Another summer is winding down, and foodies and wine geeks are starting to see red. Red wine, that is. Don’t worry, Austria has you covered. The country’s native red grape, Blaufränkisch, may be relatively unknown compared to the usual suspects like Pinots and Syrahs, but this versatile grape is slowly making its way onto wine lists and dinner tables everywhere, and with good reason.
Old School
Blaufränkisch has probably been around since the Middle Ages, the result of a natural crossing of Gouais Blanc and another, unknown variety. While the first documented mention of Blaufränkisch was recorded in 1862 at at a viticultural exposition in Vienna, the “Fränkisch” moniker was used for hundreds of years prior as a designation of quality, and the official name likely resulted from adding “Blau” (literally “blue”).
The world would have to wait over 100 years before the true potential of Blaufränkisch would become apparent, however. Up until the 1990s, the variety was prized for its high yields and blending capabilities, and was often produced in the young-drinking village style. But in 1993, Englebert Prieler took a chance and bottled the first single-vineyard Blaufränkisch, and while the wine was not an instant success, it served to illustrate that Austria’s native son was more than capable of producing terroir-expressive, ageworthy wines.
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Blaufränkischland
In the eastern part of Austria is a region known as Burgenland, stretching along the country’s border from Styria to Lake Neusiedl, and it is here that Blaufränkisch thrives. The warm Pannonian climate and rich, varied soils provide vintners with a unique opportunity to explore the different expressions of the variety.
The town of Horitschon, in a part of Burgenland nicknamed “Blaufränkischland,” is home to Weingut Weninger, the local authority on all things Blaufränkisch. Owner and winemaker Franz Reinhard Weninger farms the grape in several distinct terroirs in Burgenland, including slate, limestone, and deep, clay-rich loam. “The soil is the origin,” says Franz. Indeed, the famed transparency of Blaufränkisch to its vineyard site is supremely evident in Weninger’s diverse bottlings. From the clean, well-rounded and elegant examples from the slate and clay soils of the Saybritz and Dürrau, to the “challenging,” “electrifying” iteration from the limestone of the Kalkofen, Franz delights in letting his soils speak through the grape.
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2015 Blaufränkisch Horitschoner
Weingut Weninger
Variety: 100% Blaufränkisch
Vineyard: Chalybeate clay
Analysis: Alcohol: 13.2%, Acid: 5.4 g/L, Sugar: 1.1 g/L
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Let Them Eat Kék
Not content to rest on his laurels, Franz is always looking for new expressions of this grape, which brings us to the Hungarian town of Sopron, just across Austria’s eastern border. Long renowned as a premier wine region, the schist and gneiss soils of Sopron produce a much spicier, herbal, and tannic version of Kékfrankos, as the variety is known in Hungary. Franz actually began his winemaking journey here, managing his father’s winery operation in Sopron, and later took over winemaking at the Horitschon estate. Managing two wineries in different countries certainly presents challenges, but Franz, a veritable master of Blaufränkisch, produces outstanding wines from both estates year after year.
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2015 Kékfrankos Balf
Weingut Weninger
Variety: 100% Blaufränkisch
Vineyard: Schist, gneiss
Analysis: Alcohol: 12.7%, Acid: 5.7 g/L, Sugar: 0.8 g/L
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Meanwhile in Gols…
For a different take on Blaufränkisch, head north across Lake Neuseidl to the tiny village of Gols, where you’ll find Claus Preisinger’s sleek, modern looking winery. But behind the 21st-century facade, Claus’ approach to winemaking is positively low-tech, employing minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar. Claus focuses his efforts on producing wines that transparently communicate his terroir, and he is always exploring new (and sometimes old) ways of achieving this.
“A classic,” is how Claus describes his Kalkstein Blaufränkisch, and it does embody all the best traits of the variety. Grown in his limestone-rich vineyards around Gols, this more traditional iteration proves balanced, approachable, and of course, food-friendly.
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2016 Blaufränkisch Kalkstein
Weingut Claus Preisinger
Variety: 100% Blaufränkisch
Vineyard: Limestone, fossil chalk
Analysis: Alcohol: 12.7%, Acid: 6.4 g/L, Sugar: 1.3 g/L
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A “Capital” Plan
The aging of wine in clay amphorae dates back to ancient Greece. Most often used in the present day to produce skin-contact orange wines, Claus has adopted the technique for the vinification of Blaufränkisch from his Edelgraben vineyard site. The limestone-rich schist soils impart a bracing minerality to the wine, and aging in amphorae gives this wine a character all its own. Because this wine is unfiltered, it does not meet official appellation standards, and therefore cannot carry the “Edelgraben” name. Always clever, Claus combines the German words for “grapes, earth, air, grass, and vines,” into the wine’s moniker, using capital letters to hide the vineyard’s name, and creating perhaps the greatest tongue twister in wine history.
