CleverRoot

f a l l 2 0 1 7 | 5 3 For centuries, Furmint has been the star grape in Hungary's famous Tokaji dessert wines, noted for their sweetness, but a new wine, Mád Furmint, is of- fering a dry, mineral-laced take on the classic variety. Lukshon has embraced this new style of dry Furmint, and is offering Mád on its by-the-glass menu. The goal is to give adventuresome eaters the opportunity to broaden their culinary and wine horizons in one fell swoop, offering a lesson in un- common pairings with unique world wines (there's no Napa Cab on this menu!). "Our entire menu is a little esoteric," explains General Manager Nick Shultz, who strives to introduce not only a new wine region with Tokaj, but also a new grape, Furmint, to guests by giving them a point of reference. "While guests may not know the grape, we're able to explain that it is a crisp, dry and acidic wine, and if you like Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre, you'll like these wines," contin- ues Shultz. "It's all about starting a dialogue with the guest." While the dialogue begins with words, it contin- ues on the palate, with the crisp and dry style of the Mád Furmint standing up to the bold flavors in Yoon's cuisine. To put the wines to the test, Yoon whipped up two of his signature dishes, Sichuan dumplings and heirloom black rice. First up: the dumplings, an upscale take on the Chinese classic, offer Kurobuta pork, spicy ma-la vinaigrette, sesame and peanuts. "One of the things I like best about dry Furmint is its ability to stand up to bold Asian spices," says Shultz. "Ingredients like Sichuan pepper and chilis can numb the palate, but the acidity and minerality of the wine can cut through those big flavors." Agrees Yoon, "Red chilis can blow everything else out of the water. But I like wines from this region for their floral, herbaceous and mineral-driven flavors. They have enough power to compete with these spices. It's about matching power with power." Despite having enough muscle to match big food flavors, Mád Furmint also won't over- power dishes with more nuanced notes, like the heirloom black rice with lap cheong, garlic, onion and a farm-fresh fried egg. "This is a great pairing," explains Yoon. "The black rice has a very nutty, full-of-grain flavor, the yolk gives you that unctuous creaminess and the Chinese sausage adds a sweetness. From a visual perspective, you'd look at that dish and think it would be paired with a red wine, but the Mád is a great match." Finding pairings in unlikely places keeps both Shultz and Yoon working hard to push their customers' culinary boundaries. "The wine list is an extension of the menu," explains Yoon. "As a chef, I believe that if you've made a decision to do something adventurous food- wise, you should offer your guests an equally adventurous wine list." With pairings as unlikely as Southeast Asian foods and Hungarian wines, we call that Mis- sion Accomplished, chef. MÁD Furmint is imported by Vinum Tokaj International LLC. and distributed exclusively in North America by Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Chef Sang Yoon finishes his dish of heirloom black rice with a farm- fresh fried egg. Lukshon's General Manager Nick Shultz thinks Furmint wines are an unusual but fitting match for bold Chinese flavors: "Ingredients like Sichuan pepper and chilis can numb the palate, but the acidity and minerality of the wine can cut through those big flavors." ■cr

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