Thought on the grape, the wine, history and culture. Kékfrankos also known under the name of Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany, occasionally Limburger overseas.

During the annual Wine Festival in the Buda Castle several seminars were held, one of them was around the grape Kékfrankos and its wine, focusing on the wine region of Sopron. It is the flagship wine of the Sopron wine region as Zsolt Rigler head of the Sopron Wine Region Marketing Board pointed it out. It has or rather had many different names in Hungary as well, not so long ago it was called Nagy Burgundi, Great Burgundy suggesting that it might be of French origin, perhaps. Count Széchenyi posed some land in France he could have probably exported the grape to France. In the district of Zala is used to be called Oporto, according to Zsolt.

Well there are all sorts of stories but we cannot be certain of its origin, not only as the borders of the past were changed not only once during history. Hard to find its real place of origin. Well, I did post ages ago an article regarding this grape, on one of the Hungarian websites. My research said something like it could be from a very small village beside the Danube, Limburg not far from Krems, beside Maissau which is Austria today. Some related it to the Gamay grape, but it is more likely a member of the Heunisch family. It Italy they call it Franconia, the Croatian: Crna Francova, Slovakian and Czech: Frankovka, Vojvodina.

But if it’s not French of origin what‘s the story on the Frank wording, or as the Hungarian say Kékfrankos Blue Franks or the Austrians Blaufränkisch. Well legend goes something like this: Napoleon when he occupied great parts of Europe also the Eastern Austrian, Western Hungarian part his solder paid for the wine with a blue franc (sort of money what they had). Nice story, but rather unlikely for two reasons, first of all the conqueror does not pay for any goods but, takes it from the oppressed. Second there was little red wine known in the end of the 18. beginning of the 19. century in the region.

The Germans call the grape Lemberger while there are also plantings in Washington State in the US, mainly under the name of Limburger.

But back to Hungary the plantings most likely happened in the 19. century, it is today the most planted red variety in Hungary and suits cooler climate sites too, but need sufficient heat as it is a rather late ripening variety, it appreciates the warm microclimates.

Zsolt was pointing out another possible origin for the grapes, it could be perhaps come from central Asia too, originally where the Hungarians came from. Today it is definitely a Hungaricum variety. And while the Austrians do well on it, so do the Hungarians. It comes in many different forms as a varietal red, blended (Bikavér, the Bulls Blood could –or should- not made without it), but also as a rosé.  By the way the Germans do also very well on this variety, but this should be a topic for another day…

Sopron has a sort of sub-alpine and continental climate North East and North West plantings, the microclimate in the sites are very important. While there are more and more single vineyard sites emerging in the wine region, no official classification exists. It could be done, as some wine maker pointed out to me, the better sites where taxed higher (recorded) in the past.

The wines from the region were in the past famous for being very high in acidity, rather tart and unpleasant. Part because of the climate (while again micro climate plays an important role), high yield but also the soil. High in limestone content, mica-slate soil, and the must degree as Zsolt was telling this is usually around 18° while in better vintages 22°. I shall point out, must degree, KMW or Oechle is not everything, especially not when it comes to red wine.

After the election of 1923 some the majority of the Hungarian speaking community became part of Austria, the ninth „state“ Burgenland got formed, while people in Sopron voted in favour for the Hungarian side, the town got its „nickname“, the most loyal town in Hungary. Not only the most loyal but sometimes also very diplomatic or politically neutral, as for instance they did not pay tax to Rákoczi Ferenc during his war against the Austrians.

The economy was difficult situation after the war and out of the phyloxera a lot of new varieties found their way into Hungary, red varieties were in the increase.

While Kékfrankos is a high yielding variety it’s real beauty will come out when it is under 8000 kg/ ha. Today Sopron has only 3 producers who could provide a container full of wine, 26000 bottles, says Zsolt, hence quantity is not an option. The region itself is chopped. Chopped meaning that the approach to tackle issues happens from different angles, this wouldn’t be wrong at all, but that the people also go in different direction too, worries.

The marketing board of Sopron introduced they glass, the Kékfrankos tasting/drinking glass. Certainly a good effort.
While there is a lot of potential in the region, but as pointed out by Zsolt there is a certain missing unity and plan to drive the name of the Kékfrankos forward. I do not believe this should be done by Sopron alone (or simply by marketing), one wine region only, as there are other regions that produce fantastic Kékfrankos too, the ideas, work can be shared and things can be done together, in unity.

Tasting Notes 09/09/2009

Taschner Kurt Rosé 2008 Kékfrankos
Salmon colour, lovely silky strawberry fruit on the nose, good clean, recent bottling, bit of SO2 popping out. Dry, crisp, refreshing, good balance, correct fruit-pleasant example of rose, nice one.

Pfneiszl Kékfrankos 2007 „Újra Együtt“ (Together again)
Light to medium ruby colour with a garnet hue. Some red fruit on the nose, pencil shaving, hint of fading and rather light paprika powder, capsicum. Good acidity, hint of capsicum on the palate, light spice and peppery character, basic drive-correct food wine. Steel tank vinification and 6 months in big oak. Retail price around 1200 HUF, 4-5 EUR. Good, considering the price if right, an everyday drinking wine, indeed.

Weninger Kékfrankos 2006
From „Balf“-deep ruby colour, cherry and spice and some capsicum and pepper with some pencil shaving on the nose. Silky soft tannins, juicy fruit yet a youngster (despite being 2006!). More fruit on the palate then on the nose, cherry, damson, plum, wood is gearing with some vanilla into the picture. Balanced, spice and ripe base fruit, positive finish.

Luka Enikö Kékfrankos 2007, Sopron
Ruby colour, great nose bright in its own way, open and sincere. Cherry, red berry, blue berry, complex with some spice and hint of vegetal notes too. Good acidity, soft wood, juicy, ripe base and the oak adds to it, complex, strawberry, plum, tick of spice and the light vegetal fading finish, Despite being having quite something in the beginning and in the middle, but it leaves a little bit empty, like goes out of fuel on the finishing line and it just makes it, barely.

Ákos István Kékfrankos 2006
Ruby and hint of garnet hue, very meaty and savoury notes on the nose. There is also a bit of animality, brett…this threshold looks okay, in this picture. Crisp acidity, low on the tannin (?), yet the very present wood helps to guide the wine. Quite oaky.

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