Château Dereszla, Henye Tokaji Furmint Dry, 2023

Grapes

Furmint

Vintage report

The 2023 growing season in Tokaj was shaped by significant heat and drought through much of the summer, which concentrated sugars sharply in the Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes but also put stress on vines in the less well-positioned sites. Rainfall arrived late in the season, and producers had to move quickly to pick at the right moment — those who did were rewarded, those who waited risked dilution. Botrytis developed unevenly, which made 2023 a more straightforward year for dry Furmints than for the great aszú productions, though pockets of noble rot did emerge in the right conditions.

The dry wines are the real story here. Furmint from 2023 has real grip and drive — the acidity is precise, the fruit concentrated without being heavy, and there is a saline, mineral tension that makes these wines genuinely exciting to drink now. We would not rush the better single-vineyard examples; give them until 2027 or beyond and they will reward the patience. The aszú wines are fewer and more selective than a bumper botrytis year would produce, but what exists is precise rather than opulent — more cut than sweetness.