Furmint tasting by Wines of Hungary

Unfined and unfiltered furmint bubbles

This was a broad ranging tasting with much more than could be tasted in one day presented at a well organized walk-around at Painters’ Hall in London courtesy of Wines of Hungary.

This time I decided to focus on still 100% dry furmint wines, leaving aside the sweet ones which I had had occasions to taste in the past.

Below are my notes from the most interesting glasses of furmint I had a chance to taste today.

Garamvari Estate

2019 Balaton sparkling: zesty, fresh, ready now but with some potential for evolution. Score 86

2016 Tokaji sparkling: fragrant, evolved and mature. Score 89

TR Wines Tokaji 

Organic pet-nat 2022. Slightly bitter and opaque because it is unfined and unfiltered. Floral notes. An intriguing wine much different from all the others. Score 90.

Beres Tokaji

Locse furmint 2017. A complex wine with a slight bitter ending, well balanced and mod long. Score 90

DHP Tokaji

Nyergesek 2019. A mid-range balanced wine with mod length. Score 88

Szent Tamas Summit 2018. Their best and most complex wine. Score 90

Harsanyi Winery - Tokaji

Dry Szamorodni. Bone dry, almonds Slight bitter ending. Score 86

Spiegelberg Artisan Winery - Somlo

Harslevelu 2013. Balanced and complex, slight bitter ending. Score 89

Sauska - Tokaji

Birsalmas 2019. Complex and long. Score 92

Szepsy - Tokaji

Furmint 2018. Balanced fragrant. Score 89

Hetszolo organic vineyards - Tokaji

Dry selection 2011. Well aged wine, slight bitterness, balanced. Score 93

The 2018 is still young, I scored it 88 but it isnot ready yet.

sorry I forgot to shave today!

Discover Gavi trade masterclass

A rare, if not once in a lifetime, opportunity to attend a masterclass organized in London by The Drinks Business and entirely devoted to one of the most underappreciated varieties of Italy. Patrick Schmitt MW, just back from the region, led us through a tasting of 10 of the best Gavi wines, made exclusively with cortese grapes. This is the highlights of what I learned today.

Gavi vineyards lie in south-eastern Piedmont, near Liguria, which explains why even in a landlocked region there is some influence of the sea climate, which is reflected in viticulture by adding a touch of freshness and delicate taste that is often associated to coastal vineyards. All of this land is cultivated with cortese vines, which constitutes some 60% of all the cortese planted in Italy.

Some dates and numbers: the first indication of viticulture in the region dates back to the year 972 AD. Some 500 families work on Gavi wines in 190 companies which are part of the Consorzio (cooperative) founded in 1993. 1600 hectares of cortese planted and produce about 13 million bottles and 65 million euros of revenue, 85% of which comes from exports. The UK is its first export market. DOC certification dates back to 1974 and DOCG to 1998.

I left the tasting amazed at how Gavi wines, which I always considered easy and light bottles to be drunk young, can deliver excellent quality, complexity and especially aging potential. Buy some and put them away before too many people discover them and prices rise!

Prices are indicative merchant prices in the UK.

La Meirana
Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2022 

Round, long and moderately complex, 100% steel.

£15, score 90

Ghio Roberto Vigneti Piemontemare

Vigna Pian Lazzarino, Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2022

Smooth, evolved.

£10, score 91

La Smilla

Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2022

Oaked 5 to 10 months, 25yo vines.

£ 15, score 92

Massone Stefano

Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2022

Almost tropical fruit, peach, smooth end with gentle bitterness.

£ 15, score 92

Produttori del Gavi

Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2022

Steel. Citrussy, very fresh, slight pleasant bitterness at the end.

£ 15, score 88

Tenuta San Lorenzo

Gavi, 2022

No oak, good balance and length.

£ 15, score 88

Castello di Tassarolo

Alborina Gavi del Comune di Tassarolo, 2021

Good balance and intensity, long and complex.

£ 15, score 93

La Raia

Vigna Madonnina, Gavi Riserva, 2020

Balanced and complex.

£ 25, score 93

Castellari Bergaglio

Gavi del Comune di Gavi, 2018

Slightly honeyed, recalls Chablis style. Evolved, ready now.

£ 25, score 93

Tenuta San Pietro in Tassarolo

Il Mandorlo, Gavi del Comune di Tassarolo, 2016

Long, complex and balanced with toasted notes. Ready with some aging potential The best wine of the day.

£ 25, score 94