Saturday, May 9, 2015

Red Wine Triangles and Squares

It’s always fun bringing out and opening something a bit different for visitors to taste and drink.  Most of us have our preferences and favourites, despite trying to keep an open mind.  It’s a pleasant surprise when a new and seldom seen wine hits the spot, as it did with the Folder and the Spoker, then the Pinger.  SWMBO and I had tasted this before, but only in passing at a tasting.

In its homeland of the Burgenland of Austria, the Blaufrankisch is the Cabernet Sauvignon equivalent with its dark colour, black fruit, drive and structure, but a more thoughtful insight that it sits in the middle of the triangle formed by Syrah from the Rhone with its spice, Nebbiolo from Piedmont with its tannin structure and Pinot Noir from Burgundy with its smooth and silken textures.  We see it that way too.

The 2011 Moric ‘Reserve’ Burgenland Blaufrankisch is certainly a big wine.  The black-red colour lets you know something significant is on its way.  Then the nose, intriguing and different, yes, unique.  Black fruits, with ripeness and sweetness, and also a savoury meaty and game hint.  No brettanomyces here though, but if anything a mineral aspect.  With breathing, love aromatic fruit emerges, blackberries and florals.  Wow, this just gets better.  Same on palate with the flavour expression, with black herbs in the mix; the wine is a big one, but not overly so.  There’s structure and extract, but all in balance.  Maybe it should have been a square rather than a triangle with Cabernet Sauvignon at one of the corners?

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