12/2021. Sour cherries and pomegranate. Light body, savory, mild tannins. — 5 years ago
Dark, dense & with a pronounced mineral, irony streak. Fresh dark cherries, a note of thyme, and iron & graphite.
Mid weight in the palate with great precision & focus - firm yet juicy tannins, cool & mineral acidity and a underlying blood & iron accent. This is dense & savoury yet still quite elegant and very drinkable.
A beautiful example from the Eisenberg.
This is why I love Blaufränkisch! — 5 years ago
Brambly blackberries and dark plums with spicy, smoky note and a whiff of coffee. Nice & smooth on the palate, quite cool, with nice tension between the sweet fruit, fresh acidity and slightly rustic tannins. This is very food friendly but also v. drinkable solo. A lovely wine with character. — 6 years ago
Well balanced. — 7 years ago
Lean & mineral, with quite high acidity, the typical iron streak and black fruit coming last. Herby and with a meaty, wet fur tone, too. Not bad. — 8 years ago
Full bodied blend, not very Austrian — 9 years ago
Say as could not say Saybritz on the label on ’19 (declassed to a Landwein so no vineyards denomination allowed).
This is a beauty! Filigrane & aetheric with light red fruit, a hint of sweet cherry & damson plum with some flower whiff. Fresh & so pure but also with some mineral energy underneath.
On the palate this shows amazing depth. Great purity and precision - rather light bodied with finely polished tannins and fresh acidity. Light sweet cherries on a rocky, slatey undercore with just a pinch of allspice. Poised, elegant, with great energy & length.
The benchmark for Eisenberg Blaufränkisch? A stunner. And for this quality, a bargain! — 3 years ago
Straka Blaufränkisch Eisenberg Reserve Rechnitz 2017
So expressive on the nose with Zwetschgen plum jam, spiced up with cinnamon, cloves and a touch of anise. But there’s more. Mandarine & lemon peel, dried apple, wilted flowers, smoked, dried plums, aged raw beef.
This is so multifaceted. So fresh & pure yet sweet & seductive at the same time.
On the palate this is really juicy & sappy. Ther’s some sweetness to the fruit & the scented wood accents underneath but the juicy acidity and purity is forefront adm driving this wine. There’s a savoury side to this as well, a touch of minerality, the tannins fine & dusty yet still providing a frame.
This is truly delicious stuff!! They weren’t joking about this Straka guy!
— 5 years ago
Excellent. A little sour, full in mouth. — 6 years ago
Would drink again. Semi sweet, berries, rich and earthy finish. — 7 years ago
Not overly complex, but with pure fruit, juicy acidity and the Eisenberg minerality. Might seem a bit rustic, but highly drinkable. Great price value. — 8 years ago
Intense bouquet of black fruits, pepper, herbal notes, tea - overall very complex. Balanced on the palate, bone dry, full bodied, acid and tannin medium+, alcohol higher with 14% but well integrated. Long afterhall. Best in 2-5 years with potential for 10 years. — 8 years ago
Wow! This is a cracker. The aromas of cigars with the grip of its tannins made this one to sip by the fire just on its own and not with food — 5 years ago
Delish. Pretty rich, smooth, — 6 years ago
I’d plough this Blau. Such a great kick from this grape. I like the tension, the tannin. The “Pinot Noir of the East”, I’ll let debate draw out elsewhere. But lay a sausage on a plate in front of me with a bottle of Blau and that is a fine eastern pairing. — 6 years ago
Nose has white pepper, black cherry, light vanilla and dry minerals.
Palate is black cherry jam, white chocolate confection and light mineral.
Medium tannins, this wine is too young tonight, still is in the decanter but showing a hilly experience with alcohol levels. Paired well with homemade pizza tonight, a little youthful awkwardness when alone. — 7 years ago
Blackberry, black pepper, hints of vanilla, leather, tobacco.
High minerality, lively acidity, full body, ripe tannin, long aftertaste. — 8 years ago
Nice and light. Not too dry. Plum and not yet mature cherry notes. Could imagine drinking this on a porch overlooking the alps on a crisp, clear spring or fall day. — 9 years ago
Stuart Pollack
Excellent Blaufränkisch starting with cherry and finishing strong with bell peppers. Perfect for Goulash. — 2 years ago