Serve Dry Furmint Cool, Not Icy
Around 48–52°F lets its smoky, mineral aromas show.
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Grape Varieties
Furmint is Hungary's signature white grape, famous for sweet Tokaji and increasingly loved as a crisp, smoky dry wine. Here is how both styles taste and how to enjoy them.
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Furmint wine combines sharp acidity with surprising richness. In a dry Furmint, the first impression is often citrus and orchard fruit: lemon, lime, green apple, and ripe pear, with quince, a fruit that sits somewhere between apple and pear. Many bottles add a smoky, flinty minerality, especially from volcanic soils, plus hints of white flowers, almonds, or ginger. Acidity is high and gives the wine a long, mouthwatering finish. Body is medium to full, which makes Furmint feel more substantial than most crisp whites. Some dry bottles are fermented or aged in oak, adding notes of toast and a creamier texture. Sweet Furmint is a different experience. In Tokaji Aszú, expect apricot, orange marmalade, honey, and dried fruit, all balanced by that signature acidity so the wine never tastes cloying. Whether dry or sweet, Furmint’s combination of power and freshness is its calling card.
Furmint’s home is Tokaj in northeast Hungary, a region of volcanic hills where the Bodrog and Tisza rivers meet. In autumn, mist from the rivers rises over the vineyards, and warm, dry afternoons follow. Those conditions encourage noble rot, a beneficial fungus called botrytis that shrivels the grapes and concentrates their sugar and acidity. Furmint’s thin skins and late ripening make it especially prone to noble rot, which is why it is the main grape of Tokaji’s sweet wines, usually blended with Hárslevelű and sometimes Yellow Muscat. Tokaj’s volcanic soils also give dry Furmint its smoky, mineral edge. Furmint grows in other parts of Hungary, including the Somló region, known for powerful, mineral whites. In Slovenia, it is known as Šipon, and small plantings exist in Austria’s Burgenland, around the town of Rust, and in Slovakia’s part of the Tokaj region.
Furmint wine comes in two main families. Dry Furmint has grown in popularity over recent decades. These wines are crisp, mineral, and often age-worthy, ranging from fresh, unoaked styles to richer, barrel-fermented bottles from single vineyards. They are a great alternative for fans of dry Riesling or white Burgundy. Tokaji Aszú is the famous sweet style. Winemakers pick individual nobly rotted grapes, called aszú berries, and soak them in a base wine or fermenting must, extracting their concentrated sugar and flavor. Labels traditionally showed sweetness in puttonyos, and many bottles still list 5 or 6 puttonyos. Szamorodni is made from whole bunches with some botrytized grapes and can be dry or sweet. Late harvest Tokaji is a lighter, more affordable sweet style, and Eszencia is an extremely rare, syrupy nectar. See our dessert wine guide for how these compare to other sweet wines.
Serve dry Furmint at 48–52°F, a little warmer than a light, crisp white, so you can enjoy its texture and smoky aromas. That is about 90 minutes in the fridge, or take it out 15 minutes before pouring. Oak-aged bottles show best at the warmer end of that range. Use a white wine glass with a medium to large bowl. Young, intense dry Furmint can benefit from 15 to 20 minutes of air in a decanter or a few good swirls in the glass. Sweet Tokaji Aszú is best served at 50–55°F in small dessert glasses; a 2- to 3-ounce pour is plenty because the wine is so rich. Thanks to its high acidity and sugar, an opened bottle of Aszú keeps for several weeks in the fridge. Dry Furmint lasts about three to five days once recorked and refrigerated.
Dry Furmint wine is a versatile food partner, thanks to its acidity and body. It pairs well with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, and veal, and it can stand up to creamy sauces that would overwhelm lighter whites. Hungarian dishes like chicken paprikash are a natural match. Its acidity also works with grilled or butter-poached fish, crab, and lobster. Furmint is excellent with Asian-inspired dishes, including Thai and Vietnamese food with fresh herbs. Our wine with pork page has more ideas for richer whites. Sweet Tokaji Aszú is a classic with foie gras and with salty blue cheeses, where sweetness and salt balance beautifully; see our wine with blue cheese guide. It also pairs with fruit tarts, apricot desserts, crème brûlée, and nut-based pastries. Avoid very sweet chocolate desserts, which can make even Aszú taste less sweet.
If you like dry Furmint, try dry Riesling, which shares its high acidity and citrus fruit. Loire Valley Chenin Blanc offers a similar range from dry to sweet, with comparable acidity and quince notes. Greek Assyrtiko has the same combination of minerality, smokiness, and fuller body. Oak-aged Furmint fans may also enjoy white Burgundy made from Chardonnay. When shopping, look for Tokaji or Tokaj on the label, plus “Furmint” or “Dry Furmint” for the dry style. For sweet wines, Tokaji Aszú with 5 or 6 puttonyos is the classic choice, often sold in 500 ml bottles. Dry Furmint is often $15 to $30, while Aszú is a splurge but lasts for weeks after opening.
| Style | Character | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Furmint (unoaked) | Crisp and mineral | Lemon, green apple, smoke, high acidity |
| Dry Furmint (oak-aged) | Fuller and textured | Quince, pear, toast, creamy finish |
| Szamorodni | Dry or sweet, nutty | Dried fruit, nuts, bracing acidity |
| Late Harvest Tokaji | Lightly sweet | Apricot, honey, fresh and approachable |
| Tokaji Aszú | Rich dessert wine | Marmalade, honey, dried apricot, bright acidity |
Around 48–52°F lets its smoky, mineral aromas show.
A 2- to 3-ounce glass of Tokaji Aszú is plenty for dessert.
Look for "Dry Furmint" on labels if you do not want a sweet wine.
Learn Your Taste
Answer a few simple questions and discover styles that fit your palate.
Take the Wine QuizIt can be either. Furmint makes crisp, dry whites and is also the main grape in sweet Tokaji Aszú. Check the label: "Dry Furmint" means dry, while "Aszú" or "Late Harvest" signals a sweet wine.
Dry Furmint tastes of green apple, pear, quince, and lemon, with a smoky, mineral edge from Tokaj's volcanic soils. It has high acidity and medium to full body, and oak-aged versions add honey, almond, and a rounder texture.
Puttonyos is a traditional measure of sweetness for Tokaji Aszú, named after the baskets used to collect aszú berries. A higher number means a sweeter wine. Many bottles today show 5 or 6 puttonyos on the label.
Say it "FOOR-mint," with the stress on the first syllable. Tokaji, meaning "from Tokaj," is roughly "TOH-kah-yee," with three short syllables and the stress at the start.
Both have high acidity and can be dry or sweet. Furmint tends to be fuller-bodied and smokier, with quince and pear, while Riesling is lighter and more aromatic, with citrus, stone fruit, and floral notes.
Yes. High acidity lets good dry Furmint age for a decade or more, gaining honey and nutty notes. Sweet Tokaji Aszú is one of the longest-lived wines in the world and can age for decades.
