2009 Kopfensteiner Blaufränkisch Saybritz DAC Reserve 0,75 Liter

Weingut Kopfensteiner, perched in Deutsch Schützen on Eisenberg's southern Burgenland slopes, has long championed Blaufränkisch as the region's soul. Thomas and Astrid Kopfensteiner, inheriting a legacy of small-scale farming, elevated the estate in the 1990s, emphasizing single-vineyard expressions like Saybritz. The Kopfensteiner Blaufränkisch Saybritz DAC Reserve 2009 draws from the Saybritz vineyard, a south-facing slope of green schist and loam, fostering elegant, mineral-driven wines. Blaufränkisch, Austria's red star, excels here, yielding structured yet refined bottlings under the DAC system, which prioritizes origin since 2005. The 2009 vintage was stellar in Eisenberg, with warm days and cool nights yielding concentrated grapes. Hand-harvested from old vines, the fruit fermented spontaneously, with extended skin contact for depth. Aged 20 months in barriques, it balances fruit and wood. Deep garnet in hue, the nose reveals evolved black cherry, plum, and blueberry, laced with herbal sage, licorice, and stony minerality—Eisenberg's signature iron edge. Subtle oak adds vanilla and toast. Medium-bodied, the palate offers ripe dark fruit, firm tannins softened by age, and bright acidity (5.8 g/L) countering 13.8% ABV. Layers of spice, earth, and chocolate unfold, with a persistent, savory finish. Kopfensteiner's organic practices—no herbicides, indigenous yeasts—ensure purity, reflecting Saybritz's terroir. Ideal for game or aged cheeses, this reserve, limited to 1,500 bottles, ages gracefully through 2025, developing truffle notes. A beacon of Burgenland's revival.