Tokaji Furmint Demi-Sec 2022

Pale yellow with distinct green reflections. On the nose, pear, apple, and stewed quince, alongside pale blossoms, aniseed, candied ginger, and honey. Pine, tree bark, and a saline minerality lend depth and intrigue to the aromatic profile.

The grapes are grown in the Hungarian wine region of Tokaj. Királyudvar, owned by Anthony Hwang since 1997 and once a purveyor to the Habsburg imperial court, farms 75 hectares there; central to the estate are the Lapis and Henye vineyards, complemented by Percze, Becsek, Danczka, and Nyulászó. Winemaker Szabolcs Juhász, a protégé of Zoltán Demeter, has been in charge of the wines since 2009.

Furmint and Hárslevelü, 100% biodynamically farmed, ferment spontaneously in Slavonian oak. The wine then matures for 18 months before being bottled off-dry at 14.0% ABV.

Sweet and salty at once, sustained by refined acidity and an off-dry, subtly bitter edge reminiscent of grapefruit and bitter orange. Power and complexity lend the wine substance and outstanding ageing potential.

Királyudvar has been farming entirely biodynamically since 2008, with preparations and lunar cycles guiding work in both vineyard and cellar. Anthony Hwang also owns Domaine Huet in the Loire; Noël Pinguet assisted with the biodynamic conversion in Tokaj, while Jean-Bernard Berthomé maintains the connection between the two estates. The foundation was laid by István Szepsy as co-founder and initial winemaker.