The ageing potential of Furmint in Tokaj

This stunning vineyard and winery is part of the AXA stable along with Pichon Baron and Noval port. It's been rated first-class since 1737 and Disznókő (which means pig rock) continues to deliver quality and consistency in both sweet and dry styles. Its Dry Furmint is tank-fermented for purity and offers appetising lemon and cut apple notes and zesty freshness.

Patricius’ first ever dry Furmint from 2005 was still in great shape in January 2020, so there's every reason to believe this 2018 will age well too. It's a fresh, fruity, modern style with the emphasis on melon and lemon fruit notes, with appetising freshness making a great value and appealingly drinkable wine.

A single-vineyard selection from vines planted in 1956 close to the village of Mád, managed organically. The fruit is fermented in large oak casks and aged on lees for a couple of months. It's rich and ripe, with generous peach notes and classic steely acidity of Furmint.

A tiny family winery where the grandson of the founder is now making fine, precise wines. Thurzó is a single-vineyard selection from a historic site whose name means 'honey pot' for its richness of fruit. It was fermented in steel and aged for six months in oak, and offers good intensity of fruit, with fresh apple, steely acidity and some creamy oak.

2018 is producing some invitingly fruity and drinkable Furmints, though also capable of ageing thanks to the bright acidity. This is a classic example: tank fermented for purity with just a little Hárslevelű and Muscat in the blend to add a touch of exotic spice and fruit.

Economist and lawyer-turned-winemaker Erika Rácz is committed to organic production on her tiny 3ha estate. Her top selection is from the mineral-rich Rány vineyard, fermented in steel to highlight the wonderfully vivid fruit. It has hints of peach, yellow plum and mango with a touch of acacia honey and zippy citrus zest. An elegant and food friendly wine.

2014 was a really wet and challenging year but with careful selection and blending, some fine, long-lived wines were produced. This was barrel-fermented before 50% was moved to tank and 50% aged for four months in used local oak. This is expressive on the nose with white flowers and crisp apple. It’s steely and intense on the palate, with hints of lemon oil and peach underscored by crisp acidity, promising a long life still.

Gizella’s owner László Szilágyi still sees dry Furmint as a journey, so never stops tweaking his wines. This latest vintage is a blend of all his single vineyards with just 10% oak to focus on freshness. He has switched to whole-bunch pressing and includes 15% Hárslevelű to add aromas and gentle fruitiness for a refined, elegant and delicate style with great purity and drinkability.

This small family winery is named for the 'clip-clop' of horses’ hooves. They have been making dry wines every year since 2003 and a recent vertical showed a clear track record of longevity and consistency of quality. Most older wines are almost gone but this 2013 is still available and shows a lovely creamy, complex nose with mock orange and peach notes, followed by great depth of flavour with supple texture – a beautifully complete wine.

When Christian Sauska returned to his Hungarian roots, Tokaj was the obvious choice. He renovated the town’s former casino and rescued the Birsálmas (quince grove) vineyard from ruin. Today, it’s a special place to the family, producing long-lived wines like this from the warm, dry 2012 vintage. Fermented and aged in used French oak, it’s a silky wine with lovely texture and notes of baked quince, peach and wild honey.

From a vineyard rated first-class back in 1737, this crystal-bright wine was fermented in large Zemplen oak casks, 30% new, and aged for 10 months. Still youthful and well-structured with lovely purity and fine acidity, it has refined aromas of mirabelle and melon, and flavours of fresh nectarine, spice and bright, mouthwatering citrus notes. An elegant wine with a long future.

One of Tokaji’s great women winemakers is behind this lovely wine. It’s from her favourite Barakonyi vineyard that belonged to her grandfather. Still young, it has inviting peach and lemon blossom aromas, with good body and richness. Just a touch of orange zest is underlined by Furmint’s typical zingy freshness and beautifully integrated oak from five months fermenting and ageing in Hungarian barrels.

István Balassa established his own winery in 2005 and named this wine for his daughter. It comes from the first-class Mézes-Mály dűlő and underwent spontaneous fermentation and ageing in 300l Hungarian oak for up to 10 months. The nose shows hints of creamy vanilla, honey and quince. It's still youthful on the palate, with lovely intensity of quince and apricot supported by a fine acid backbone and very long finish.

Géza Lenkey believes in the ageing potential of Furmint from Tokaj, demonstrated here with his 'after ten years' series. This Furmint, from the stony Úrágya dűlő, was picked in November and spontaneously fermented in local oak for seven months. Released after eight-and-a-half years in bottle, it has inviting aromas of peach, chamomile and orange zest which lead onto a precise, stony and elegant palate, with citrus and apricot notes and bright freshness.

This wine is sourced from the family vineyard where owner Zoltán Demeter spent a happy childhood learning to tend vines. Furmint from 100-year-old vines has been fermented in used 4hl Zemplen oak to the sound of classical music. It has a fine, ethereal nose with hints of white flowers and fresh pear, then a beautifully refined, elegant and long palate supported by vivid acidity. It still has a long life ahead of it.

A late-harvest wine with a difference, this is a pure noble rot-affected Furmint with 200g/l of sugar supported by 9.5 g/l of acidity, giving amazing balance and freshness. The wine is only made in the best years with just six months in oak to keep the beautiful silky purity of the fruit.

Fewer than a dozen magnums remain of this beautiful wine from the highest vineyard in Tokaj, abandoned after WWII and renovated by Barta since 2003. Made by spontaneous fermentation in new 500l Hungarian oak and aged for eight months, it strikes a lovely balance between youthful vibrancy and developing complexity, showing aromas of apple blossom, quince and acacia with white peach fruit, backed by steely acidity and a lingering finish

The first dry Furmint produced under the Szepsy family label. The fruit was sourced from old vines in the stony volcanic Úrágya vineyard, picked at incredibly low yields of 2.5 tonnes/ha and spontaneously fermented in 500l Zemplen oak, before ageing for 10 months. The wine is superb and beautifully mature but also vibrant, with complex aromas of peach, mirabelle and chestnut honey. It is still bright and lively to taste, with a long, lingering finish and great balance.

Always pioneers, the Szepsy family is determined to show a new high quality, modern face to the historic Szamorodni category – meaning 'as it comes' and made using whole bunches. 2013 was a superb vintage, with lovely botrytis and great acidity for balance. This is a gorgeous example made with 90% Furmint. It has lovely intensity of honey, pear, acacia flowers and spice, with a twist of lemon zest. Elegant and balanced.