Furmint is the main grape in Tokaji, the decadently delicious dessert wine from Hungary. But this grape makes a fine, refreshing dry white wine as well.
The Oddity is lip-smacking good, full bodied with mouthwatering acidity and a distinctive aroma profile. Green apple and honeyed apricot aromas take a back seat to a glorious scent of rose, hazelnuts, and a intriguing feral, animal note. In the mouth, lemon notes appear at midpalate on the acid driven crescendo but the wine never turns angular. A layer of silkiness acts like a buffer providing a soft landing as the long minerally finish unwinds.
It lives up to its name. The oddity of white roses with animal, the silky texture and searing acidity, a wine intensely irreverent, stylish and trashy, self consciously whimsical. The music pairing is all of those as well. Madonna performing her lilting, irresistible La Isla Bonita accompanied by the frenzied punk/gypsy stylings of Gogol Bordello. This video is a must see.
Notes: Royal Tokaji makes fine dessert wine but has taken up the cause of introducing dry Furmint to the world. Whole bunch fermentation in stainless steel with no malolactic. Aged in stainless steel and large Hungarian oak barrels, kept on the lees for 4-5 months.
Score: 92
Price: $20
Alc: 13%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 