Somewhere in Tokaj, at a wine dinner, you sit with the wine list, and your eyes catch the Tokaj section. You know enough that Tokaj wines are world-famous. You also know that the aszú is sweet. But you don’t drink sweet wines, at least not with dinner. So you prefer to play it safe: a white wine that is not Tokaj, because that is sweet anyway.
This is the moment that this article aims to address. Because the misconception that Tokaj wines are sweet has deeply ingrained itself in people's minds. However, the reality is that on any serious Tokaj restaurant wine list, the vast majority of the selections are dry. Furmint. Hárslevelű. Dry szamorodni. Sparkling. All dry, all table wines, all Tokaj.
The name of the Tokaj wine region is intertwined with aszú, but the region today primarily produces dry white wines, which are increasingly recognized among the world's white wines. This article is about what to ask for when you visit Tokaj and don’t want to drink something sweet. Which style is right for you? What pairs well with the food?
The misconception that lives from Tokaj
The news of Tokaj was built on aszú. For centuries, aszú was the pride of Tokaj wines and the wine that caught the world's attention. This type of wine also appeared at the table in Versailles at the court of Louis XIV. When the Tokaj wine region became part of the UNESCO World Heritage in 2002, the emphasis was on the cultural landscape of the historical wine region and the aszú tradition. This heritage is wonderful and well-deserved.
However, something changed in the meantime: from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Tokaj's dry wines also received serious attention. A generation of winemakers, who saw the volcanic soil of the region and the extraordinary acidity of furmint differently, showed that Tokaj furmint can express something in its dry form that few other white wines can in the world. Mineral character, complex flavors, long finish: these are the characteristics of the wines here, and not exclusively of aszú.
Today, a larger portion of the wines produced in the Tokaj wine region is marketed as dry. Anyone who would taste all Tokaj wines in equal proportions would end up with far more dry wines than sweet ones. This does not mean that aszú has lost its importance. However, it does mean that if someone says they don’t drink in Tokaj because they don’t drink sweet wine, it is based on a misunderstanding.
An important difference is that dry Tokaj wines are table wines. They are meant for food. Aszú is a secluded world, a special drink that stands alone, served with dessert or at the end of a wine dinner. In contrast, furmint, hárslevelű, or dry szamorodni are exactly the drinks that pair well with dishes in a Tokaj meal. Therefore, it can fundamentally be a better decision to order dry Tokaj at the table than another white wine.
Furmint dry: what is worth knowing
If someone orders dry wine in a Tokaj restaurant, in most cases, Furmint arrives. This is not a coincidence. Furmint is the primary variety of Tokaj-Hegyalja, growing on nearly two-thirds of the vineyard area. It can show many different characters when dry, and this is the fact that most people do not know when they sit down to the wine list.
Dry Furmint is not a uniform style. A fresh, young Furmint is a completely different wine than a six-to-eight-year-old, barrel-aged, complex item. Therefore, it is not enough to simply say: I would like Furmint on the wine list. A slightly more precise exploration is necessary.
The young, fresh style of furmint, typically from one to three years old, is citrusy, green apple-like, with lively acidity. Refreshing, easy to drink, surprisingly well pairs with food. It does not require special preparation for tasting. The Balassa Pince Kacsa Furmint fits perfectly into this category: a fresher, fruitier, more approachable style. If someone is looking for their first Tokaj furmint, this is a good place to start.
The more complex, mature Furmint goes in a different direction. Cinnamon, almond, and slightly nutty notes appear. The pear and quince become deeper. The mineral element, the salty, volcanic character comes out more. The Majoros Birtok Deák Furmint Basic Instincts is a six-year-old wine, and this is the category. Those who like to focus on food while slowly getting to know a wine will ask for such a item.
The vineyard-specific Furmints form a third category. The Tokaj Hétszőlő Kis-Garai Furmint comes from a specific plot, and the wine carries this uniqueness. It is characterized by a mineral, tight, long-lasting style. Those looking for the purest and most precise form of Furmint will ask for such a item.
The acidity of Furmint is exceptionally high, typically around or above 10 g/liter. This allows it to work well with food: it lifts the weight from rich, fatty dishes and brings freshness. But it also contributes to the wine's long life. A good Furmint can develop in the cellar for 10-15 years and can show something different each vintage.
