Dobogó Tokaji Furmint

Description

Founded in 1869, the Dobogó estate is in the centre of Tokaj and today belongs to Izabella Zwack, the youngest member of the Zwack family (the producers of Hungary’s famous liqueur, Unicum) and winemaker Attila Domokos.

It is a small winery which operates on five hectares of ‘first-growth’ vineyards in the volcanic heartland of Tokaj, near the village of Mád. The vineyards, planted with Furmint, Hárslevelű and Muscat Lunel, on soils of volcanic origin, are farmed using biodynamic principles.

Only hand-harvested Furmint grapes are used for this wine. Fermentation took place using natural yeasts in three and four-year-old Hungarian oak barrels. After undergoing lees stirring for six months, it was aged for one year before bottling.

This, according to winemaker Attila Domokos, is one of the most lean and mineral Furmints in the history of Dobogó dry whites. It captures the essence of Mád, Tokaj and the philosophy of Dobogó in one. He describes it as ‘pale golden in colour and [it] sparkles in the glass. The minerality of Tokaj appears undeniably on the nose, embroidered with fresh citrus and hints of orange peel. [It is] rich and characterful on the palate.’ We detect some fresh pear and pineapple notes, too.

Try this wine with mildly spiced Middle Eastern or Asian foods.