Veres Furmint 2021

Veres Furmint comes from vineyards located in the historic Tokaj region of northeastern Hungary, on volcanic slopes overlooking the Bodrog Valley. The plots are mainly situated around the village of Mád, in the heart of the appellation, where the soils are a blend of volcanic tuff, rhyolite, and andesite, sometimes covered with loess. This geological mosaic, combined with a continental climate tempered by the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, promotes a slow ripening of the Furmint grapes and imparts to the wine a mineral tension characteristic of this terroir.

The Furmint grapes from the Veres parcel are hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and then carefully sorted. After gentle pressing, the must is clarified before fermenting slowly in oak barrels, with the aim of preserving the purity of the fruit and the mineral expression of the terroir. Aging then continues on fine lees in barrels, with measured stirring, to add complexity and texture without masking the wine's natural tension, before bottling to retain precision and freshness.

This wine reveals notes of green apple , ripe pear , and citrus , complemented by delicate floral touches and a pronounced minerality reminiscent of volcanic rock. Subtle smoky and slightly spicy nuances add complexity. On the palate, the wine is precise and taut, driven by lively acidity, a straightforward yet elegant texture, and a long, saline, and refreshing finish that underscores the dry and structured character of Furmint.

It was the Romans who planted the first vines at a time when the Country was part of a region called Pannonia. It was at the dawn of the 18th century that Hungary, united with Austria, ensured the export of its most famous wine throughout Europe: Tokaj (from the Fürmint grape variety). As throughout Europe, in the 19th century, viticulture was destroyed by phylloxera. During the communist period, vineyards were managed in cooperatives which guaranteed a stable income for wine producers. Quite a few small winegrowers were unable to keep up with this growing economy, so the Hungarian vineyard was restructured, losing 30% of its surface area in the process. Nowadays, many family estates have emerged, some of which produce wines of incredible quality. As everywhere in Europe, viticulture is in decline as part of the European restructuring plan for the wine industry. Hungary, which is at the same latitude as Burgundy, has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The rainfall is sufficient for non-irrigated viticulture and the soils are heterogeneous and of high quality depending on the region. With around a hundred indigenous and international grape varieties, the country has good varietal diversity. The fürmint and the hárslevelü from the Tokaj region, vinified dry and at the origin of the great sweet wines of Tokaj, are undoubtedly the best-known varieties today. The most widely planted grape variety is Olasrizling for whites and Kéfrankos for reds. International grape varieties, mainly Bordeaux grape varieties, flourish in particular in the south of the country where they produce high-class wines.