2020 Barta Furmint Oreg Kiraly Dulo

Tokaj (TOKE-eye), in northeast Hungary, is the country’s most famous wine region. (Tokaj is the name of a town; Tokaji, with a final “i”, is the official name of the wine appellation and of wines from that appellation.) Károly Barta is a relative newcomer to Tokaj, having started in 2013 by acquiring the storied, first-class (“premier cru”) Öreg Király Dűlő, or Old King Vineyard. It’s the highest-altitude, steepest, and most distinctly terraced vineyard in Tokaj. Farming is organic, and winemaker Vivien Újvári, one of many women in charge of Hungarian cellars, employs minimalist methods in the winery.

This wine is 100% dry furmint from the Öreg Király Dűlő, fermented in 500L Hungarian oak barrels and then aged on the lees for four months in the same barrels. The several extra years in the bottle give you the opportunity to see how dry Tokaji ages. The wine is beautifully expressive and vibrant now, with a smoky minerality and a salty, quite savory palate. It’s somehow delicate and powerful at the same time, and just 12.4% alcohol. A Western European analog might be aged Loire chenin blanc. It’s a perfect accompaniment to white meats and game birds of all species, smoked salmon, and Asian dishes without too much sweetness.