Furmint in Saumur (1925)

D

Don Rice

Don Rice
I love the idea of Furmint from the Loire.

Early 20th-century Saumurois vigneron Antoine (Pere) Cristal was known for his blend of Semillon, Sauvignon, Furmint and Chenin. Don't know if it was sec, demi-sec or moelleux. His estate was the Clos Rougeard of its time, and he was a crusty, sabot-wearing character to boot.

Furmint used to be grown in Touraine too. Comte Odart (a vigneron in Touraine) grew it in the early-mid 1800s, and even wrote a treatise on Tokaji. I guess he was some sort of expert on the grape at the time.

Below is a 1925 text from Paul Maisonneuve ("L'Anjou. Ses vignes et ses Vins") describing the cuvee that Pere Cristal was known for.

I want to try it, so will probably whip up a dry-ish blend myself, and soon. It's either that or wait for someone to invent a time machine.

cristal_saumu_cuvee.jpg
 
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by SFJoe:
Furmint has so much in common with chenin.
Click to expand...

Noel pinguet?
Click to expand...

He's into Furmint professionally (how deeply I don't know). But it's long odds that there's any growing in Vouvray. Unless you have some info?
 
Plageoles talks about furmint in touraine being planted in 1835...
IMG_2076.jpg
 
originally posted by Don Rice:
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by SFJoe:
Furmint has so much in common with chenin.
Click to expand...

Noel pinguet?
Click to expand...

He's into Furmint professionally (how deeply I don't know).
Click to expand...
I've tasted with him in Tarcal.

(He consults at Kiralyudvar, Tony Hwang's large and significant Tokaj estate).
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by SFJoe:
Furmint has so much in common with chenin.
Click to expand...

Noel pinguet?
Click to expand...

And Istvn Szepsy.
Click to expand...

he makes vouvray now?
Click to expand...

Tony Hwang's partner at Huet, last I heard.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
??
Click to expand...

My understanding, subject to correction by you or other Loire mavens, was that Szepsy was also an investor along with Hwang.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by guilhaume:
originally posted by SFJoe:
Furmint has so much in common with chenin.
Click to expand...

Noel pinguet?
Click to expand...

And Istvn Szepsy.
Click to expand...

he makes vouvray now?
Click to expand...

Tony Hwang's partner at Huet, last I heard.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
??
Click to expand...

My understanding, subject to correction by you or other Loire mavens, was that Szepsy was also an investor along with Hwang.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...
First time I've heard that, I think?

Szepsy was a co-owner of Kiralyudvar in Tokaj with Tony, but I think Tony has bought him out, and he is definitely no longer involved in the winemaking. I had never heard that he was invested in Huet. It would seem implausible that a Hungarian vigneron would have accumulated enough forints by the mid-'90s to be making hard currency investments, just thinking about it.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:

Szepsy was a co-owner of Kiralyudvar in Tokaj with Tony, but I think Tony has bought him out, and he is definitely no longer involved in the winemaking. I had never heard that he was invested in Huet. It would seem implausible that a Hungarian vigneron would have accumulated enough forints by the mid-'90s to be making hard currency investments, just thinking about it.
Click to expand...

I know, I was thinking much the same as I wrote that response. FWIW, though, the sale was in the last 5-6 years, was it not? My source on this was a friend who was involved in the negotiations, so I'll put the question to him to make sure I've got my facts straight.

Mark Lipton
 
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