Here at Wine School, we live for wines like Austrian blaufränkisch, wines of beauty and place that, for myriad reasons, are not well known or highly valued, and therefore are relatively inexpensive. They were: Moric Burgenland 2014; Anita & Hans Nittnaus Burgenland Kalk und Schiefer 2014; and Wachter-Wiesler Eisenberg Bela-Joska 2013. Like many historic European wine regions, Austria has winemaking traditions that date back centuries, yet its modern wine industry is paradoxically young. Unlike the regions west of Vienna, where white grapes rule, reds dominate the Burgenland: blaufränkisch as well as zweigelt, St. Laurent and international varieties like pinot noir and merlot. It was not the best face for blaufränkisch, and once producers like Moric began to demonstrate the innate beauty of blaufränkisch made with elegance in mind, the evolution was swift.

Source: New York Times September 28, 2017 18:45 UTC