking for something different, go to Somló to the far west of the country and you can taste there some dry styles and even sparkling Furmint of premium quality! But I will write about these wines a bit later on.
Outside of Hungary, you have the other part of Tokaj in Slovakia called Tokajská producing similar styles as in Tokaj with a blend of Hárslevelű and Muscat. There is a tiny bit left in Austria in Burgenland near Rust where it used to produce fine, sweet Ausbruch wines. And we can put Slovenia and Croatia on the Furmint map as well. Even in South Africa they are trying to produce their own Tokaj style wine in Swartland which can be very interesting!
Furmint is a very versatile wine with full-body and high acidity which makes it age worthy and can be enjoyed sometimes even decades after the wine was made. For me it is kind of a Chardonnay type regarding how it can give back the terroir and soil in the wine. Tokaj and Somló have really great vulcanic soils which gives the wines character and minerality.
The grape variety is very versatile with food as well, you can pair it with a great variety of starters and main courses so it is not a coinsidence thst you can find a bottle now usually in every good restaurants! That is the time to experiment and enjoy our time!
The Author
Thanks for sharing about Furmint !!
it is my pleasure!