BALASSA Tokaji Furmint “Szent Tamás” 2024

Balassa Szent Tamás Furmint is a Grand Cru Tokaji white wine that combines citrus, peach, wet stone, fine acidity, creamy texture, and delicate oak with poise.

Szent Tamás and Volcanic Terroir

This vineyard-selection Hungarian white wine comes exclusively from Szent Tamás, a celebrated Grand Cru site in Tokaj. Its clay and weathered rhyolite-tuff soils create a wine with both ripeness and stony precision: an expressive example of the volcanic viticulture that makes Tokaj so distinctive.

Rather than aiming for broad, immediate fruitiness, Balassa lets this vineyard's identity lead. The result is a detailed Tokaji Furmint with refined fruit, saline minerality and the depth to reward unhurried drinking.

For collectors who enjoy the creamy, mineral poise of a top White Burgundy such as Puligny-Montrachet, or the layered texture of old-vine dry Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, Szent Tamás offers a compelling point of comparison.

95 Points from Stuart Pigott

Balassa Szent Tamás Furmint 2024 received 95 points from wine critic Stuart Pigott in his report, Tokaji: Dry and Very 21st Century! He praised its concentration, finesse and long, silky finish, describing it as "a stunning example of what may be Tokaj’s greatest vineyard site".

Read Stuart Pigott’s original 95-point review of Balassa Szent Tamás Furmint 2024.

Tasting Notes

Intense citrus, ripe peach and wet stone lead on the nose, with a discreet background note of oak. The palate is juicy and layered, combining refined acidity with a rounded, creamy texture.

Mineral freshness and subtle spice carry through the long finish, leaving a clean, savoury impression of the vineyard rather than overt richness.

Food Pairing

Szent Tamás has the concentration for more refined dishes while retaining the freshness needed for seafood. Try it with:

• Fresh oysters with lemon, grilled scallops, or roast sea bass with spring vegetables.
• Caviar with blinis, lightly dressed crab, or devilled eggs topped with roe.
• Mushroom tagliatelle, truffle risotto, or roast chicken with a light cream sauce.
• Soft cheeses, or traditionally smoked parenica with pear, walnuts and crusty bread. 

Serving and Keeping

Serve at 12–14°C in a medium-sized white-wine glass. Give it a few minutes in the glass before drinking, letting the citrus, peach and mineral notes open gradually.

Once opened, reseal and refrigerate. It will remain enjoyable over the following days.

Technical Details

Balassa Winery, Tokaj

Founded in 2005 by István Balassa, Balassa Winery is a boutique Tokaj producer centred on wines of clear vineyard character. The estate combines attentive work in its selected sites with patient cellar maturation, allowing the distinctions between Tokaj's soils, exposures and vintages to remain visible in the glass.

Balassa's range offers a thoughtful, site-focused perspective on the region, from dry whites to traditional sweet wines. Explore more bottles from this remarkable region in our Tokaji wine collection.