Furmint 2023

Furmint is famous in Tokaj. On the volcanic slopes of Szent György-hegy above Lake Balaton, it becomes something entirely different — more electric, more mineral, and with a precision that's hard to find anywhere else. Furmint • Badacsony • Single plot • Amphora-aged • 1,200 bottles István Bencze has been farming biodynamically on the basalt and tuff soils of Szent György-hegy since 2011, working without sulphur and ageing almost exclusively in clay amphora. The Furmint comes from his Templomdombi plot — three complementary clones planted at 180 metres in a mosaic of basalt, tuff, sandstone, and clay, harvested in multiple passes to capture the precise ripeness he's after. 2023 was a textbook vintage around Balaton: warm conditions gave István the space to allow a touch of botrytis to develop in his best parcels, adding a layer of complexity you won't find every year. The juice ferments spontaneously in clay amphora and rests there for 9 months on fine lees. Only the 3 best amphoras are bottled as this varietal Furmint — the rest goes into the blend. 1,200 bottles. Worth every one of them. Tasting Notes Aroma: lemon, lime, ripe yellow plum, dried flowers, subtle volcanic mineral note Palate: fresh citrus, electric acidity, salty mineral backbone Texture: precise, elegant, with a long fine lees texture Finish: long, saline, and quietly complex Serve lightly chilled. Give it time in the glass. Country: Hungary Colour: White Grape: Furmint Bottle size: 75cl Year: 2023 Explore More White | Hungary