Furmint

Furmint Wine – Hungary’s Flagship White Grape

Discover our specialist collection of Furmint wine, showcasing one of Hungary’s most important native grape varieties across an unusually wide range of styles.

From crisp, mineral dry whites and traditional-method sparkling wine to Late Harvest, Szamorodni, Tokaji Aszú and exceptionally rare Eszencia, few grape varieties demonstrate the same breadth as Furmint.

Most of the wines in this collection come from Hungary’s historic Tokaj region, where Furmint reaches its most famous expression, alongside selected examples from other Hungarian wine regions.

For wines from Tokaj across all grape varieties and styles, explore our Tokaji Wine collection.

What Is Furmint?

Furmint is Hungary’s flagship white grape and one of the principal varieties of the Tokaj wine region.

It is valued for its naturally high acidity, ability to reflect vineyard character and extraordinary versatility. Depending on ripeness, vineyard, winemaking and ageing, Furmint can produce everything from lean, mineral dry whites to complex barrel-aged wines, sparkling wine and some of the world’s greatest naturally sweet wines.

Its naturally firm acidity is one reason the grape works so well across such different styles, providing freshness and structure in dry wines while balancing the very high sugar levels found in sweet Tokaji.

What Does Furmint Wine Taste Like?

Dry Furmint typically combines green apple, pear, citrus and stone fruit with lively acidity and a pronounced mineral character.

Depending on the vineyard and winemaking style, more complex examples can develop flavours of quince, white peach, herbs, smoke, spice and subtle oak.

When harvested later or affected by noble rot, the grape changes dramatically, developing richer flavours such as apricot, orange peel, marmalade, honey, dried fruit and sweet spice while retaining the acidity needed to keep the wine balanced.

What is Furmint Similar to?

For wine drinkers discovering Furmint for the first time, familiar French white wines can provide a useful point of reference.

Fresh, unoaked dry Furmint can show the same crisp acidity, green-apple tension and mineral drive that appeals to lovers of Chablis, although the warmer climate and volcanic soils of Tokaj give Furmint its own distinct character.

Richer single-vineyard and barrel-aged examples can become broader, smokier and more textured, sometimes recalling the weight and complexity associated with White Burgundy or Pouilly-Fuissé.

Dry Furmint Wine

Modern dry Furmint has become one of the most exciting expressions of contemporary Hungarian wine.

Fresh examples are often fermented in stainless steel to preserve fruit, acidity and mineral character, creating crisp, food-friendly wines that work well as an alternative to familiar European white varieties.

More serious examples may be fermented or matured in oak and can show greater texture, complexity and ageing potential.

Tokajicum Furmint – An Accessible Introduction

Our Tokajicum Tokaji Furmint 'Vizsla' represents the fresh and approachable side of the grape.

Tokajicum forms an important part of our Tokaji selection because winemaker László Buttella combines authentic regional character with excellent value for money.

This makes the wine an ideal introduction for customers who want to discover dry Furmint without moving immediately into more serious single-vineyard or barrel-aged styles.

Balassa Furmint

István Balassa represents a more vineyard-focused side of modern Tokaj.

Our Balassa Furmint wines demonstrate how the variety can move from fresh, accessible dry wine to more concentrated, site-specific expressions with greater structure and depth.

The Balassa Tokaji Furmint offers a clear introduction to his style, while Szent Tamás Furmint comes from one of the region’s most celebrated vineyard sites and shows the grape’s potential for more serious terroir-driven wine.

Single-Vineyard Furmint

One of Furmint’s greatest strengths is its ability to express differences between vineyards.

Tokaj has a long history of identifying individual vineyard sites, many of them shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Variations in rhyolite, andesite, tuff, clay and other volcanic material can contribute to marked differences in structure, texture and mineral character.

Single-vineyard wines such as Balassa Szent Tamás demonstrate why Furmint is increasingly valued not simply as a Hungarian grape, but as a variety capable of transmitting a strong sense of place.

Organic Furmint from Gróf Degenfeld

Gróf Degenfeld provides another important expression of the grape through its organically cultivated Tokaj vineyards.

The estate has farmed organically since 2009 and produces Furmint across several styles, including dry wine, sparkling wine and sweet Tokaji.

This breadth makes Gróf Degenfeld particularly useful for understanding how one grape can change dramatically depending on harvest date, fermentation, maturation and the intended style of wine.

Furmint Sparkling Wine

Furmint’s naturally high acidity also makes it particularly well suited to traditional-method sparkling wine.

Our collection includes Gróf Degenfeld Organic Tokaji Brut, where Furmint contributes freshness, mineral character and structure to a sparkling expression from Tokaj.

It also includes Kreinbacher Prestige Brut from Somló, a blend of 57% Furmint and 43% Chardonnay. Here, Furmint brings crispness and mineral structure, while extended lees ageing adds citrus, stone fruit and brioche complexity.

Explore more styles in our Hungarian Sparkling Wine collection.

Furmint in Tokaj and Somló

Furmint is most closely associated with Tokaj, but its ability to express terroir becomes especially interesting when it is grown in another volcanic Hungarian region.

Tokaj is characterised by a complex mixture of volcanic soils, including rhyolite tuff, andesite, and clay-rich formations, producing Furmint that can range from taut and mineral to broad, textured, and intensely concentrated.

Somló, by contrast, is an isolated volcanic remnant hill rising from the surrounding plain. Its vineyards are strongly influenced by weathered basalt and dark volcanic rock, particularly on the higher slopes.

