Comparison
Furmint vs Grüner Veltliner
How Furmint and Grüner Veltliner differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Furmint has more sweetness; Grüner Veltliner has more herbal / green character; Grüner Veltliner has more spice.
Choose
Furmint
Choose Furmint if you want something sweeter, fresher and more acidic, fuller and richer.
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.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Furmint is sweeter: medium against low.
Herbal / green character
Clear differenceHerbs, grass, blackcurrant leaf, capsicum and other green notes, largely driven by methoxypyrazines and picking decisions.
Grüner Veltliner is more herbal and green: medium against low.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Grüner Veltliner is spicier: medium-plus against low-medium.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Furmint is fresher and more acidic: high against medium-plus.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Furmint is fuller and richer: medium-plus against medium.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Furmint is fruitier: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Floral character: Similar — both low.
- Earthy character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Furmint | Grüner Veltliner |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | typically medium, ranging from low to high (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Spice | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Acidity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| 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 low-medium (2/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| 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) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 12–15°C | 10–13°C |
| Typical flavours | quince, green apple, lime, smoke, beeswax | green apple, white pepper, lentil, celery, grapefruit |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Furmint
Hungary’s great white variety: high in acid, smoky and structured, and the backbone of both dry Tokaji and Tokaji Aszú.
Grape
Grüner Veltliner
Austria’s signature white: dry, high in acid, with a distinctive white-pepper and lentil savouriness.
Comparison
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Comparison
Furmint vs Riesling
Both are made across the full range from bone-dry to intensely sweet, and both are famous for acidity — so which one does what.