When I first tried (allegedly) dry furmint wine in Hungary some years ago, I wasn’t that impressed. Some was sweet, some was oxidized and some was just plain bad. One or two were okay. But it seems winemakers have been practicing hard in this remote region. This wine has aromas of hay, straw, and a pleasant, yeasty, light fruit and floral suggestion, like flowers in a haymow. After a lighting attack of sweetness on the palate, the wine turns dry, and the body grows toward medium weight. Still, I think I detect a hint of oxidation in the character of the wine. It has a big finish, not bone dry, but then I don’t think this wine should be bone dry. It pairs nicely with light main courses such as chicken and lakefish; in my memories I drink it with sautéed native Zander fish. Recommended.
WHO: Royal Tokaji
WHAT: Furmint
WHERE: Tokaj, Hungary
WHEN: 2009
HOW MUCH: $17 (Media sample)
