Burgenland has always walked a fine line between Central European grit and Pannonian warmth. Even the local cuisine and wine feel closer to Hungary than say Salzburg. It is home to Austria’s most iconic red wines , especially Blaufränkisch, yet as of late, another voice is joining the chorus. Furmint, the so called “Riesling of the East,” long rooted in Hungary’s Tokaj hills just across the border, is finding new and unexpected expression in this part of Austria. For Hannes Schuster, curiosity was just the start for this Furmint. A few small parcels planted on limestone, slate, and clay were the foundation a quiet experiment to see where Furmint feels most at home. The result is absolutely striking: salty, lean, and mineral-driven, with a firm grip that keeps you continuously hooked. The nose is refined with a combination of crushed rock, fennel, white pear, lemon pith, and chamomile. It walks a tightrope between delicate and precise, with a light herbaceous tension that feels unmistakably Burgenland. On the palate it is taut and direct, carried by minerality and subtle bitterness- white tea, quince, apricot, even a touch of curry leaf and anise as it opens up. It’s not necessarily going to be a crowd-pleaser, but it somewhat feels like that exactly that is the whole point. It will be a conversation starter and wine that will most certainly broaden horizons. A wine for people that colour outside the lines.
