2020 Bott Csontos Furmint
Tokaj, Hungary (Toke-Eye)
2020
100% Furmint
Cool Continental
red clay (nyirok) and obsidian
Southern
220L Hungarian Oak
12.9%
4.5 g/l
5.4 g/l
Notes & Pairings
This was their first commercial single vineyard back in 2005. We’ve been working with it since the 2009 vintage. That being said, 2020 was a real pain. A super rainy and cold autumn had sugar slowly accumulating to the point where for the very first time, they did one night on the skins to coax out all that they could. 30% was lost on the vine as well. The 2018 was nearly 15% alcohol, 2020 is barely 13%. Thankfully, Furmint has the remarkable ability to balance acidity and residual sugar. The rich brown forest soil augmented with slate and rhyolite also imparts a chalk-like texture coupled with dried fruit, honey, spice and a mineral backbone. One of the last families to own this site before the World Wars were the Zsedényi’s. Despite being a prominent noble, Ede Zsedényi was apparently a little off, and used to dress like a homeless pauper around town. This shabby excellence is their inspiration for the best vintages from this site. It’s also apt here.
