Furmint is an ancient white grape variety from the Pannonian region. It is best known from Tokaj in Hungary, but it was also at home for centuries around Lake Neusiedl, where it shaped the famous Ruster Ausbruch. In the 20th century, it almost completely disappeared here. In 1984, Michael's grandfather and father brought the first cuttings back to Rust from Tokaj. Today, Furmint is the most important variety at our winery: cool in fruit, taut in acidity, and with a rare ability to express the soil on which it grows.
What is Furmint?
Furmint is an autochthonous grape variety, meaning one that originated in its landscape rather than being introduced from afar. The word comes from Greek: autós means "self," and chthón means "earth." Genetic analysis shows that Furmint is a natural seedling of Heunisch, one of the oldest grape varieties in Central Europe. The variety likely originates from the area of modern-day Hungary.
Its many names demonstrate how old and widespread Furmint is. More than a hundred synonyms are known. In Austria, the variety was previously called Zapfner or Mosler, while in Slovenia and Croatia, it is still called Šipon today. The origin of the name "Furmint" remains unclear.
Where does Furmint come from, and what does Tokaj have to do with it?
In northeastern Hungary, in the Tokaj wine region, Furmint is the primary variety. One of the world's first site classifications and the first protected wine-growing region were established here as early as the 18th century. Since 2002, the cultural landscape of Tokaj has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tokaj became famous for Aszú, a sweet wine made from noble-rotted berries. Today, the winemakers there demonstrate that Furmint also ranks among Europe's great white wines when vinified dry.
For Michael, Tokaj has been a second textbook for many years. Over more than fifteen years, he has visited repeatedly, met with winemakers, studied vineyards and soils, and learned Hungarian. Much of what we know about the variety today comes from these trips.
Why was Furmint once so important in Rust?
Rust is located on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl and was part of the Kingdom of Hungary for centuries. The proximity to the lake, the autumn mists, and the warm afternoons create conditions similar to those in Tokaj: ideal for the noble rot that produces great sweet wines. Ruster Ausbruch was pressed from Furmint and was considered one of the most noble wines of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A story from 1681 illustrates how valuable it was. At that time, the people of Rust purchased the right to become a Royal Free City from Emperor Leopold I. The price: 60,000 guilders and around 500 Eimer of Ausbruch—approximately 30,000 liters of wine made from Furmint. To this day, Rust remains the smallest chartered city in Austria.
Why did Furmint disappear from Burgenland?
Furmint is not an easy grape variety. It buds early and is therefore sensitive to late frost, tolerates harsh winters poorly, and is susceptible to fungal diseases like downy and powdery mildew. It ripens late and requires warm, dry locations. Following the phylloxera crisis in the late 19th century, after two world wars, and in an era where quantity was paramount, winemakers opted for higher-yielding and simpler varieties. Furmint was gradually uprooted and had almost disappeared from around Rust in the 20th century.
It wasn't until 1987 that Furmint was once again approved as a quality wine variety in Austria. It remains a rarity to this day: only about 35 hectares are planted with it in all of Austria, which is about one per mille of the total vineyard area. Almost all of it is located in Burgenland.
How did Furmint return to Rust?
In the 1980s, many Austrian winemakers looked to the west, toward Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Michael's grandfather and father looked to the east. In 1984, they brought the first cuttings back to Rust from Tokaj, crossing the Iron Curtain at a time when that was anything but easy. They grafted the cuttings and planted them in the Vogelsang vineyard. In doing so, they were among the first to give this old variety a place here once again.
Michael has continued and deepened this work. For about two decades, Furmint has been at the center of his efforts. In the "Eden" vineyard, he has planted an original version of the variety whose genetic material is around 150 years old. Today, each of our Furmint vineyards tells a different part of this story.
Why is Furmint such a good fit for Rust?
Furmint loves lean soils, plenty of light, and long, warm autumns, and that is exactly what it finds on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl. The variety ripens late, retaining a powerful, complex acidity and a low pH value. This makes the wines fresh, taut, and very long-lived, even in hot years. The fact that Furmint handles heat and drought well makes it a variety with a future in the face of climate change.
Around Rust, the soils change within a small area. Our Furmint vineyards grow largely on gray and red quartz, gneiss, and mica schist. Added to this is the limestone from the former ancient sea, with shells and corals in the rock. Furmint translates these differences very precisely: quartz and schist make it salty, taut, and cool; limestone gives it tension and length.
How do we work with Furmint?
In the vineyard, we plant densely, with about 8,000 vines per hectare, partly on wire trellises and partly in the old head-trained system (Stockkultur), where each vine stands freely and is tended by hand. The vines must root deeply and yield fewer grapes. In the head-trained system, the grapes reach physiological ripeness even at lower sugar levels. This produces wines with fresh yet harmonious acidity and moderate alcohol.
In the cellar, we intervene as little as possible. Our Furmint wines ferment spontaneously with their own yeasts, are not fined, and mature for a long time on the lees in steel, wooden barrels, or even amphorae. Since 2012, we have stopped filtering individual wines, and since 2014, all our wines have been unfiltered. We use sulfur only minimally, if at all.
Because Furmint is so versatile, we vinify it in several versions: harvested early and late, dry and sweet, fermented in steel, wood, and on the skins. Each version shows a different side of the variety.
What does Furmint taste like?
Young Furmint tends to be taut rather than opulent. Typical characteristics include cool fruit reminiscent of green apple, quince, pear, and citrus, along with herbs, a fine spice, and often something smoky. The acidity gives the wine drive, and the minerality leaves a salty finish. With a few years in the bottle, honey, nuts, and dried fruit emerge, without the wine losing its freshness. Noble-rotted grapes produce dense, honey-sweet wines that are carried by their acidity and can age for decades.
Which Furmint wines are available from Wenzel?
The quickest way to get to know the variety is our "Aus dem Quarz", named after the rock on which a large part of our Furmint vineyards grows. A critic once called it a "gateway drug," and that hits the nail on the head. Those who want to go deeper should try the single-vineyard wines from Vogelsang, the "Garten Eden," and the "Oberer Wald," the site with the most limestone in Rust. In addition, there is a skin-fermented Furmint, a PetNat, and, in good years, the Ruster Ausbruch.
Frequently asked questions about Furmint
Is Furmint a dry or a sweet wine?
Both. Furmint is vinified dry and is simultaneously the main variety for noble sweet wines like Tokaji Aszú and Ruster Ausbruch.
How do you pronounce Furmint?
Exactly as it is written: "Fur-mint," with the emphasis on the first syllable.
Where is Furmint grown in Austria?
Almost exclusively in Burgenland, especially around Lake Neusiedl. With about 35 hectares, Furmint is a rarity in Austria.
How long can you age Furmint?
Thanks to its high acidity, for a very long time. Good dry Furmints develop over ten years or more, and noble sweet wines over decades.
What does Furmint pair well with?
With fish from the lake, poultry, dishes with herbs and paprika, and aged cheese. Noble sweet Furmint pairs well with blue cheese and fruit-based desserts.
What is Ruster Ausbruch?
A noble sweet wine made from noble-rotted, shriveled berries from Rust. It has been its own DAC region since 2020 and was traditionally pressed from Furmint.
You can find even more answers in our frequently asked questions about Furmint.
