Comparison
Dry Furmint vs Savennières
How Dry Furmint and Savennières differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Savennières has more earthy character; Savennières has more alcohol; Dry Furmint has more fruit intensity.
Choose
Savennières
Choose Savennières if you want something earthier, stronger and warmer, more savoury.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Earthy character
Clear differenceForest floor, mushroom, wet stone, clay and undergrowth notes. Frequently, though not exclusively, associated with cooler and more traditional styles.
Savennières is earthier: medium against low.
Alcohol
Clear differencePerceived alcoholic strength, which tracks actual ABV but is modified by sweetness, acidity and body.
Savennières is stronger and warmer: medium-plus against medium.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Dry Furmint is fruitier: medium-plus against medium.
Oak influence
Clear differencePerceptible impact of barrel or alternative oak contact — vanilla, toast, coconut, smoke, cedar and added texture.
Dry Furmint is more oaky: medium against low-medium.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Savennières is more savoury: medium-plus against medium.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Dry Furmint is spicier: low-medium against low.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Acidity: Similar — both high.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Body: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Dry Furmint | Savennières |
|---|---|---|
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Spice | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Serve at | 10–12°C | 11–14°C |
| Typical flavours | quince, green apple, lime, smoke, beeswax | quince, chamomile, beeswax, wet wool, bruised apple |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.