Hárslevelű dry: the softer sibling of furmint
In Tokaj-Hegyalja, alongside furmint, hárslevelű is the other serious white variety. When dry, it represents a completely different style, and those who reflexively ask for furmint often find surprisingly better pairings when they try hárslevelű.
Dry hárslevelű typically has softer acids than furmint. It is no less characterful, rather it has a different character. It is characterized by floral, honeyed tones, linden honey-like aroma, and a round, friendly structure. In young vintages, it is fresh and citrusy, while in better and riper vintages, it is rich and long. It sits at the table and begins to engage in a dialogue with the food.
For a long time, the profession kept hárslevelű in the shadow of furmint in Tokaj-Hegyalja. It has always played an important role in aszú wines, providing the honeyed, floral layer. However, when dry, it stands on its own, and more and more winemakers are seriously focusing on it.
On the Galuschka wine list, hárslevelű appears in several entries. The Zsirai Pince Középhegy Hárslevelű is a site-specific wine that carries the fine, mineral character of the Középhegy parcel. The Gizella Pince Barát Hárslevelű Monopole is the exclusive yield of a single site, managed by only one winemaker. A monopole parcel is a rarity even in the Tokaj wine region. The Pelle Pince Makovicza Hárslevelű comes from the western part of the wine region, which has a different character. All three are dry hárslevelű, each with a different approach.
If someone generally reaches for a more aromatic white wine but does not go in the intense green direction of sauvignon blanc, but rather in the floral, honeyed, friendly direction, dry hárslevelű is the wine that will win them over. It pairs well with poultry, creamy sauces, soft cheeses, and those dishes where the wine complements the flavor but does not dominate.
Dry szamorodni: the unknown Tokaji specialty
Dry szamorodni is probably the least known Tokaji style. This is peculiar because it is also one of the most unique.
The word szamorodni is of Polish origin, meaning: as it was harvested. This name comes from the tradition of Polish trade in Tokaji wines, and its name describes its essence: szamorodni is made from whole bunches harvested together with aszú berries, not selected berries. If the vintage allows, many aszú berries are included; if not, then fewer.
Dry szamorodni is even more special: it undergoes oxidative aging. The wine comes into contact with oxygen in the barrel, intentionally, under controlled conditions. The result is a wine filled with notes of walnut, almond, dried fruit, and salty biscuit, which is most commonly compared to fino sherry. But with Tokaji character, Tokaji acids, and Tokaji minerality.
The Basilicus Pince Száraz Szamorodni 2012, which appears on the Galuschka wine list, is a fourteen-year-old vintage. It is deeply developed, complex, and a long drink. It is not for the first glass. Those who taste it once understand why many consider it one of the hidden treasures of the Tokaj wine region.
The dry szamorodni is often enjoyed on its own, as an aperitif. Or alongside soups, stronger appetizers. On the Galuschka wine list, it appears with guinea fowl broth. This is a rare but perfectly logical pairing: the oxidative wine and the deep, long-cooked broth enhance each other.
We will tell you what to choose.
This is the part where many people stop at the wine list. There are the names, the vintages, the winemakers. It is unclear what each means, and one does not want to ask an awkward question. The following thoughts are not for a sommelier exam, but to help make a decision at the wine list within a minute.
If you generally drink Italian pinot grigio, enjoy fresh, light, aromatic white wines, the young furmint is the entry that will not surprise you but will delight you. Balassa Kacsa Furmint and similar fresh vintages. They are easy to drink, good with food, and show why furmint can be special.
If you reach for Burgundy white wine, that is, the complex, mineral, acidity-filled style, the site-specific furmint is the way to go. Tokaj Hétszőlő Kis-Garai Furmint type wines, where the name of the vineyard is also felt in the wine.
If you love Alsatian white wines, floral, aromatic, rounder style wines, but dry, the hárslevelű is your wine. Gizella Barát Hárslevelű, Zsirai Középhegy Hárslevelű. Fragrant, friendly, but not sweet. This is the style that wins you over with the first sip.
If you drink fino sherry, or if you are adventurous and want to taste something completely unique that cannot be bought at the corner store at home, ask for the dry szamorodni.
If you drink sparkling wine and are open to Tokaji thinking even in sparkling wine, the Barta Pince Furmint sparkling wine is a great choice. Tokaji minerality, long finish, traditional method. Perfect as an aperitif in a Tokaji restaurant, also great with cheeses.
If you are unsure and only know that you want something dry, ask for one from the restaurant's recommendation to go with your meal.