Austrian reds

Blaufränkisch and (Blauer) Zweigelt are not the only red varieties in Austria but they are the most significant in terms of area under vine, with Blauer Portugieser following not far behind. My tasting notes cover mainly these two varieties from Mittelburgenland and Carnuntum, where they are particularly successful, though they are grown in other Austrian regions where the climate is warm enough to ripen red grapes (eg Neusiedlersee and Neusiedlersee-Hügelland).

Blaufränkisch (aka Lemberger in Germany and Kekfrankos in Hungary) is the second-most planted red grape variety in Austria but represents just over 6% of the total area under vine. To...