Many people associate Austria with Grüner Veltliner, which has increasingly become more popular in recent years, especially during summer. And I totally get it — Grüners can be thirst-quenching wines with tons of fresh acidity, citrus and peppery notes. There are, however, some fun red wines coming out of Austria, too. Take, for instance, Blaufränkisch (Blauw-frank-ish). Blaufränkisch grapes can make deliciously spicy, earthy and deeply colored medium-bodied wines, but I admit they’re not always easy to find. So I was super excited when I received two Blaufränkisch wines in my Les Marchands wine club shipments — one from Austria and one from California. You can bet I took the opportunity to taste and compare!
Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is one of the main red grapes of Austria, made mostly in the Burgenland region of eastern Austria. It’s also the leading red grape of Hungary, where it’s called Kekfrankos, and does well in Germany, where it’s known as Lemberger. Not all Blaufränkisch wines are created equal, of course, but when done well, they have tasty red berry or purple fruit flavors, dry tannins and a distinct spiciness. You don’t see them too often in California, but there are a few producers who make it, like Solminer right here in Santa Barbara, and Hatton Daniels, which I recently discovered in my Les Marchands Outliers Wine Club.
You’ve probably heard me talk about Les Marchands’ wine clubs in the past, but for a refresher, I’m in two of their five clubs: Les Marchands Club, which focuses on more traditional wines from major wine regions, and the Outliers Club, which tends to push boundaries a bit with unique wines from more unusual places. While it’s fun to get wines from one particular producer, I like these clubs because they offer such great variety from all over the world, and they really help expand the palate.
When I recently received two different Blaufränkisch wines — one from Austria and one from Lodi, California, of all places — I couldn’t wait to try them side by side!
2017 Hatton Daniels Blaufränkisch ($26)
The grapes for this wine come from Mokelumne Glen Vineyard in Lodi, where they grow an astonishing 40+ different Austrian and German cultivars. As you may have guessed, this is the largest, most serious collection of German and Austrian grapes in the US. This wine is a bit lighter in style, with tons of acid and a lot of funk. Definitely a fun wine and completely unexpected from a region most known for its Old Vine Zinfandel.
2015 Moric Blaufränkisch ($30)
Grown on the border of Hungary in the Mittelburgenland region of Austria, this Blaufränkisch expresses rich minerality and enticing notes of licorice, boysenberry and red fruit. The club notes say it “combines the pleasure of Piemontese Nebbiolo and Burgundian Pinot Noir” and I couldn’t agree more. I loved that it kept evolving after some time in the glass, too. This region is becoming known for its increasingly sophisticated versions of Blaufränkisch and this is a good example of that finessed style. I dug it!
Food Pairings
Because Blaufränkisch wines tend to be medium-bodied with racy acidity, they’re pretty food friendly wines. Try with hard cheeses and berries, chicken, duck and any kind of lighter meat, like pork, lamb or even wild boar.
Would I have ever tasted these wines if I weren’t in these clubs? Maybe one, but not likely both… especially side by side. That’s why I am always a fan of wine clubs that help open up your mind to the world of wine, challenge your palate and most importantly, include tasty wines.
If you’re a fan of Pinot Noir or Carmenere and are looking for a unique alternative, you’ll probably enjoy Blaufränkisch. They’re fun wines to discover when you just want something a little different. Have you tried one before? Cheers!
