Blaufränkisch – 2019

Blaufränkisch from the Gernot Heinrich winery in Burgenland

Blaufränkisch from Gernot Heinrich is the estate's signature wine, grown on both sides of Lake Neusiedl and farmed biodynamically. This is not a heavy, oak-dominated single-vineyard wine, but an accessible organic red wine with dark berry fruit, soft tannins, and a touch of toasted spice.

Blaufränkisch is Austria's leading red grape variety, and this one comes from the Gernot Heinrich winery in Gols in the Austrian region of Burgenland. The grapes for the 2019 vintage grew partly on lime- and slate-rich soils on the eastern slopes of the Leitha Mountains, and partly on sandy loam on the southern slopes of the Parndorfer Platte. You can barely notice the 13.0 percent alcohol; it stands so upright in the glass.

Black currant, violets, and a hint of chocolate

First, black currant rises from the glass, followed by fine sour cherry, tart pomegranate, and the fragrant sweetness of blooming violets.

On the palate, the fruit takes a darker turn, and the acidity maintains the structure without becoming sharp. Joining the berry notes are chocolate and fine roasted aromas, which come from the long time spent in wood. The tannins are soft enough that this red wine is a pleasure to drink today and does not require further aging.

Blaufränkisch ripens late, often not until well into October, and retains a freshness that gives it contour even in warm years. This late ripening is the source of the peppery spice by which you can recognize the variety in the glass. It is considered the leading red variety in Austria and brings a dark seriousness here.

From wooden fermentation vats to used oak barrels

The hand-picking process stretches from mid-September to early October 2019, and what happens in the cellar afterward requires, above all, patience.

The grapes remain on the skins for two weeks, part in wooden fermentation vats and part in steel tanks. They are then gently pressed and ferment spontaneously, triggered solely by the yeasts from the vineyard. Added pure-culture yeast is fundamentally not used in this cellar.

After that, the difference to an ordinary vintage red wine lies in the calendar, because this wine remains in wood for four years. It rests partly in the fermentation vats and partly in used 500-liter barrels, the wood of which no longer imparts any fresh roasted aroma. It was not bottled until the end of August 2023, and this long rest explains its rounded form.

Where this red wine belongs at the table

Hearty dishes from the braising pot are looking for exactly this kind of companion—one that can handle fat and roasted aromas without taking over.

A beef goulash with plenty of onions accepts it easily as a partner, as does a roast pork with crispy crackling. A mature mountain cheese from the Alpine region brings out the chocolatey side of the wine at the end. It should be served at cellar temperature, as too much warmth takes away the freshness that makes it so drinkable.

A more serious version of the same grape variety is the Blaufränkisch Leithaberg 2017, which comes from old hillside vineyards in the Leitha Mountains. The Zweigelt 2019 from the same cellar shows the second leading Burgenland variety, built significantly lighter and cooler. Further bottles for the long evenings of the year can be found in our red wine collection.

Blaufränkisch – an organic wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Austria
• Region: Burgenland
• Biodynamically certified
• 100% Blaufränkisch
• 13.0% Alc. by Vol.
• 6.4 g/l acidity
• 3.0 g/l residual sugar

Organic inspection body AT-BIO-402 – Austrian Agriculture