Kolfok Neckenmarkter ‘Güterweg’ Blaufränkisch 2018

From the iron-rich, loamy slopes of Neckenmarkt in the Mittelburgenland hills, this is Blaufränkisch rendered in a thrillingly uncompromising register. ‘Güterweg’ refers to the old farm road running past the high-elevation vineyards, where 40-year-old vines are rooted in schist and limestone. Winemaker Stefan Wellanschitz works without additions or filtration, favouring spontaneous fermentations and ageing in neutral oak. The 2018 vintage offers dark cherry and cranberry fruit woven with dried herbs, graphite, and a touch of peppery spice. Tense, mineral, and lifted, it’s a wine that feels both wild and impeccably detailed, with fine tannins and a long, savoury finish.