United States of Blaufränkisch (2) Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia, Italy, Poland, Romania, Germany
The second part of this epic tasting of Blaufränkisch takes me to Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia, Italy, Poland, Romania, Germany. Some really nice surprises here. This leaves Austria for part 3, the largest contributor to this tasting.
Part 1, Hungary, is here
SLOVAKIA
Slobodne Vinárstvo Alternativa 2017 Small Carpathians, Slovakia
Bright, open and expressive with lovely raspberry and cherry fruit, showing real elegance and drinkability. Distinctive and lovely. 93/100
Magula Rosenberg Frankovka 2021 Small Carpathians, Slovakia
Slightly wild spicy, herby nose with dusty notes. The palate is lively and juicy with a tart finish and spicy wildness again. 86/100
Sykora Fine Wines Frankovka Modrá black edition 2022 Small Carpathians, Slovakia
Warm and complex with textured strawberry and cherry fruit. Shows depth and some structure. Nicely expressive with lots of personality. 92/100
Bott Frigyes Frankovka Modrá 2023 Southern Slovakia, Slovakia
Classic in style with lovely vibrant cherry and berry fruits with nice acidity. Supple and lively with a good acid line. 93/100
Strekov 1075 Frankovka 2019 Southern Slovakia, Slovakia
Very spicy nose that’s quite vivid with some wildness. Tart raspberry and black cherry palate with some savoury phenolic notes. 87/100
Csernus Frankovka Modrá Selection 2016 Central Slovakia, Slovakia
Nicely aromatic with bright red fruits. Supple and nicely dense with fresh red cherry and berry fruits, finishing juicy. 92/100
SLOVENIA
Marof winery Modra Frankinja Mačkovci SVL Lega 2021 Podravje, Prekmurje, Slovenia
Wonderful aromas of sweet spice-laden black fruits. The palate has nice structure and weight with good balance. Real vitality and balance here. 94/100
Roka Winery Kog Blaufränkisch SVL Lega 2023 Podravje, Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenia
Good structure and weight with raspberry and cherry fruit. Juicy and grippy with a nice spicy overlay. Real substance. 94/100
Vino Greif Modra Frankinja Črešnjev Vrh 2023 Podravje, Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenia
Supple and elegant with nice vibrancy to the juicy raspberry and cherry fruit. Some real detail and elegance here. 94/100
Hiša vin Emino Modra Frankinja Eminent 2024 Podravje, Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenia
So attractive with sweet cherry and berry fruit, some ripe strawberry notes, and an openness. Quite lovely in a fruity style. 93/100
Vinska klet Šuklje Lodoma SVL Vas 2023 Posavje, Bela Krajina, Slovenia
Good acids and tannins under the sweet cherry and plum fruit. Pure and balanced. Nuanced with real quality. 94/100
Vinska klet Šuklje Vrbanjka SVL Lega 2021 Posavje, Bela Krajina, Slovenia
Supple cherries and raspberries with some grainy chalkiness, and slightly tarry tannins. Pure with real vitality. Elegant but substantial, ageing well. 95/100
Winery Klet Krško Modra Frankinja Turn Premium 2021Posavje, Bizeljsko-Sremič, Slovenia
Good structure here. Vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit with good acidity. Fresh, spice-laden and tannic. Really vibrant. 93/100
Winery Klet Krško Modra Frankinja Turn Classic 2021 Posavje, Bizeljsko-Sremič, Slovenia
Sweet floral aromatics on the nose. Juicy and bright and vivid on the palate with good acidity under the tart cherry and raspberry fruit, with lovely freshness. 93/100
Verstovšek Estate Blaufränkisch Classic 2021 Posavje, Bizeljsko-Sremič, Slovenia
Some spicy oak on the nose blends into the berry fruits. The palate is vivid with attractive raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as more spicy oak. 91/100
Verstovšek Estate Cru Silnica 2022 Posavje, Bizeljsko-Sremič, Slovenia
Vibrant nose with aromatic berry fruits and tarry, spicy oak. The palate is juicy and vivid with bright cherry and berry fruits and more of the spice. 91/100
Vinska Klet Colnar Modra Frankinja 2023 Posavje, Dolenjska, Slovenia
Bright, juicy and vivid with nice tart cherry and plum fruit, showing good intensity. Fresh, finishing grippy. 90/100
Albiana Wines Modra Frankinja Alto 2019 Posavje, Dolenjska, Slovenia
