Blaufränkisch Leithaberg – 2017

Blaufränkisch Leithaberg DAC from the Gernot Heinrich Winery

Blaufränkisch Leithaberg from Gernot Heinrich bears a protected designation of origin in its name and comes from the limestone soil on the western side of the lake. This is no soft flatterer, but a taut, site-specific red wine with dark cherry, fine-grained tannin, and a length that tastes of stone.

Blaufränkisch Leithaberg is a red wine with a protected designation of origin from the Gernot Heinrich winery in Gols, in Austria's Burgenland region, harvested in the 2017 vintage from old hillside vineyards near Jois, Winden, and Breitenbrunn. Beneath the vines lie fossil-rich limestone, calcareous sandstone, and mica schist, and the wine possesses 13.0 percent alcohol, which it carries effortlessly in the glass.

Dark cherry over a core of stone

On the nose, red currant, ripe cherry, and tart blueberry sit side-by-side, with an earthy trace of autumn leaves and roasted root vegetables running beneath them.

On the palate, this vintage proves significantly tauter than its older brother, as the acidity is still very much at the forefront. The fine-grained tannin takes a noticeable hold, spreading across the tongue like fine, dry sand. The length remains austere and stony, exactly as the limestone beneath the vines dictates.

It softens with time in the glass, and those opening it today would do well to use a decanter. In a few years, you will find this same bottle rounder and calmer, as the tannin will then be integrated. Until then, it remains a wine for people who do not view edges in a red wine as a flaw.

What the designation of origin on the Leithaberg means

Leithaberg DAC is a protected origin for wines from the Leithaberg, the wooded ridge on the western side of Lake Neusiedl.

Only a few varieties are permitted there, and the red wine must be made entirely from Blaufränkisch. It may only grow on limestone and schist, not on the sandy loam of the lake's opposite shore. Because the ridge tempers the heat and keeps the nights cool, the wines turn out finer than those from the eastern shore.

The grapes were harvested from the end of September to the beginning of October, after which they spent three full weeks macerating in wooden fermentation vats. Fermentation was spontaneous and pressing was gentle using a basket press, followed by 25 months of aging in used 500-liter oak barrels. It was bottled in December 2019, and behind the wine are biodynamic vineyards and membership in respekt-BIODYN.

At the table with lamb and beetroot

Lamb on the bone demands exactly this type of tannin, as the fine-grained tannins clear away the film of fat while the acidity makes the roast seem fresh again.

A bowl of roasted beetroot pairs directly with the earthy side of the wine. A mature hard cheese with salt crystals draws a savory line under the whole experience at the end. Serve it cool from the cellar, as too much warmth makes the tannin appear edgy.

The Blaufränkisch Leithaberg 2014 from the same hillsides shows what this same wine tastes like after another decade. The more affordable Blaufränkisch 2019 provides an introduction to the variety and comes from both sides of the lake. All bottles from the estate can be found at the Gernot Heinrich Winery, organized there by color, site, and vintage.

Blaufränkisch Leithaberg – a wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Austria
• Region: Burgenland
• Leithaberg DAC
• Grape variety: Blaufränkisch
• 13.0% vol. alcohol
• 6.0 g/l acidity
• 1.0 g/l residual sugar

Organic control body AT-BIO-402 – Austrian Agriculture