From: Hungary
Varietal: Furmint
Taste: Compared to the 2020 vintage, 2021 leads with citrus and a brighter core that finishes with a lilting minerality that feels drier than the previous vintage. Upon opening, citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon zest come to the forefront, with peachy stone fruit and clementine at the core, balanced by hints of nutty baking spice. A deliciously bright and mineral-laden finish will have you reaching for another glass before you know it, and might just become your new favorite white wine!
Pairing: Dry Furmint plays nice with seafood, shellfish, raw oysters, sushi, spicy foods, chicken and most vegetables. With that versatility, it’s hard to go wrong (don’t do tomato), and we’re sharing a recipe from Melissa Martin for Louisiana Lump Crab Cakes. It’ll yield 8 cakes, and will take approximately an hour and a half to prepare.
From Ellis Wines Co.:
The Tokaji wine region is in the north east of Hungary, towards the borders of Slovakia and Ukraine. The region is centered around the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, with the vineyards planted on the south and southwest slopes above. The rising mists from the rivers in autumn encourage the onset of `noble rot` (botrytis) in the grapes, producing one of the great and most distinct sweet wines of the world.
Chateau Pajzos is one of the great producers in Tokaj, Hungary. The estate was classified as a `First Growth` in 1772 and its sweet wines have been enjoyed by Monarchs and Emperors for centuries, Louis XV of France famously called Tokaji `Wine of Kings, King of Wines`. In 1991, the Pajzos estate was bought by Jean-Louis Laborde who also owns the famous Chateau Clinet in Pomerol, Bordeaux.
The grape. Dry Furmint is unique to Hungary. There are just over 4000 ha planted in the world, 97% of which are in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region of Hungary. Although there are a few different theories, it is widely accepted that Gouais Blanc is the original parent grape of this variety. Largely present in the Middle Ages, it has been established as the parent of several more common varieties—specifically Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gamay.
