Furmint Február

Furmint Február (Február means February) is a campaign started in Hungary in 2010 by a handful of enthusiastic wine lovers and experts. With the third Furmint Február now upon us, we can see that the profile of the wine has grown significantly since the event’s inception. Throughout the month, a series of events will be held in Hungary, including many tastings, wine dinners and Furmint packages but the main attraction of the month is the Great Furmint Február tasting. More than fifty wineries are expected to bring their dry Furmints, in addition to other bottles from their portfolios. In a bid to promote Furmint overseas, Hungarian Wine House has joined forces with Furmint Február for the first time during 2012. We offer all our Furmint and Furmint-made cuvée wines at a discounted price throughout February.

The philosophy of Furmint Február

Lovers of wine are increasingly recognizing Furmint as an outstanding grape variety. What is less well-known is that the varietal is native to Hungary, and we believe that this message can be communicated more effectively through events such as Furmint Február.

Today, Furmint is most widely grown in Hungary, particularly in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region, where it is used to produce single-varietal dry wines – it is also the principal grape in the better-known Tokaji dessert wines. Furmint is also grown in the small Hungarian wine region of Somló, and in Austria where it is known as Mosler. Smaller plantings are found in Slovenia where it is known as šipon. The grape is also planted in Croatia, Romania and the former republics of the Soviet Union.

The Great Furmint Február tasting

The biggest event of February took place on 9th February at the Hungarian Museum of Agriculture in Budapest. More than 450 visitors came along to taste Furmint from 55 wineries. Most of the wines came from the regions of Tokaj and Somló.

The following wineries took part in the tasting:

Árpád Hegy Winery, Szerencs
Árvay János Winery, Rátka
AZ Nektár, Sátoraljaújhely
Babits Winery, Tolcsva
Balassa István, Tokaj
Bardon Winery, Erdőbénye
Barta Winery, Mád
Béres Vineyards and Winery, Erdőbénye
Bodrog Winery, Bodrogkisfalud
Bott Winery, Bodrogkisfalud
Breitenbach Winery, Bodrogkisfalud
Chateau Dereszla, Bodrogkeresztúr
Demetervin, Mád
Demeter Zoltán, Tokaj
Dénes Vineyard, Ság-hegy
Disznókő Vineyard, Mezőzombor
Dobogó Winery, Tokaj
Dorogi Testvérek Winery, Tarcal
Fekete Béla, Somló
Ferdinánd Winery, Mád
Füleky Winery, Bodrogkeresztúr
Gizella Winery, Tokaj
Gróf Degenfeld Vineyard, Tarcal
Györgykovács Kispincészet, Somló
Hímesudvar, Tokaj
Karádi és Berger, Erdőbénye
Kardos Vineyard, Mád
Kerkaborum, Zala
Királyudvar, Tarcal
Kolonics Károly Winery, Somló
Kovács Nimród Winery, Eger
Kreinbacher Vineyard, Somló
Lenkey Család Vineyard and Winery, Mád
Losonci Bálint, Gyöngyöspata
Majoros Birtok, Tarcal
Orosz Gábor, Mád
Orsolyák Attila, Tokaj
Pannon Tokaj, Tolcsva
Patricius Winery, Tokaj
Pálffy Winery, Köveskál
Royal Tokaj Winery, Mád
Spigelberg Winery, Somló
Szarka Winery, Mád
Szent Benedek Winery, Tokaj
Szent Tamás Vineyard and Winery, Mád
Szepsy Winery, Mád
Szirmay Kúria, Tállya
Tokaj Hétszőlő Vineyard, Tokaj
Tokaj Kereskedőház, Tolcsva
Tokaj Kikelet, Tarcal
Tokaj Oremus Vineyard and Winery, Tolcsva
Tokaj Pendits, Abaújszántó
Tokaj Zöld Birtok, Tokaj
Tornai Winery, Somló
Vissy László, Erdőbénye

Each of the wineries brought at least one dry or semi-dry Furmint but most brought a second example of Furmint, in order to demonstrate the versatility of this great grape variety. 42% of the so-called first Furmint was 2009 vintage. This was probably because 2010 was a difficult year. There was frost in the middle of spring, and a lack of rain throughout the year. Therefore 19% of the wineries brought their 2011 vintage barrel sample Furmint and some brought Furmint from 2010.

The wines contained an average of 3 grams/litre residual sugar and 13.38% alcohol. In reviewing the prices, we can say that the average Furmint retail price fell between 2000-5000 HUF (Hungarian Forint), as 64% of the wines were in this price band. Some wines went beyond this, with 13% exceeding 5,000 forints. Affordable wines were also well-represented, with 17% of the Furmint priced between 1000 – 2000 HUF. There were 2 wines on show under 1000 HUF.