A powerful, elegant Blaufränkisch from Burgenland, sourced from old vines on Lutzmannsburg's volcanic soils and captivating with its dense fruit and fine minerality.
Bottler: Winery Moric, Kirchengasse 3, A-7051 Großhöflein / Austria
In the glass
Colour
Deep black-red with minimal violet lightening towards the rim.
Nose
A multi-layered bouquet of cassis, dark berries, roasted notes and cocoa, complemented by peat, fine leather, tobacco and Kampot pepper – revealing something new with every swirl.
Palate
Dense dark fruit meets exceptional minerality, polished tannins and a stimulating acidity – powerful, juicy and at the same time infinitely elegant.
Character
A monumental, self-assured wine – already magnificent now, with enormous ageing potential for the years to come.
Pairing
Kobe beef with Madagascar pepper and chard potato gratin, smoked pork belly with dried plum dumplings, or salsify with truffle and Brussels sprouts.
Notes
Many of the vines in Moric's vineyard sites are between 50 and 110 years old; in Lutzmannsburg they are rooted in a prehistoric volcano. Roland Velich's style – spontaneous fermentation, ageing in used large wooden casks, no filtration – has, according to James Suckling, made Moric one of the best wineries in the world.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Deep black-red, lightening towards the rim into minimal violet highlights – dark, dense, of almost nocturnal concentration.
Nose
A bouquet that opens in layers: cassis and dark berries, behind them roasted notes, cocoa, a hint of peat and fine leather. With every swirl, tobacco and Kampot pepper emerge. What is fascinating: despite all its power, this wine rests entirely within itself.
Palate
A monument of Blaufränkisch. Dense, dark fruit meets a minerality that is second to none. The tannins are finely polished, the acidity invigorating, and yet everything remains astonishingly juicy and elegant.
Finish
This wine is made for patience: anyone who opens it now already senses how magnificent it will be in a few years’ time.
Terroir & origin
The vines are rooted in Lutzmannsburg in Burgenland – on a prehistoric volcano whose iron-rich soils lend Moric’s Blaufränkisch an unmistakable minerality. What is special at Moric: many vines are 50 to 110 years old, genetic treasures from an era before the variety was bred for yield. Tiny yields, enormous concentration.
Grape variety & vinification
Roland Velich – formerly a ski instructor and croupier, named Winemaker of the Year by Falstaff in 2023 – vinifies his Blaufränkisch with a Burgundian approach: spontaneous fermentation in open wooden vats, 22 days of maceration, then 20 months on the fine lees in large, used wooden casks. No fining, no filtration. 13.5% vol., dry.
Food recommendations
A wine for discerning dining pleasures: black salsify with truffle and Brussels sprouts for vegetarian cuisine, alongside smoked pork belly with prune dumplings. For those who prefer something opulent: Kobe beef with Madagascar pepper, star anise and chard potato gratin.
Special features
According to James Suckling, Velich’s Moric ranks among the nine best wineries worldwide; in 2009, the Neckenmarkt Alte Reben was the first Austrian red wine to receive 95 Parker points. Within this success story, this Lutzmannsburg stands for a Burgenland of quiet grandeur. A large glass, a little air, then watch the bottle grow.