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2014 Blaufränkisch ErDELuftGRAsundreBEN
Weingut Claus Preisinger
Variety: 100% Blaufränkisch
Vineyard: “Edelgraben” single vineyard, schist and limestone
Analysis: Alcohol: 12.0%
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Applied Blaufränkisch
The real magic of Austria’s oldest red grape is how well it pairs with so many different foods. While its flavor profile runs the gamut from powerful and spicy to fruity and refreshing depending on terroir, all quality Blaufränkisch has a lovely acidity that makes it an especially versatile food wine. Whether you’re slow-roasting a pork tenderloin, grilling the perfect medium-rare steak, or just barbecuing some burgers on the deck, Blaufränkisch has you covered. With its many site-specific iterations you’re sure to find one that pairs with whatever you’re cooking.
Last month, Carlin Karr, the Wine Director at Boulder’s vaunted Frasca Food and Wine and Denver’s newly-opened Tavernetta, organized one of their famous Monday Wine Dinners centered on Austrian wine. Weninger’s 2011 Blaufränkisch Hochäcker made an appearance, paired with the star of the evening: pork loin with pureed squash and peaches. Carlin offered her thoughts on the selection:
“For me, Blaufränkisch is a grape that is meant for the table and is incredibly versatile. It pairs well with many things, but especially so with lean proteins like roasted chicken or pork loin. The greatest examples of Blaufränkisch like those from Weninger always remind me of northern Rhone syrah – driven by acidity – dark fruited with a mineral edge. Think of it as Northern Rhone Syrah meets you on the corner of great Cru Beaujolais.
They are fragrant and floral but with meaty undertones that keep you interested and wanting more. The clay/limestone mineral tones really come through on the palate. In the examples from Weninger, it really depends on vineyard site. My favorite is Kalkofen, driven by a limestone, chalky minerality that gives the wine lift and austerity. Purple flowers, blood, red berries, irises, and subtle ham notes make Blaufränkish one of the great reds of the old world. Not especially tannic, a lovely pairing for white meats like pork and chicken. Sides like squash and beets accentuate the dark fruit notes.”
With that in mind, we wanted to share the recipe from that dinner. Frasca’s Chef de Cuisine, Kodi Simkins was kind enough to divulge some secrets:
Frasca Food & Wine’s Pork Tenderloin with Squash Puree and Peaches*
By Chef Kodi Simkins
Squash puree:
1 onion (cut 1/8 inch julienne)
2 lbs. yellow squash (cut 1/4 inch length wise)
1c white wine
3c water
2Tbsp. sundried tomato
1 Calabrian chili(spicy!)
salt
Cook onion in 1 tsp. oil on low heat until translucent, stirring frequently. Stir frequently, Add squash and sundried tomato and continue on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of white wine and cook until the wine is almost gone. Add 3 cups of water, increase heat to medium, and cook until water is almost gone.
Transfer mixture to blender. Blend with chili, and salt and pepper to taste.
Keep warm for plating
Squash, corn and peach:
4 squash ( cut squash into 1/4inch cubes)
4 ears of corn( remove kernels from corn)
2 peaches cut into desired size pieces
Toss squash with oil and salt, place on sheet pan. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes, set aside
Toss corn with oil, place corn kernels on a sheet pan and bake at 350 for 3 minutes, mix with squash
Cut peach and set aside
Pork:
3-4 lbs. pork loin
Season pork with salt and pepper
Brown pork loin on all sides in 1 tsp. oil
The pork should have an internal temp of 120 (medium) if it does not place on a rack and put in the oven at 350. Check every 5 minutes for internal temp.
Once it reaches 120, let it rest for 10 minutes
Plating
Place warm squash puree on the bottom.
Place corn and squash on top
Place sliced pork on top
Place peaches around the plate
Finish with your favorite extra virgin olive oil
*For best results, pair with a Weninger Blaufränkisch
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A Gurner’s Tale
My own experience with Blaufränkisch was decidedly less fancy, but certainly no less magical. Our esteemed Roustabout, Louis, joined me at a backyard party to welcome some dear friends home after years spent living in Switzerland. The menu was an eclectic, last-minute affair, with no real theme other than grilling. Fortunately for all present, Louis is no stranger to cooking over fire, and he whipped up an absolutely incredible batch of Korean-style short ribs, sweet, spicy, and cooked perfectly. He also brought along Weninger’s 2013 Blaufränkisch Horitschoner, which, as you might have guessed, was the perfect wine to pair with those barbecued delights. Relaxing in the late-afternoon Colorado air, sipping wine and eating ribs, I took a moment to reflect on how incredibly lucky I am to be able to enjoy perfect moments like these, where many elements combine and complement each other in sometimes surprising ways.
Thomas Poe, Gurner
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#BFFF
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