Five Facts About Furmint that Will Make You 'Hungary' for More

(I can spell hungry, don't worry, I am trying to be funny...)

1^st February is Furmint Day, an entirely fictional day devised to make people drink more of this under-appreciated Hungarian grape variety. I’m born on Valentine’s Day, so I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with ‘Hallmark Days’, though any excuse to talk about Furmint, I’m in. So, here’s five facts and five recommendations on which ones to try…

FACT ONE: It’s Got Some Pretty Famous Half-Siblings

Like the Kardashian-Jenner family tree¹, Furmint is in pretty famous company with its half-siblings – the likes of Chardonnay and Riesling from shared parent Gouais Blanc. Unlike the Kardashian-Jenner offspring however, these are not nepo-grape-babies (in fact it’s the parent, Gouais, that is pretty bland but has produced some very special sprogs.) The quality of Furmint is considered by many of its uber-fans to be up there with that of Chardonnay and Riesling, just sadly it was born in the wrong country. Whilst French grapes grew in notoriety and popularity, the Hungarian ones didn’t receive the same acclaim (I won’t get into the politics…). But get a good Furmint, and you will see why it’s hailed by so many in the wine trade as a serious contender for quality white wine in a whole range of styles.

FACT TWO: Furmint Makes Some of the World’s Most Expensive Sweet Wines

You’ve probably heard of Sauternes from France, you might have even heard of Trockenbeerenauslese from Germany. But have you heard of Hungary’s most peacock-y wine export and the wine trade’s special secret? Tokaji Aszú (pronounced Tok-eye A-Su) is a sweet wine made with botrystised berries, just like those of Sauternes and Germany’s ultra sweet wines. The botrytis cinerea fungus, also known as ‘noble rot’, infects the berries by covering the skins and then giving them the vampire treatment – sucking them dry (concentrating the sugars) but leaving is mark behind (some heady glorious markers that taste delicious once fermented.) Furmint is the key variety behind the Tokaji Aszú wines, though it is allowed to be blended. Much like the wines of Sauternes and Germany the reason this unctuous nectar works so beautifully is that the base variety has high natural acidity to refresh the mouth out once it’s coated in sugar.

If you haven’t tried Tokaji Aszú yet, then what the furmint have you been doing?!

Photo by Ferenc Almasi on Unsplash

FACT THREE: It’s Finding Its Feet as a Dry Wine

Furmint has always been used to make dry wine, but recent warmer and drier vintages in Eastern Europe have meant that its now able to make serious, long-aged wines. It can make a range of styles depending on the location and the winemaker so whether you’re seeking a Chablis-esque steely wine or a richer, oaked Maconnais style; you can find it in Furmint.

FACT FOUR: It’s Not Only Hungary

Whilst Hungary is the most famous home, and also its place of origin, Furmint is grown incredibly successfully outside the country too. It’s second-largest home is Slovenia where it is used both solo and as part of blends. You will usually find it labelled by its local name, Šipon, which is rumoured to be a bastardisation of the French ‘si c’est bon’ or ‘it’s so good’ from the Napoleonic era. A lovely story if true, or brilliant marketing if not. You’ll also find some in Romania, Croatia and Austria.

Vineyards of Tokaj. Photo by Sven Wilhelm on Unsplash

FACT FIVE: It’s Important to Know the Difference Between Tokaj, Tokaji, Tokay and Tokaji Aszú

Tokaj - is the name of the REGION in Hungary (and incidentally also the neighboroughing region in Slovenia).

Tokaji - translates as ‘from Tokaj’ in Hungarian, so this is what you see on the labels of wines from this region.

Tokaji Aszú – is the style of wine (from the region of Tokaj) that is made by blending dry wine with a sweet gape paste (aszú) in order to make a wine with varying levels of sweetness. [Extra tit bit – the word ‘Puttonyos’ which can also be found on these bottles translates as ‘basket’ and indicates how many baskets of the sweet paste were added to the wine and therefore the level of sweetness in the finished wine.]

Tokay - is simply an English butchering of Tokaj – don’t use it.

Egészségére (or ‘cheers’ in Hungarian)

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For paid subscribers, I also have 5 Furmints that I absolutely insist that you try! …