Schwarz “The Butcher” Blaufränkisch
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This wine comes from the Leithaber, Burgenland appellation, one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. The area is particularly famous for its distinctive red and white wines.
- Due to the region’s closeness to Lake Neusiedl and the Leitha Mountains, the grapes enjoy a year-round macroclimate. Warm winds help in berry ripening, while colder evenings promote fruitiness and age-worthiness.
Varietal Composition: 100% Blaufränkisch
Elaboration: 12 months aging in used barrique oak barrels. Suggested serving temperature of 15º – 17ºC or 59º – 63ºF.
Tasting Notes: This Blaufränkisch is bursting with strength: after 12 months in wood, it shows ripe cherry fruit, dark berry jam and unbelievable expression of minerality.
PRESS
2018 – 90 Falstaff
2019 – 90 Falstaff
2020 – 92 Falstaff | 90 Wine Enthusiast
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Hans Schwarz’s career actually began as a butcher, hence his nickname, “The Butcher”. Hans is a true “Burgenlander” which means he is a hunter and a farmer. His vines lay perched atop a plot in the unusually warm Andau sub-region of Burgenland, with a soil and sun exposure considered to be the greatest in all of Austria for dry red wines.
In the beginning, with the exception of a small production of the house wine “Giovanni”, the Schwarz family primarily grew and sold their grapes to the local winegrower’s cooperative and wine master Alois Kracher. Enthusiastic about the excellent quality of the grapes, the Alois encouraged him to try his hand as a winemaker. With the help of Kracher and Manfred Krankl (Sine Qua Non winery), the first wine under its own name came onto the market in 1999.
Following the success story of Hans Schwarz, his son Michael took over the winery in 2017, who had previously gained professional experience on the Saar, Mallorca, southern France and Australia.