Hungarian Dry Furmint: The Oddity

Furmint is a white grape variety that is dominant in the Hungarian region of Tokaj. It's famously known as one of the primary varieties used in sweet Tokaji Aszú wines, but it's also made in a dry style similar to Riesling. I fell in love with dry Furmint many years ago when I had it for the first time at a Korean restaurant called Jungsik in NYC (the wine pairs very well with non-spicy Korean food). It's not common to come across many Hungarian wines, but I was very happy to find this bottle of the 'The Oddity' at my local wine store.

My tasting notes on the 2016 Royal Tokaji Furmint 'The Oddity' ($25):

• See: The wine has a pale lemon color with a golden hue.

• Swirl: It has some mellow legs; it's light.

• Sniff: The wine is very aromatic with flowers, melons, apricot, and honey. The floral scent is quite strong on the nose - it's like walking in a field with flowers in full bloom. It also has notes of nuts, like macadamia nuts and hazelnut, which makes the wine even more interesting.

• Sip & Savor: The wine is high in acidity with notes of green apple, lemon zest, apricot, peach, and honeysuckle. It also has subtle notes of nuts on the palate, which is a nice balance to the citrus-forward flavors. It's well-structured with crisp acidity and a long, complex finish. I had a glass of this wine as an aperitif and it was very enjoyable on its own. This is an interesting and odd wine (in many good ways). If anyone is looking to venture out with unique white wines, I recommend this one!