Claus Preisinger Edelgraben Blaufränkisch 2023

Claus Preisinger works out of Gols, on the shore of Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland, and is the youngest member of Pannobile, the group championing native Austrian varieties and site expression. Edelgraben is a single-site Blaufränkisch farmed biodynamically and made as a natural, low-intervention wine, certified organic and vegan. The vineyard sits on the limestone and schist soils of the Leithaberg side of the lake, which lend Blaufränkisch its tension and stony bite, while the large body of water moderates temperature and extends the growing season for slow, even ripening. At 12.5 percent the wine keeps a cool-climate poise. Spontaneous fermentation on indigenous yeasts and gentle barrel ageing preserve aromatic detail and avoid the heavy oak imprint that would flatten a wine of this lift, with the grape's natural acidity and fine tannin doing the structural work. The colour is a bright translucent ruby. The nose is fragrant, with sour cherry, red currant and raspberry over white pepper, dried herbs and a wet-stone minerality. The palate is light to medium, fresh and savoury, with crisp acidity and gentle grip. Serve lightly chilled at 14 to 16 degrees with duck or mushrooms.