Furmint is Hungary's distinctive white grape, producing everything from crisp dry wines and elegant sparkling wines to Tokaj's celebrated sweet wines.
What Is Furmint Wine?
Furmint is a white grape variety most closely associated with Hungary's Tokaj wine region. It is best known for its role in the region's famous sweet wines, but it also makes dry white wines with freshness, structure and a remarkable range of flavours.
Depending on where the grapes are grown and how the wine is made, Furmint can be light and fruit-led, rich and barrel-aged, sparkling or intensely sweet. Its naturally lively acidity gives these different styles a sense of freshness and makes the grape particularly rewarding with food.
For many people, dry Furmint is one of the most exciting introductions to Hungarian wine: familiar enough to enjoy with dinner, yet distinctive enough to offer something different from more widely known white grapes.
Explore the range in our Furmint wine collection.
Where Does Furmint Come From?
Furmint has a long history in Hungary and is most strongly associated with Tokaj, in the north-east of the country. It is the region's principal grape and an important part of both its historic sweet-wine tradition and its modern dry wines.
Tokaj is a landscape of vineyard-covered hills, historic cellars and complex soils shaped in part by ancient volcanic activity. Different sites contain combinations of rhyolite tuff, andesite, quartz and clay, creating varied growing conditions across the region.
Furmint wines from Tokaj are often described as having a stony, mineral or savoury character. A vineyard's soil is one part of its wider growing environment, influencing factors such as water availability and vine growth. The finished wine also reflects the vintage, grape growing and winemaking, so its flavour cannot be attributed to one rock or soil type alone.
Furmint is also grown elsewhere in Hungary, including Somló, as well as in neighbouring countries. The grape's character can vary considerably depending on the site, vintage, and winemaker's choices.
For a broader introduction to the region and its wines, read our guide to Tokaji wine.
What Does Furmint Taste Like?
Dry Furmint often has flavours of green apple, pear, citrus and stone fruit, supported by fresh acidity. Depending on the wine, you may also notice floral, herbal, nutty or gently spicy notes, as well as a character often described as mineral or stony.
Furmint is a late-ripening variety that can develop ripe fruit and natural sugars while retaining the acidity it is valued for. In suitable autumn conditions, it is also susceptible to noble rot, making it an important grape for Tokaj's concentrated sweet wines.
Winemaking makes a considerable difference. A young, fruit-focused Furmint can feel crisp and lively, while a wine fermented or matured in oak may have a rounder texture and notes of toast, butter, nuts or spice.
Sweet Furmint-based wines offer a different experience. Late Harvest, Szamorodni and Aszú can show ripe apricot, orange peel, honey, dried fruit and spice, with the grape's acidity helping to balance the sweetness.
Furmint Wine Styles at a Glance
| Style | Typical character | Good with |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh dry Furmint | Apple, pear and citrus with lively acidity | Fish, salads and lighter poultry dishes |
| Barrel-aged dry Furmint | Riper fruit and a fuller texture, sometimes with toast, nuts or spice | Roast chicken, creamy sauces and mature cheese |
| Single-vineyard Furmint | Dry wine expressing the character of a particular site; style varies by producer | Seafood, poultry, mushrooms and dishes with delicate sauces |
| Sparkling Furmint | Fresh, lively sparkling wine; bottle-aged examples can show bread or yeast notes | Canapés, oysters and smoked fish |
| Sweet Furmint-based Tokaji | Styles range from fruit-led Late Harvest to rich, concentrated Aszú | Blue cheese, pâté and fruit-based desserts |
These descriptions are a starting point. Vintage, vineyard, blending and winemaking all influence the finished wine, so two bottles made from Furmint can taste quite different.
Is Furmint Dry or Sweet?
Furmint can be either. It is a grape variety, not a sweetness category, so the style depends on how the grapes are harvested and the wine is made.
Dry Furmint is a white wine with little perceptible sweetness, often chosen for its freshness and food-pairing versatility. Furmint is also used in sweet Tokaji wines, where its acidity helps balance the natural sugar in the finished wine.
Dry Furmint: From Everyday Bottles to Single Vineyards
Dry Furmint shows how much variety one grape can offer. Some bottles are made for easy, everyday drinking, with inviting fruit and a fresh finish. Others come from selected vineyard sites or spend time in oak, bringing extra texture and detail.
Tokajicum Furmint 'Vizsla'
Our Tokajicum Furmint 'Vizsla' is an approachable introduction to the grape. It has aromas of white-fleshed fruit and honey, followed by peach and pear on a smooth, creamy palate. Barrel ageing adds buttery and toasty notes, while lively acidity gives the wine structure.
Serve it with roasted vegetables, poultry, fish or sushi. Its distinctive Vizsla label also makes it a thoughtful choice for someone who loves the Hungarian dog breed.
Balassa Tokaji Furmint
Balassa Tokaji Furmint brings together grapes from five vineyards and offers a different perspective on the variety. It has a medium body and refined acidity, with floral and herbal aromas, a hint of butterscotch and a subtle touch of oak.
On the palate, nutty and savoury notes lead into ripe fruit and sweet spice. Try it with seafood, risotto, smoked cheese or a charcuterie board.
