“The familiar taste of something very different”

What is The Oddity?
The Oddity is a celebration of the diversity to be found in the wide world of wine. The Furmint grape variety does not yet enjoy an international reputation but Royal Tokaji feels it deserves one. Royal Tokaji was founded in 1990; its first mission was to recreate the wine that for centuries was considered amongst the very finest in the world, the legendary Tokaji aszú.

Royal Tokaji’s dedication has led the winery to the growing realization that Furmint has the potential to make not only great sweet wines, but also dry wines of particular class and charm. The same ripeness, aromatics and acidity which grace the aszú wines can also, with time and skill, create dry wines equally capable of greatness. For over 20 years Royal Tokaji has been refining its knowledge of this wonderful grape variety.

Now, with the 2013 vintage, Royal Tokaji is ready to release The Oddity. This wine brings together the winery’s knowledge of the character of each vineyard, of the best vineyard management, of the optimal time to harvest, and of the winemaking techniques required to deliver the purest expression of Furmint’s unique character. The vast majority of the grapes were harvested in the commune of Mád with a very small proportion from Royal Tokaji’s Mézes Mály vineyard in the neighboring commune of Tarcal.

Approximately 60 percent of the blend was fermented and aged in new, second- and third-year Hungarian oak barrels, with the remainder fermented in stainless-steel tanks. The second- and third-year barrels have previously held only dry Furmint for approximately 6 months.

This 2013 vintage is the fruit of Royal Tokaji’s long love affair with Furmint. The winery thought of calling it, “A Dry Wine from a Weird Grape Made by a Great Sweet Wine Producer” but that wouldn’t fit on the label. Royal Tokaji went with “The Oddity.” To be different is to be beautiful.

The Oddity is a crisp wine with lovely acidity. It is complex, elegant and balanced, exhibiting plenty of fruit on the nose and palate. The Oddity can be enjoyed by the glass with a bowl of olives; it partners well with dishes with chili and warm spices as well as
cream sauces or garlic. Royal Tokaji has experimented with many tastes and finds this to be a most agreeable food wine, particularly if you are eating Asian food — perfection.