
Furmint is a varietal grape grown mostly in Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary (although this statement will doubtless irk Slovaks). This specific lovely dry, white wine is from Hungary's Royal Tokaji. It is peculiar that, despite how good it is, referring to it as "low end" within the winery is accurate; a lot of their other wines, be they dry or sweet, are significantly more expensive.
Furmint is just one of the grapes used in making the various Tokaji wines but a discussion of the other grapes and their well-thought of dessert wines must be left for another time. We are all about the dry Furmint today.
Furmint is a white that has complexity you don't always find in light colored vinos. The wine is, as noted, dry, without even a hint of sweetness. The fruit tastes are subtle as well. You will see, beginning with the winery tasting notes from the Royal Tokaji, that the wine has "grape flower, gooseberry and lime aromas with a hint of nuts". Certainly the lime-like citrus taste is there but none of these are flavors that beat you over the head while drinking it. It was aged half in stainless or half in barrels. The term complex here references how there is more going on here than a single or a handful of tastes. This is where all the flowery phrases about "grape flower" and "gooseberry" come from--you may find your own, equally valid, ways to describe this wine. One of the great things about wine, of course, is the possibility of complexity. When you drink grape juice? It is grape juice but when you drink wine? There are a ton of possibilities for stimulation of the palate (although sometimes a nice un-complex wine is fine too).
I first discovered Furmint in the bargain bin of a local Chicago wine shop. I was told that there were ongoing legal issues surrounding the use of the term "Tokaji" (in various versions). These refer to an area in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire that was split between then Czechoslovakia and Hungary following World War I. Various suits had been brought over the name. The wine I found was a markdown from one of the losers in the battle (which was neither Slovakia nor Hungary if I recall correctly). The disputes over precise use of the term seem to have been resolved via a decision in 2012.
Hungary did appeal the decision against them mentioned in that article--and lost. The dispute, when you read more, is a bit arcane to folks who just want a nice glass of wine! But if you were a Hungarian producer of fine wine? You might be more than a little irritated at a potentially defective version of your product. Likewise, as a Slovak, you might get testy over the suggestion your wine is "inferior."
Perhaps a tasting of wines from each country is in order. Nevertheless, this particular wine is a best buy. Grab it if you see it. Also, this is a white wine that is supposed to have some longevity; I will likely never know this for certain because I drink it as soon as I get my hands on it.
$14-16