This has a savoury, spicy edge to the juicy fruit. Some grip here. Slightly stern on the finish. 88/100
CZECHIA
Dva Duby “Vox silentium” 2018 Znojemská, Czechia
Herbal, open aromatics with sweet red cherry notes. The palate is supple and elegant with nice brightness but as real texture, showing some nice evolution. 94/100
Dva Duby Vox in Excelso 2018 Znojemská, Czechia
Lovely depth and focus with nice taut berry fruits, as well as notes of dried herbs, and some plushness. There’s also an autumnal leaf-like undertow. Lovely. 94/100
Plenér Frankovka 2023 Mikulovsko, Czechia
Beautiful floral dried herb and undergrowth aromatics. This is really fine. Concentrated palate with textured, elegant strawberry and cherry fruit, showing real finesse. 94/100
J. Stávek Frankovka VOC Lizniperky 2023 Velkopavlovická, Czechia
Really intriguing. Elegant, complex and herbal. Slightly unusual, but really delicious, showing nice texture and complexity. 93/100
Bystřický winery Frankovka 2023 Velkopavlovická, Czechia
Sweet, warm aromatics of stewed strawberries and cherries. Slightly sour palate but nice complexity. Unusual. 88/100
POLAND
Winnica Kamil Barczentewicz Dobre Modre 2022 Małopolski Przełom Wisły, Poland
Juicy, bright, fresh and focused with lively raspberry and cherry fruit. At the lean end of the spectrum, but with elegance and focus. 94/100
ROMANIA
Weingut Edgar Brutler Codru 2024 Crisana, Romania
Sweetly fruited and bright with good acidity and nice freshness and focus. Some spicy, herbal detail. Grainy, tarry finish. 90/100
Crama Nachbil, Blaufränkisch Reserve 2021 Maramures Romania
Supple and bright with nice structure and acidity under the juicy cherry fruit. Finishes grainy. 90/100
ITALY
La Magnolia Franconia 2025 Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Supple and vibrant with nice elegance to the open cherry and raspberry fruit. There’s nice fruit sweetness here: almost carbonic in style. Supple and expressive with nice weight. 92/100
GERMANY
Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Konrad Schäbischer Landwein 2024 Württemberg, Germany
Juicy, bright and fresh with amazing energy, but it finishes mousy. Not rated.
Weingut Karl Haidle Lemberger Trocken “Kalk & Ton” VDP.Gutswein 2023 Württemberg, Germany
Floral, expressive red fruits nose. Juicy palate with nice freshness and lovely red fruit character. 91/100
Weingut Schweikart Lemberger 2023 Württemberg, Germany
Very appealing with bright, fresh red cherry and plum fruit. Nicely drinkable. 90/100
Weingut Schweikart Lemberger 2022 Württemberg, Germany
This is fresh, supple and bright with lovely precision to the appealing red cherry fruit, with a touch of cranberry. Good purity. 93/100
Weingut Dautel, Lemberger Cleebronner Michaelsberg VDP.Grosses Gewächs® 2022 Württemberg, Germany
Juicy and crunchy but with some substance to the vivid red cherries, with nice bite. There’s freshness and purity here. Fine and expressive with more red fruit than black. 94/100
Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Lemberger Lämmler VDP.Grosses Gewächs 2022 Württemberg, Germany
Fresh and vivid with lovely brightness and energy. Nice tannic structyre. Pure, grainy and focused. 94/100
Weingut Roterfaden, Lemberger Endschleife 2022 Württemberg, Germany
Lifted aromatics, and sappy red fruits with some herbal character. The palate is bright and fresh and focused with nice spicy detail, as well as some sour cherry. Has a natural vibe. 93/100
Weingut Bernhard Ellwanger Lemberger “SL” Großheppacher Wanne 2022 Württemberg, Germany
Juicy but with some spicy, peppery detail, nice floral intensity and some grip. Very stylish. 92/100
Weingut Beurer Lemberger Stettener Mönchberg Schalksberg VDP.Grosses Gewächs® 2022 Württemberg, Germany
Lovely purity amd concentration here. Fresh, vivid and expressive with some grainy substance, and good grip. 94/100
Weingut Kusterer Esslinger Blaufränkisch 2021 Württemberg, Germany
Juicy and grainy with nice purity to the vivid black cherry and plum fruit. Good weight, showing freshness and focus. 93/100
Weingut Graf Neipperg Lemberger Ruthe VDP.Grosses Gewächs® (aus dem Reifekeller) 2017 Württemberg, Germany
Sleek red cherry and plum fruit. Grainy structure. A bright style finishing with some sour cherry notes. 93/100
