Taste the Difference Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint, Hungary 2017 (£10, Sainsbury’s)

One thing most of the world’s great white wines have in common is a strong backbone of acidity. Maybe I should rephrase that: almost all of my go-to white grapes – from riesling to chenin blanc and cool-climate chardonnay – derive most of their pleasure from that electric, mouthwatering quality that makes drinking them so compulsive. That’s certainly the case with a variety that has been building a following in the UK recently, and that is now available in most wine merchants (including supermarkets) and broad-minded restaurants: Hungarian furmint. It’s long been known as the base of the country’s great sweet wine, Tokaji. But it’s in its incarnation as a dry white that it’s making waves right now, with Sainsbury’s TTD version a tongue-tingling mouthful of Cox’s apple.

Kardos Furmint, Hungary 2017 (£10.95, Kwoff, Noel Young Wines)

The Royal Tokaji company, the people behind Sainsbury’s furmint, were important players in the rejuvenation of the Tokaj region in the immediate post-Soviet years. If you like the TTD, the company’s own dry wines are worth pursuing next. Royal Tokaji Company Mézes Mály Furmint Dry Tokaj 2016 (£17.99, Ministry of Drinks) pulls off the furmint trick of combining resonant fruit richness, a waxiness of texture and delicate floral notes. There’s a similar ripe tanginess combined with the steely swish of acidity and minerals in Hetszolo Tokaji Dry Furmint 2016 (£17, The Good Wine Shop). Both are brilliant white-meat matches, while Kardos’s number comes in a racy, citrussy style (think riesling to the Royal Tokaji company and Hetszolo’s chenin blanc) bound for fish.

Kolonics Somloi Furmint, Hungary 2017 (£13.50, The Wine Society)

Hungarian Furmint isn’t only found in Tokaj. On the other side of the country, the hill of Somló is sometimes described as Hungary’s answer to Burgundy’s famous hill of Corton. In quality the dry whites have the potential to match up to the classic French region’s dry chardonnay whites, albeit with a different range of flavours. I was impressed by the lively, fragrant Tornai Furmint F 2016 (from £12, forestwines.com), which has a brisk peachiness not unlike viognier or albariño. And I love the richness of Kolonics Furmint. And just because it’s summer and dry wines are on our minds, we shouldn’t forget the original furmint favourite back in Tokaj: the electric sweet Dereszla Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2013 (£27.99, 50cl, virginwines.co.uk) is a year-round blue cheese partner par excellence.

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