Blaufränkisch from Austria and Germany in comparison

The two unstoppables

18 April, 2024

of Marcus Hofschuster in Tasting Sandra Fehr

As many readers will have noticed by now, we here in the tasting room have a soft spot for the Blaufränkisch, which is usually called Lemberger in Germany. Still, it probably has to be said.

Sandra Fehr

More and more German producers are starting to use the internationally recognised designation, at least for their best wines. The producers committed to the variety not only want to make it clear where their great role models lie. They are also clearly distinguishing themselves from the old Lemberger style, which has long been cultivated not only by Württemberg co-operatives. For a long time, this was characterised by wines with little substance, literally soft-boiled, banal and often a little sweet.

However, the basic character of Blaufränkisch is quite different. If it is not given too many oenological "blessings" and the yields are kept in check, it tends towards tart, dark fruit, usually reminiscent of blackberries and sour cherries, with crisp acidity and prominent, taut tannins. The very best examples can achieve a brilliance and freshness with an extremely firm structure and great aromatic depth that is rarely found anywhere else in the world of wine. Their character is somewhat reminiscent of a blend of excellent Nordrhone Syrah and Pinot Noir from Burgundy, but they taste completely unique. As the Blaufränkisch does not tend to have particularly high alcohol levels, many high-class wines are surprisingly light, and even the uncomplicated basic wines often turn out significantly better than other reds in their price range.

Unfortunately, not all winemakers rely on the natural qualities of Blaufränkisch, even among those who know their trade. Thanks to its acidity and tannin structure, the variety can also cope with (natural or mechanised) must concentration, high alcohol levels and a spirited supply of new wood; there are many examples of cellar-finished examples that can be attested to technically outstanding quality. But character and origin are reliably driven out of the Blaufränkisch, in Germany as well as in Austria and everywhere else you can find it.

Fortunately, producers here and there are becoming increasingly aware of this. For the best German examples, this means that they are increasingly hot on the heels of the great Austrian role models - and thus deserve the name Blaufränkisch all the more. But Austria's leading Blaufränkisch winegrowers are not sleeping: they have already reached the world class with their top wines.

We have currently tasted around 90 Lemberger/Blaufränkisch wines from Germany and Austria - without claiming to be exhaustive, but with some of the best representatives from both countries. We present the best here. As always, all results are linked at the end of the individual categories.

Germany

Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann — 2021 Fellbach Lämmler Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken 92 WP excellent 62.00 €

Weingut Aldinger — 2021 Fellbach Lämmler Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs 92 WP excellent 45.00 €

Weingut Karl Haidle — 2021 Stetten Gernhalde Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 91 WP excellent 58.00 €

Weingut Heid — 2021 Fellbach Lämmler Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken 91 WP excellent 35.00 €

Weingut Albrecht Schwegler — 2020 Lemberger Reserve 91 WP excellent 38.00 €

Weingut Wachtstetter — 2019 Pfaffenhofen Spitzenberg Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 32.80 €

Weingut Eisele — Neckar 2021 Lemberger Landwein trocken "Muschelkalk" Goldkapsel 90 WP excellent 25.00 €

Weingut Dautel — 2020 Cleebronn Michaelsberg Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 42.00 €

Weingut Karl Haidle — 2021 Stetten Berge Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 48.00 €

Weingut Jürgen Ellwanger — 2021 Hebsacker Berg Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 33.00 €

Weingut Beurer — 2019 Stetten Mönchberg Lemberger VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken 'Schalksberg' 35.00 €

Patrizierhof - Weingut Gasthof Hotel - Familie Grebner — Franconia/Franken 2020 Großlangheim Kiliansberg Blaufränkisch trocken "von Wîg" 90 WP excellent 21.00 €

Weingut Zimmerle — 2020 Korb Berg Lemberger trocken "Goldadler" 89 WP very good 36.00 €

Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder — 2020 Schozach Roter Berg Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 89 WP very good 28.30 €

Weingut Wachtstetter — 2020 Pfaffenhofen Hohenberg Lemberger VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Junges Schwaben" 89 WP very good 32.80 €

Weingut Eisele — Neckar 2021 Lemberger Landwein trocken "Gipskeuper" Goldkapsel 89 WP very good 25.00 €

Weingut Karl Haidle — 2021 Stetten Häder Lemberger VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good 25.90 €

Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann — Schwaben 2020 Lemberger Landwein trocken "Simonroth®" 89 WP very good 24.00 €

Weingut G.A. Heinrich — 2019 Heilbronn Löwenherz Lemberger trocken 89 WP very good 30.00 €

Weingut Wöhrwag — 2021 Untertürkheim Herzogenberg Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 89 WP very good 27.50 €

Weingut Lassak GbR — 2017 Lemberger trocken 89 WP very good 16.00 €

Weingut Wachtstetter — 2019 Pfaffenhofen Hohenberg Lemberger VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Ernst Combé" 88 WP very good 19.80 €

