Moric Estate Blaufrankisch 2008

The more I taste Blaufrankisch the more I love those wild flavours mixed with tannins. If I had to say what they taste like, it would be a mix of Burgundy and Syrah. Most of the time they are medium bodied food friendly wines of personality and interest. Furthermore, they are cheap for the quality they provide.

Moric Estate Blaufrankisch 2008

This wines reminds me of when I was a kid playing in the mud in spring. I would go pick a mix of blackberries, cherries and raspberries and take them down to the creek, where I could make the best fruit mud pie.  If you could add a bit of spice and tree bark, you have the flavours of this wine. The wine is in the serious end of town with a mass of tannin leaving my top lip sticking to my gums. Yum!

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $60
Rated: 90
Drink: 2012 - 2020
Importer: Decant Wines

Weingut Moric Burgenland Blaufrankisch 2009

If you aren't familiar with the growing seasons in Austria, the 2009 vintage was similar to the 09 Burgundy conditions.  Brilliant, with a little more fruit than is normal for the region. 

Moric Burgenland Blaufrankisch 2009

The wine starts out with a little cherry and mulberries dusted with Indian spice.  These are so seductive I didn't want to take another sip just in case I was dreaming.  Luckily, this is the real deal. Everything fills out in  the mouth with a wealth of ultra fine tannins spreading joy as it travels. 

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $35
Rated: 91
Drink: Now - 2019

Importer: Decant Wines 

Pittnauer St Laurent 'Dorflagen' Villages 2009

Austria makes some world class wines but this was not always the case.  In the early to mid-1980 a few events resulted in one of the most spectacular scandals of recent time.  Much of the wines Austria were producing went straight to the German bulk wine market but the Germans wanted the sweetness and ripeness level to be much higher than Austria could produce at that stage.  So what did they do? They added Diethylene glycol which was difficult to detect but added everything that the Austrians needed to sell their flavourless and acidic wine.  This sounds like such a brilliant plan! Provide for the consumer and be undetectable.  So how did they get caught? Income tax returns.  They claimed the Diethylene glycol as a tax write off.  As a result the government placed strict laws on yields and quality thus eradicating the practices and forming the base of all the quality wines that are now on the market.

Pittnauer St Laurent 'Dorflagen' Villages 2009

The wine is definitely darker and spicier than the Klassic yet it retains the medium bodied frame.  The acidity really brightens up the flavours, leaving my mouth running like tap.  The tannin structure is also ramped up a level or two but it never dominates or takes anything away from the overall feel of the wine. Love it.

Alcohol: 13%
Price: $32
Rated: 90
Drink: 2011 - 2018

Importer: Decant Wines