Blaufränkisch Alter Berg Leithaberg DAC 2017

Wine Description for Blaufränkisch Alter Berg Leithaberg DAC 2017 by Heinrich

Colour & Appearance

A rather transparent ruby red in the glass that, despite its translucency, radiates a remarkable density and depth – typical of a Blaufränkisch aged on limestone from the Leithaberg.

Nose

Cool and intense, this wine presents itself on the bouquet. Black cherries and sour cherries dominate, accompanied by plums and sloes. Beneath lies an earthy layer with undergrowth, damp forest floor and a hint of ivy. The mineral component reveals itself in notes of damp stone with pronounced petrichor. To this are added subtle hints of aged game and fermented cardamom – a complex, multi-layered aromatics that rewards patience.

Palate

After decanting, the true greatness of this Blaufränkisch unfolds. An immense tension and vibrating minerality pulse through the wine. The dark black fruit is carried by a purist clarity and cool finesse. Flashing moments of sweet fruit and subtle yeast notes lend this otherwise so reductive wine a charming counterpoint. This is Blaufränkisch in its clearest, unvarnished form – precise, tense, alive.

Finish

Long, mineral and cool, fading with lingering cherry fruit and stony precision.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from the south-east facing hillside vineyard Windener Alter Berg in the Leithagebirge. The sparse limestone soil shapes the character decisively. Above, cool forest provides shelter; below, the view opens onto Lake Neusiedl – cherry trees grow between the vine rows, lending the wine an additional aromatic dimension.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Hand-harvested Blaufränkisch in early October, spontaneously fermented over three weeks in wooden fermentation vats on the skins. Gentle pressing with a basket press, followed by 29 months of ageing in cellar amphora and used 500-litre oak barrels. A natural, artisanal approach that gives maximum expression to the terroir.

Food Recommendations

Braised venison shoulder with redcurrant jelly, dark chocolate and Brussels sprouts, filet mignon filled with chestnuts and plums or vegetarian with leek lasagne with Bleu des Causses and walnuts.

Special Characteristics

A prime example of the new Austrian Blaufränkisch school: reductive, cool, mineral – a wine that requires time and air to reveal its full complexity. With moderate 13% alcohol, a textbook example of elegance over power.