Another week and another new country, this week we are heading to Austria. Not necessarily the first country that people think of when they are considering their wine options, but certainly one that shouldn’t be over looked.

Our wine of the week is Höpler Blaufränkisch

For those of you who have been around for a while the name Höpler may be familiar. A very fortunate visit by Jost Höpler to Malton in the 1980s started off a brilliant relationship between ourselves and the Höpler family and we have continued to champion and import their wines ever since.

Most of Austria’s vineyards are found to the east of the country which has a cool, continental climate with warm days and cold nights. This means that Austrian white wines tend to have racy acidity and the reds are elegant, light and and fruity. Höpler wines are no different, with their vineyards being located in Burgenland, on the north west shore of Lake Neusiedl. As with much of Europe, wine has been made here since roman times but it really took off with the Cistercian monks in the 13th century.

There are a number of Austrian native grape varieties that are commonly used in the country but not heard about outside of it. Gruner Veltliner (one of Dad’s absolute favourites) and Zweigelt are two of the most common. Blaufränkisch, which is what we have for you this week, is also a big part of Austrian wine production, being the second most planted red grape in Austria. 93% of the total plantings of this grape in Austria are in Burgenland as the climatic conditions with warm summer days are preferable for this grape.

So what can you expect from this Austrian wine? Well, Blaufränkisch is known for producing medium bodied wines with rich black fruit and peppery notes. This bottle from Höpler is beautifully velvety with juicy fruits. It is very drinkable on its own but will also pair well a variety of foods, especially roasted meats such such as Chicken or Belly Pork.

Usually £12, this wine will be £10 this week.
 
75cl
13.5% ABV