January 2025

Furmint is a white grape variety that produces dry, medium and sweet wines. It is most widely planted in Hungary, especially in the region of Tokaj in the north-east, where it produces the iconic and famous botrytised sweet wine Tokaji Aszú. Furmint is usually vinified as a single variety when producing dry or off dry wines. However, it typically leads a blend of local varieties when producing sweet wines affected by ‘noble rot’- botrytis- which is a fungus that concentrates the sugars in the grape, under specific conditions. Dry Furmint wines are usually high in acidity and display flavors of green fruits (apple, pear) and citrus fruits (lemon). These wines are often unoaked and best enjoyed young, but there are outstanding examples that are fermented and matured in oak. Those wines are usually more complex and have the ability to age, developing tertiary aromas of nuts and honey. Tokaji Aszú Tokaji Aszú is the premium sweet botrytised wine produced mainly from Furmintand is the most famous representation of this