Kreinbacher Prestige Brut therefore provides an opportunity to taste Furmint outside Tokaj and see how the grape responds to a very different volcanic environment.

The contrast between Tokaj and Somló is one reason Furmint is such an interesting grape for wine enthusiasts: the variety retains its characteristic acidity while allowing regional differences to remain visible in the finished wine.

Furmint in Late Harvest Wine

Furmint is equally important on the sweeter side of Hungarian wine.

When grapes are left to ripen for longer, the variety develops greater fruit concentration and natural sweetness while retaining the acidity needed to preserve freshness.

Our Tokaji Christmas Pudding Wine, made for us by István Balassa from Furmint and Hárslevelű, is a good example of the grape in a more approachable sweet style.

Explore the wider category in our Late Harvest Wine collection.

Furmint in Tokaji Szamorodni

Furmint also forms the backbone of many Tokaji Szamorodni wines.

Szamorodni is made from whole bunches containing a natural mixture of healthy and botrytised berries and can be produced in both dry and sweet styles.

The grape’s acidity is especially valuable here, providing structure to sweet examples and freshness to the more savoury, oxidative character of traditional Dry Szamorodni.

Discover both styles in our Tokaji Szamorodni collection.

Furmint in Tokaji Aszú

Tokaji Aszú is perhaps the most famous expression of Furmint.

The grape is highly suited to noble rot, or Botrytis cinerea, and its naturally high acidity allows the finished wines to balance extraordinary levels of sweetness and concentration.

Our collection includes both 5 and 6 Puttonyos Aszú wines in which Furmint plays a central role, from accessible Tokajicum to limited-production and internationally recognised examples.

Explore the style in our dedicated Tokaji Aszú collection.

Furmint & Tokaji Eszencia

At the most concentrated end of the spectrum sits Tokaji Eszencia.

Produced from the free-run juice released naturally by individually selected Aszú berries, Eszencia is extraordinarily sweet, intensely concentrated and very low in alcohol because fermentation progresses so slowly.

Furmint frequently contributes to these rare wines, providing the acidity needed to balance their remarkable concentration.

Explore Eszencia alongside the other sweet styles in our Tokaji Dessert Wine collection.

Why Furmint Works So Well with Noble Rot

Furmint has a particular combination of characteristics that makes it exceptionally valuable in Tokaj.

The variety can achieve high levels of ripeness while retaining pronounced acidity, and its berries are susceptible to noble rot under suitable autumn conditions.

This allows the same grape to produce both tightly structured dry wine and intensely concentrated sweet wine without losing freshness.

Personally Selected by Zoltan

Best of Hungary co-founder Zoltan Kopacsi has made Furmint a central pillar of our Hungarian wine range.

During his postgraduate Wine Business Management studies at the University of Tokaj, part of the course involved visiting wineries and meeting producers throughout the region. These visits gave him first-hand insight into the many different ways Furmint can be grown and made, from fresh stainless-steel dry wines to vineyard selections, sparkling wine and traditional sweet Tokaji.

Furmint Beyond Tokaj

Although Furmint is most closely associated with Tokaj, the grape is not confined to one Hungarian wine region.

Our Kreinbacher Prestige Brut from Somló demonstrates how Furmint can express itself in another volcanic landscape. Somló rises as an isolated volcanic hill from the surrounding plain, with vineyards rooted in soils strongly influenced by weathered basalt.

This contrasts with the rhyolite-tuff, clay and other volcanic formations found across much of Tokaj, providing a useful demonstration of Furmint’s ability to transmit regional character.

What Food Goes with Dry Furmint?

Dry Furmint is an exceptionally food-friendly white wine because its acidity and structure let it pair with a wide range of dishes.

Try fresher styles with seafood, sushi, grilled fish, poultry, salads and goat’s cheese. Richer or barrel-aged examples work well with roast poultry, pork, creamy sauces, mushrooms and mature cheese.

The grape’s mineral character also makes it a particularly good match for smoked and savoury foods.

What Food Goes with Sweet Furmint?

The sweeter expressions of Furmint cover a much wider spectrum.

Late Harvest wines pair naturally with fruit desserts, cheesecake, festive puddings and blue cheese. Sweet Szamorodni pairs well with pâté, foie gras, and mature cheeses, while concentrated Tokaji Aszú is a classic partner for foie gras, blue cheese, and rich fruit- or nut-based desserts.

At the extreme end, Eszencia is often best enjoyed slowly on its own.

How to Serve Furmint Wine

Fresh, dry Furmint is generally best served chilled at around 8–10°C, while more complex barrel-aged examples can be served slightly warmer to let their aromas and texture develop.

Serve traditional-method sparkling Furmint well chilled, while sweet styles such as Late Harvest, Szamorodni, and Aszú are generally best at about 9–12°C, depending on concentration.

Explore Hungarian Furmint Wine

Few grape varieties demonstrate Hungary’s wine diversity as clearly as Furmint. Within a single collection, it can range from crisp everyday white wine to serious vineyard selections, sparkling wine, and some of the most concentrated sweet wines produced anywhere in Europe.

You can also explore wines from across the country in our Hungarian Wine collection.

Buy Furmint Wine Online in the UK

Browse our selection of Furmint wine, including dry white wine, single-vineyard expressions, traditional-method sparkling wine, Late Harvest, Szamorodni, Tokaji Aszú and rare Eszencia.

The range is personally curated for quality, provenance and variety of style, with carefully packed delivery across the UK.