Furmint

• Origin: Furmint originates from Tokaj wine region, North-Eastern Hungary (first written document dates back to 1571)
• Where it’s grown: In terms of quality, Furmint is the number one white grape variety in Hungary; the benchmark variety of the country. Tokaj makes up 96% of the total plantings, while the remaining 4% is located around lake Balaton (Somló, Badacsony, Balaton-felvidék) and Eger’s wine region. In 2019 Furmint’s total vineyard area in Hungary was 3950 hectares.
• Climate: Generally speaking, Furmint prefers continental climate, but microclimates’ play an especially important role in the Tokaj wine region.
• Soil preference: Prefers mineral reach volcanic soil but also suitable for limestone and loss soil.
• Viticultural characteristics: Early budding, late ripening, with thick skinned berries. It has a high natural acidity and good sugar retention ability.  Susceptible to botrytis, bunch rot, prone to powdery mildew and downy mildew. 
• Structure: Rich, powerful wines, with high-zesty natural acidity, firm, medium to full body, with intense flavorful aromas and amazing complexity.
• Flavor characteristic: Lemon, grapefruit, quince, apple, peach, white and yellow flowers, chestnuts, almond, honey, and due to the volcanic soil salty, stony, steely minerality.
• Maturing & wine styles: Furmint works very well in oak both in the dry and sweet categories (250l-500l, new and used oak) ageing time ranges from six months to 3 years, depending on whether the wines are dry or sweet, more modern, or classical in style. In terms of the dry Furmint the keep on lees or lees stirring is also a common practice, which gives the wines extra thickness, creamy and buttery texture. Reductive, dry Furmint is becoming increasingly popular among younger wines consumers. 
• Ageing potential: Reductive, dry Furmint suggests drinking within a 2-3 years, the oak matured dry Furmint can be kept for up to you can keep it up to 10 years, while high quality Furmint based sweet Aszú can be kept for up to 50 years.
• Market position and potential: Domestically and Internationally well-known variety. Furmint based Aszú is one of the most luxurious sweet wines in the world. Dry Furmint is one of the highest recognized terroir wines of the world. In the premium dry white wine category, followed by the great Burgundy Chardonnay, Loire Chenin Blanc or German Predikät Riesling. 

(On the featured photo: Vineyard in Tokaj – where 95% of Hungarian Furmint plantings are located by Balassabor.hu)