Balassa Szent Tamás Furmint
For a closer look at an individual Tokaj vineyard, Balassa Szent Tamás Furmint comes from the celebrated Szent Tamás vineyard near Mád. The site's varied soils include clay and weathered rhyolite tuff, forming part of the distinctive vineyard environment in which its grapes are grown.
The wine combines citrus, peach and a wet-stone character with refined acidity, a creamy texture and a subtle oak note. It is a rewarding choice for someone who enjoys exploring how a grape can be expressed through a particular vineyard. Serve it with seafood, pasta or soft cheese.
Furmint and Tokaji Aszú
Furmint is one of the most important grapes used to make Tokaji Aszú. In suitable autumn conditions, grapes can be affected by noble rot, a beneficial form of the fungus Botrytis cinerea. This helps them lose water and concentrates their natural sugars and flavours.
For Aszú, these botrytised berries are selected individually and used in the traditional winemaking process. Furmint's acidity is especially valuable in the finished wine, helping to provide freshness alongside its concentrated sweetness.
Not every Aszú is made entirely from Furmint: winemakers may also use other permitted Tokaj varieties. Discover the style in our Tokaji Aszú collection.
Can Furmint Be Sparkling?
Yes. Furmint's natural acidity makes it well suited to sparkling wine. The finished wine may be crisp and citrus-led, while time spent ageing on its lees can bring notes reminiscent of bread or pastry.
Our Gróf Degenfeld Organic Tokaji Furmint Extra Brut offers grapefruit, citrus and green apple notes, with a gentle bread-like character from bottle ageing. Serve it well chilled as an aperitif or alongside seafood and canapés.
Furmint Food Pairing
Furmint is a particularly useful wine at the table because its freshness can balance rich food while its flavour holds its own alongside a wide range of ingredients. Choose the pairing according to the style of the wine:
- Pair a fresh dry Furmint with grilled fish, seafood, sushi, salads or roast vegetables.
- Try a rounder, oak-aged Furmint with roast chicken, pork, mushroom dishes or a creamy risotto.
- Serve dry Furmint with smoked cheese, mature hard cheese or a carefully chosen charcuterie board.
- Offer sparkling Furmint with oysters, smoked fish, savoury canapés or simply as an aperitif.
- Match a sweet Furmint-based Tokaji with blue cheese, pâté, fruit desserts or dishes featuring apricot and orange.
For a Hungarian meal, try a textured dry Furmint alongside chicken paprikash. Its acidity can provide a refreshing contrast to the creamy sauce. A fuller dry style can also work with Hortobágyi stuffed pancakes.
Furmint Compared with Other White Wines
If Furmint is new to you, other white wines can offer a useful point of reference. The comparison is a guide to what you might enjoy, rather than a promise that the wines will taste identical.
| If you enjoy | Why try Furmint? |
|---|---|
| Dry Riesling | Both can offer lively acidity, fruit and a sense of freshness. Furmint has its own character and may show pear, quince or savoury notes. |
| Chenin Blanc | Both grapes can make dry, sparkling and sweet wines, and both can combine acidity with considerable texture. |
| Oak-aged Chardonnay | A fuller, barrel-aged Furmint can offer a similarly rounded texture, while retaining its own fruit profile and freshness. |
| Sauvignon Blanc | If you enjoy a fresh, dry white, an unoaked or lightly oaked Furmint is worth trying for a different take on crispness and fruit. |
How to Serve and Store Furmint
Serve dry Furmint lightly chilled. Around 8–10°C is a useful starting point for a fresh, lighter wine; a fuller or oak-aged bottle may reveal more of its aroma and texture closer to 10–12°C. Sparkling Furmint can be served cooler, while sweet styles often benefit from being cool rather than ice-cold.
If the wine tastes muted straight from the fridge, leave it in the glass for a few minutes and notice how the aromas develop. Check the producer's serving recommendation when one is available.
Store unopened bottles somewhere cool and dark, away from heat and temperature fluctuations. Once opened, reseal the bottle and refrigerate; enjoy it over the next few days, as its character will gradually change after opening.
How We Choose Our Furmint Wines
Our selection is chosen by Best of Hungary co-founder Zoltan Kopacsi, whose specialist wine background includes WSET Level 2 and postgraduate Wine Business Management studies at the University of Tokaj.
During his studies and visits to the region, Zoltan met producers and explored how different vineyards and winemaking approaches shape Tokaj's wines. Our Furmint range reflects that variety, from approachable bottles to more detailed vineyard expressions and sparkling wine.
Tokajicum offers an inviting way to discover the grape, while István Balassa's wines show a more vineyard-focused side of Tokaj. Gróf Degenfeld adds another perspective through its organic wines and traditional-method sparkling Furmint.
Explore our wider Tokaji wine collection to discover the region's other grapes and styles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Furmint the same as Tokaji?
No. Furmint is a grape variety, while Tokaji refers to wine from the Tokaj region. Many Tokaji wines contain Furmint, but other permitted grapes are also grown and used there.
Can Furmint wine be aged?
Some Furmint wines can develop complexity with bottle age, particularly well-structured dry wines and concentrated sweet wines. Others are made to be enjoyed relatively young. Ageing potential depends on the individual wine, vintage, closure and storage conditions.
How do you pronounce Furmint?
Furmint is commonly pronounced approximately "FOOR-mint", with the emphasis on the first syllable.