Wine word trivia
Here’s a fun wine word trivia game: Where did the name of the tasty grape that made that wine originate? Pinot? Sauvignon? Merlot? Sangiovese? Furmint?
Pinot, it’s said, comes from an old French word meaning “pine cone,” because that’s what vine growers thought of when they saw the pointy shape of Pinot Noir grape clusters.
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Sauvignon? This name supposedly comes from the French “sauvage,” meaning “wild,” maybe because its parents Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc originated as wild grapes or perhaps because the vines are fast-growing and vigorous .
Merlot? The word mirrors “merle,” meaning “blackbird,” after the rich, dark color of the grape.
Tannat grapes are loaded with astringent tannins. Tempranillo traces back to Spanish words for “little early one” because they ripen fast. I want to believe the story that Sangiovese meant “Blood of Jupiter” in Latin, but it’s more likely named after a Tuscan town, San Giovanni … Saint John.
Who doesn’t love word games? Who doesn’t love wine? Why not bring them together! (Scrabble board concept generated with assistance from Meta AI.)
And so it goes. All it takes to play is a little curiosity, a Wi-Fi connection to your favorite search engine. And, of course, a glass of wine, ideally with a less familiar name. Like, for instance, today’s featured wine, a dry white made from the Hungarian grape Furmint.
Furmint – pronounced “Foor-mint,” according to HungarianWines.eu – gets its name from “froment,” the French word for “wheat,” and ultimately from “Frumentum,” the Latin word for “wheat” or “grain.”
U.S. importer Boutique Wine Collection says the name Furmint is based on the wheat-gold color of the wine that the grape produces. Whether the variety is originally Hungarian isn’t certain, but it’s been grown and used to make wine in Hungary’s Tokaj region since the 1200s. This particular wine is labeled “Evolúció” – the Hungarian word for “Evolution” – to hail the Hungarian wine industry’s move toward more high-quality dry Furmint wines.
Tokaji is best known for the rich and luscious Tokaji Aszú, a full-bodied, ageworthy sweet wine that’s been world-famous for centuries. It was the signature wine of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire and remains a popular dessert-wine option.
But Furmint is gaining increasing attention in modern times as a dry table wine, and that’s good news. Furmint makes an excellent dry white wine that’s typically rich and complex, framed with firm acidity that makes it food-friendly and potentially cellarworthy.
Fresh, complex, and intriguing, made without a hint of oak, Evolúció 2022 Tokaj Furmint is an excellent example of dry Furmint, and it’s a startling value in the mid-teens at many merchants. Highly recommended!
Part of the fun of wine comes from trying unfamiliar grapes and wines. Tell us about the most unusual wine you’ve tasted!
Today’s Tasting Report
Evolúció 2022 Tokaj Furmint ($14.99)
Brilliantly clear and pale straw in color with a greenish tinge, Evolúció 2022 Tokaj Furmint starts with a distinct grapefruit scent that quickly broadens into an appetizing mix of citrus and stone fruit that carries over intact in a mouth-filling, textured flavor shaped by brisk acidity that balances any hint of sweetness from its abundant fruit. A sense of stony minerality creeps in alongside tart, fresh citrus and stone fruit notes in a very long finish. Best served lightly chilled but not ice cold, so its subtle nuances can show, it wears its modest 12% alcohol lightly. U.S. importer: Boutique Wine Collection, Philadelphia. (Aug. 16, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: The back label suggests pairing it with salads, sushi, or white meats like chicken or pork, and those should work. We built a delicious plant-based riff on traditional Hungarian cuisine with a moderately spicy tofu paprikash.
WHEN TO DRINK: It’s so delicious now that it’s hard not to drink it up, but dry Furmint’s balance and acidity hold promise for lengthy cellaring. Here’s a good article on this from Decanter: The ageing potential of Furmint in Tokaj.
VALUE:
At Wine-Searcher.com’s $15 average U.S. retail and my local price, this fine Hungarian white is an outstanding bargain in the middle teens.
WEB LINK:
Here’s a detailed article (featuring an older vintage) from importer Boutique Wine Collection.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Evolúció Tokaj Furmint on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about the famously sweet Tokaji Aszú as well as the increasingly popular dry wines of Hungary’s Tokaj region at this Wine-Searcher link.
Click this Wine-Searcher link for more information about the Furmint grape variety of Tokaj.
Find the wines you want
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Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to find more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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Fascinating Robin. Thanks for the wine trivia. 🍷
Need prizes!