Klearhos Kanellakis was born in Athens, Greece. After working for Michelin-star eating places and boutique inns in Greece he moved to London in 2015 to be a part of the opening crew at 67 Pall Mall. 4 years later he moved to Trivet restaurant, working with Isa Bal MS. Now he’s head sommelier and wine purchaser for the Nordic restaurant Ekstedt at The Yard in Westminster, a three way partnership between Nice Scotland Yard Resort and chef Niklas Ekstedt (one Michelin star at his Ekstedt, Stockholm).
In my early days working as a sommelier in Greece, I got here throughout a glass of Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2000. The style was unreal, and I made it my mission to study extra about Furmint, the principle grape behind it. Transferring to London, and dealing at members membership 67 Pall Mall, a Hungarian colleague, Eniko, launched me to the unctuous Essencia and dry Szamorodni kinds from the area. Extra pleasure constructed up. A couple of years later, I had the chance to tour the principle wine areas of Hungary, visiting Somló and Tokaj, and tasting many alternative variations of Furmint. Now I go to Hungary each time I can, as I’m hooked on discovering increasingly more kinds, and vintages of the grape.
Furmint for me is all about freshness, texture, magnificence and flexibility. It may well produce scrumptious, Chablis-like crisp, dry wines and as much as a Chassagne-Montrachet degree of richness if we evaluate it with Chardonnay; and from trocken [dry] to TBA ranges of sweetness if evaluating it with Riesling. It may well make glowing, and even vin jaune-type wines, too (matured biologically underneath a layer of flor).
It’s a terroir-specific grape, like Pinot Noir. I’m fortunate to have skilled the variations between crus corresponding to Szent Tamás and Mézes Mály after I visited The Royal Tokaji Wine Firm, and Oreg Király when at Barta. In Somló, I met winemaker Károly Kolonics and he launched me to a richer Furmint model: textural, juicy, riper and fuller in physique than many I had tried in Tokaj. I used to be amazed at what this grape may present when grown in a hotter area, on basalt soils.
Versatile associate
Relating to meals pairing, Furmint is an extremely adaptable grape in its many expressions. The freshness and citrus character of dry Furmint works effectively with Japanese delicacies (notably sushi and sashimi). The dry, single-cru Furmints, with their construction and richer mouthfeel, work effectively with wealthy seafood, scallops and fish programs
like lobster in creamy sauces. On one event, at residence, I paired the dry Király Furmint from Juliet Victor with orzo pasta, prawns and lemon zest – it was an ideal match, the salty notes of the prawns contrasting with the fruity and mineral notes of the Furmint.
Candy Furmints are a dream match for any fruit tarts. Apple, peach or cherry tarts (tarte tatin is a private favorite) will fantastically pair with the balanced sweetness and the large vary of Furmint’s flavours like honey, ginger, peach, apricot and orange blossom.
Szamorodni and late-harvest Tokaji, that are much less candy than the 5-6 puttonyos class, pair effectively with spicy Indian meals, making the extent of spice seem milder. The saffron and ginger spice of the botrytis highlights the Asian spice profile of the dishes.
Uncover Furmint: Kanellakis’ two to strive
We’re focusing right here on the drier facet of the grape. First, Juliet Victor, Király Dry Furmint 2017 (£41.69 Vida Wines & Spirits). The Király winery is among the steepest in Tokaj and produces targeted wines, with minerality, recent citrus notes and the construction to age for a decade a minimum of.
The Sanzon, Rány Furmint 2018, on our restaurant checklist (or £18.90 Hungarian Wine Home), has 5g/L residual sugar and so is barely off-dry. It’s a cooler, extra delicate expression, lighter and extra floral than the Király wine, with a creating nostril of stone fruits, honey and a contact of saffron from the botrytis. Erika, who runs the small household vineyard, produces about 2,000 bottles. I’d advocate ready for 3 or 4 years after the classic to open these wines, when the fruit profile can be extra developed.
