Description
Moric, Blaufränkisch “Reserve”
It’s hard to exceed expectations when you’re the standard-setter, but Roland Velich of Moric does exactly that with his “Reserve” Blaufränkisch. I am accustomed to discussing Austrian reds, and the Blaufränkisch variety, as relative newcomers on the modern wine scene: There are probably many people reading this who’ve never tried one before, and among those who have, the prevailing image is likely of pleasingly plump, juicy, dark-fruited reds costing much less than this one. What Velich is doing, slowly but surely, is changing the conversation around Blaufränkisch, and, wow, does this wine walk the talk.
Moric’s 2014 Reserve is not merely the most serious Blaufränkisch I’ve ever tasted, it makes a case for the “nobility” of the variety—meaning, you don’t just judge it based on how it compares to other Blaufränkisch wines, but how it shows next to internationally significant varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. That’s a big statement, I know, but this is a wine you could place on a table next to some real heavy hitters and it could very well come out on top. I happen to love the soft, juicy, simple (and inexpensive) style of Austrian red wine, but this one is well-worth paying up for. In fact, while it may be expensive by Blaufränkisch standards, it’s a steal from a qualitative standpoint. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while, and, should you decide to take some, you will, too.
I absolutely flipped for Moric back in my restaurant days, as did everyone I ever poured the wines for. And, when it came to impressing other sommeliers, I could always count on Moric’s Blaufränkisch. As detailed in a well-written post by blogger Alder Yarrow, Roland Velich has become an internationally recognized wine celebrity for his work with old-vine Blaufränkish in Austria’s Burgenland DAC. His assortment of reds, including several single-vineyard bottlings of the variety, are widely considered to be the Gold Standard in the zone. Sommeliers are all about benchmarks, and as I continue to explore not just Burgenland Blaufränkisch but the wider world of Germanic reds, I measure new discoveries against what Velich produces from his 25 hectares of vines in the villages of Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg. His are reference-point wines, plain and simple.
The Burgenland appellation, running along Austria’s border with Hungary southeast of Vienna, has a diverse topography and a mix of soils, with more primary rock and slate at higher locations and dense loams in the rolling hills that extend toward the Pannonian plain (a warming influence that is important in getting the late-ripening Blaufränkisch fully mature). Moric’s organically farmed vineyards—Velich has farmed organically since he founded the brand but has not sought certifications—with significant (50-100 years) age, are situated primarily in the Mittelburgenland sub-region; Velich describes the soils as varied, with some limestone and slate mixed in with loam, with vine age for this entry-level bottling ranging from eight to 50 years.
Today’s ’14 represents a selection of the very best old-vine fruit from the vineyards in Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg. It underwent a native yeast fermentation in open-topped oak and steel vats, followed by 24 months of aging in barrels ranging in size from 500 to 3,600 liters. Bottled without fining and filtration and with only a minimal sulfur addition, the wine is soulful, pure and soil-expressive, with a structure reminiscent of Grand Cru Burgundy (even if the fruit skews much darker). In the glass, it is a deep ruby leaning to purple/black, reminiscent of Northern Rhône Syrah. The aromas also summon the Northern Rhône a bit, with scents of blackberry, pomegranate, grilled herbs, violets, and licorice. Because of its appearance, you’ll be expecting a ‘big’ wine, but while the fruit is dark, even black, the wine is balanced, medium-plus in body, and firmly structured (much more so than Moric’s more entry-level bottling, which we’ve offered in the past). The tannins are quite fine, so there’s no problem opening a bottle now: just give it 30-45 minutes in a decanter and some nice, big Burgundy stems and you’ll be just fine, but do consider laying some down for a good 10+ years of further evolution. There’s a warm-spice component to the wine that will complement the attached Austrian-style goulash preparation, but regardless of what you cook, this is a landmark red you won’t soon forget. Cheers!