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2022 Würzburg Stein Blaufränkisch VDP.Erste Lage trocken 88 WP very good 19.90 €

Weingut G.A. Heinrich — 2020 Heilbronn Stiftsberg Lemberger trocken "G.A." 88 WP very good 25.00 €

Fellbacher Weingärtner eG — 2019 Fellbach Lämmler Lemberger Grosses Gewächs trocken 88 WP very good 28.50 €

Weingut Kistenmacher-Hengerer — 2018 Heilbronn Stiftsberg Lemberger VDP.Erste Lage trocken 88 WP very good 19.90 €

All wines

Austria

Weingut Ernst Triebaumer — Burgenland 2020 Ried Mariental Blaufränkisch trocken

Weingut Ernst Triebaumer — Burgenland 2021 Ried Mariental Blaufränkisch trocken

Anita und Hans Nittnaus — Burgenland 2019 Leithaberg DAC Ried Jungenberg Blaufränkisch trocken 95 WP great 59.00 €

Weingut Weninger GmbH — Burgenland 2017 Mittelburgenland Ried Dürrau Blaufränkisch trocken Up to 60.00 €

Weingut Weninger GmbH — Burgenland 2018 Mittelburgenland Ried Dürrau Blaufränkisch trocken Up to 60.00 €

Weingut Dorli Muhr — Lower Austria/Niederösterreich 2019 Carnuntum DAC Ried Spitzerberg Erste ÖTW Ried trocken "Obere Spitzer" 93 WP excellent Up to 100.00 €

Weingut Dorli Muhr — Lower Austria/Niederösterreich 2020 Carnuntum DAC Ried Spitzerberg Erste ÖTW Ried trocken "Obere Roterd" 93 WP excellent Up to 100.00 €

Weingut Kollwentz — Burgenland 2019 Ried Point 91 WP excellent 62.00 €

Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer — Burgenland 2020 Ried Ungerberg Blaufränkisch trocken 34.00 €

Reumann Josef und Maria — Burgenland 2020 Mittelburgenland DAC Ried Altes Weingebirge Blaufränkisch Reserve trocken 90 WP excellent 42.00 €

Weingut Dorli Muhr — Lower Austria/Niederösterreich 2020 Carnuntum DAC Ried Kirchweingarten Erste ÖTW Ried trocken 90 WP excellent Up to 50.00 €

Weingut Stefan Zehetbauer — Burgenland 2020 Leithaberg DAC Ried Steinberg Blaufränkisch trocken 89 WP very good 26.00 €

Weingut Stefan Zehetbauer — Burgenland 2017 Leithaberg DAC Ried Steinberg Blaufränkisch trocken "LATE RELEASE" 89 WP very good 29.00 €

Reumann Josef und Maria — Burgenland 2020 Deutschkreutz Blaufränkisch trocken 89 WP very good 11.90 €

Bioweingut Moritz (Rotweinbau Moritz) — Austria 2020 Blaufränkisch trocken "NIX" 88 WP very good 33.00 €

Bioweingut Moritz (Rotweinbau Moritz) — Burgenland 2021 Ried Hochäcker Blaufränkisch trocken "Handmade" 88 WP very good 26.00 €

Weingut Stefan Zehetbauer — Burgenland 2020 Leithaberg DAC Ried Reckenschink Blaufränkisch trocken 88 WP very good 26.00 €

Hammer Wein Rust - Mag. Markus Hammer — Burgenland 2017 Blaufränkisch "Rusterberg" 88 WP very good Up to 20.00 €

Weingut Dorli Muhr — Lower Austria/Niederösterreich 2020 Carnuntum DAC Ried Spitzerberg Erste ÖTW Ried trocken "Kranzen" 88 WP very good Up to 50.00 €

Weingut Dorli Muhr — Lower Austria/Niederösterreich 2020 Carnuntum DAC Prellenkirchen Blaufränkisch trocken "Samt & Seide" 88 WP very good Up to 25.00 €

Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer — Burgenland 2021 Blaufränkisch trocken "Heideboden" 10.00 €

All wines

Vintage 2022

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2022 Würzburg Stein Blaufränkisch VDP.Erste Lage trocken 88 WP very good 19.90 €

Weingut Karl Haidle — 2022 Stetten Lemberger VDP.Ortswein trocken 87 WP very good 16.90 €

Weingut Stefan Zehetbauer — Burgenland 2022 Leithaberg DAC Blaufränkisch trocken 86 WP very good 11.00 €

Weingut Karl Haidle — 2022 Stetten Lemberger VDP.Gutswein trocken "Kalk & Ton" 86 WP very good 10.90 €

All wines

Vintage 2021

Weingut Ernst Triebaumer — Burgenland 2021 Ried Mariental Blaufränkisch trocken

Weingut Weninger GmbH — Austria 2021 Blaufränkisch Landwein trocken "Say" Up to 35.00 €