From Hungary comes a white wine to savor

By Robyn James

Sometimes in the world of wine geeks, the hot new thing on the scene turns out to be the oldest. Such is the case with the dry white wine, furmint, from the ancient Hungarian region of Tokaj. Presented with a sample bottle of Evolúció a few weeks ago, I was fascinated to taste and learn about the furmint grape finished dry. Never an expert in Hungarian wine throughout my career, I always had a vague perception of their incredibly sweet, beautiful dessert wines that came from the region of Tokaj. Louis XIV of France declared the wines “Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum” (Wine of Kings, King of Wines). They were labeled with a number of “puttonyos” measuring the degree of sweetness and quality.

Tokaj is geographically located between two rivers, the Danube and the Tisza. In the fall, the fog influence from the rivers creates the perfect dampness for the “noble rot” to occur on the furmint grapes, resulting in their super sweet famous dessert wines.

However, if you harvest the furmint early, before noble rot occurs, you come up with a delicious mineral-driven white wine that is a fabulous alternative to sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and chardonnay.

Hungarian winemakers in the Furmint Society visited Napa Valley recently, wowing California winemakers who likened the wines to Chablis, stating, “I would put them against the great whites of Friuli, Bordeaux and Burgundy.”

Located on the same latitude as Alsace, France, the Hungarian native grape derives its name from the French word “froment” for the wheat gold color of the wine.

The Evolúció that I tasted is fermented in all stainless steel, and is described by the winery as, “Intense aromas, ripe peach and floral. Elegant, rich and mineral, great balance between (the) intense acidity and discreet residual sugar, it is pleasing and refreshing. Some summer fruits with white pear, citrus and hints of almond.”

Retailing for around $12, Evolúció’s high acidity would pair well with fish and chicken dishes or even beef short ribs.

Furmint also makes a delicious sparkling wine. Affinitas makes a methóde traditionnelle (same painstaking method as French Champagne with the secondary fermentation in the bottle) that sells for around $18, a bargain. Another Hungarian grape, harslevelu, is blended into this sparkler that the winery describes as “clear with a fine mousse. Citrus blossoms, grapefruit and crisp apple. Fresh acidity, it is precise without being austere. Rich backbone, exotic fruits and brioche, great acid and mineral.”

Furmint is grown in other European countries and blends well with other grapes. The Dveri-Pax Winery in Slovenia makes a $15 “Yanez” that is 40 percent furmint, 40 percent pinot gris and 20 percent riesling. Scoring 87 Points from The Wine Advocate, it is described as “fresh, clean and perky, refreshing demeanor and very enticing.” The Boutique Wine Collection out of Philadelphia is one of the main importers of furmint and I love their logo, a little heart on top of a dollar sign with the statement, “Love Over Money.” I guess you won’t get rich importing furmint, but it sure is fun to try.  PS

Robyn James is a certified sommelier and proprietor of The Wine Cellar and Tasting Room in Southern Pines. Contact her at robynajames@gmail.com.

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