While most will know Furmint from Tokaj, this is something entirely different. From Hungary’s smallest and most volcanic appellation, Somló delivers a style defined by tension, salt, and mineral force rather than fruit weight.

The 2023 vintage shows a fresher, more lifted profile: citrus peel, quince and ripe pear layered with subtle herbal tones and a faint, almost animal skin savouriness. The palate is driven by electric acidity and a deep volcanic mineral line that runs long and precise.

Hand-harvested and naturally fermented in Hungarian oak, the wine is matured for 10 months in older barrels followed by 8 months in tank before bottling. This gentle, traditional élevage preserves clarity while allowing the site to speak with full force.

Somló itself is a remarkable place — a single ancient volcanic hill rising from the plains near Lake Balaton. Basalt, marine sediments, and lava soils define vineyards that have been cultivated since Roman times, with written records dating back nearly 1,000 years. Even medieval Hungarian royalty prized the wines of this isolated “wine island.”

This bottling continues the legacy of the legendary Béla Fekete, often called the “Grand Old Man of Somló,” who spent over five decades shaping some of the region’s most distinctive wines. Today, Gábor Riesz and family carry the estate forward, maintaining the same low-intervention philosophy and deep respect for site expression.

The result is a wine of striking individuality: textural, slightly savoury, and quietly oxidative in tone, yet always anchored by razor-sharp acidity and unmistakable volcanic intensity. A wine of place first and foremost — demanding attention at the table, where it truly comes alive.