Tokaji Furmint Sec 2021

Wine description for Tokaji Furmint Sec 2021 by Királyudvar

Colour & appearance

Pale straw yellow with silvery reflections — clear and vibrant in the glass.

Nose

A delicate interplay of aromas featuring honeydew melon, lemon and fresh grapes, accompanied by blossom and an unusual, alluring note of Montélimar nougat. Apple and citrus zest underscore the fresh, playful minerality.

Palate

Juicy, fresh and gripping: the considerable acidity drives the drinking flow, while off-dry nuances positively call for food. Dry, lean and well balanced at 13.5% ABV — a wine that whets the appetite rather than fatigues it.

Finish

Citrusy-mineral, with persistent freshness and a tart, clean finish.

Terroir & origin

The grapes come from six historic vineyard sites — Percze, Henye, Lapis, Suba, Betsek and Nyulászó — in the heart of Tokaj. Királyudvar, re-established in 1997 by Anthony Hwang (also owner of Loire legend Huet), has farmed its 75 hectares biodynamically since 2008; winemaker Szabolcs Juhász, a protégé of Zoltán Demeter, showcases here the bone-dry side of Furmint.

Grape variety & vinification

Cuvée of 88% Furmint and 12% Hárslevelü. Hand-harvested in September 2021, eight months’ maturation in Hungarian oak (500- and 1,600-litre casks), bottled in July 2022.

Food recommendations

Its invigorating acidity and tart notes make it ideally suited to pan-fried pike-perch, chicken in lemon butter, sushi or Hungarian classics such as chicken paprikash. Also a delightful choice with goat’s cheese.

Special characteristics

That a dry Furmint of such clarity should emerge from Tokaj — the land of Aszú sweet wines — is remarkable in itself. Added to this is the rare nougat note on the nose, which lends the wine, alongside its rigour, a charming, almost hedonistic character. A white wine that offers both a strong sense of place and pure drinking pleasure.