Ben's Bubbly: Hans Igler Sekt Brut Blaufränkisch

It has been a great week with Ben. With my family having gone back home and the parade of friends fading to a trickle, it has mostly just been mom, dad and Ben.While we've gotten a few less hours of sleep and the diaper changes are like running across a firing range (only to have a bomb explode moments after successfully avoiding a bullet!), everything has been great. At his one-week appointment, he had exceeded his birth weight by 3.5 oz. Last night, he slept for three three hour blocks (a record since the first night!). Today, Ben went on his first stroller ride outside and enjoyed it except for the occasional sun in his eyes. He is spending a little more time each day alert and looking around taking in the world surrounding him. With our life being so different than they were just two weeks ago, I chose a 'different' sparkling wine for this week's Ben's Bubbly.

NV Weingut Hans Igler, Sekt Brut, Blaufränkisch, Burgenland, Austria

Blaufränkisch, aka lemberger, wines are unique and often hard to find. I've written about a local lemberger produced by Carlson Vineyards here, but when I saw this sparkling blaufränkisch from Austria in a local wine shop I just had to have it. Not knowing anything about the wine before I popped and poured it, I was slightly surprised to see it pour a beautifully effervescent salmon-colored (think cooked salmon) glass of wine. The bubbles seemed to erupt from the bottom of the flute and cascade up the glass through the light pink juice. The nose was somewhat muted, but there we were able to pick up unripe strawberry and cranberry aromas. A little bit more expressive, yet green, on the palate, grass and toast with cranberry preserves were what came to mind with this tart sparkler. While not a profound wine in any way, it was tasty and fun. How often do you see sparkling blaufränkisch? I have one more bottle tucked away and will revisit it sometime after this year-long sparkling sojourn. 13% abv Purchased $14. Good (tasted 4/14/11)

Lesser-known grape varieties

When most people think of wine they think of the the noble grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are the grapes traditionally associated with fine wine. Slowly, varieties such as Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Malbec, Viognier, Torrontes, and Semillon are slowly entering the everyday wine lexicon. With hundreds of grape varieties, the wine world has a diverse range of flavors and stories. All wine-producing countries have lesser-known grape varieties that receive little recognition due to unfair preconceptions or a simple lack of lack of knowledge. The U.S. has Norton and Vidal Blanc, Spain has Godello and Mencia, Greece has Assyrtiko and Xinomavro and Italy has hundreds of indigenous grapes of which most people outside of Italy have never heard. This list could continue ad infinitum.

Much of the problem with these little-known varieties is the public's ability to pronounce their names. One such variety probably comes as a surprise to most people. Austria and Germany are known for world-class white wines, and few people realize that they also produce high-quality red wines. One one of these lesser-known varieties is Blaufränkisch, also known as Lemberger. Blaufränkisch is a cold-hardy grape that is naturally high in tannin and acidity. If you haven't had the chance to experience a Blaufränkisch or Lemberger I recommend finding some!

2004 Weingut Hans Igler, Vulcano, Burgenland, Austria

This red wine is dominated by Blaufrankish (55%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Zweigelt (15%) and Merlot (10%) completing the blend. It is a beautiful garnet color. Cherries, wood and spices are the first aromas present but as the wine opens up in the glass after a few hours it becomes more aromatic and reminiscent of a Pinot Noir. Tart cherry, cedar, toasted oak, spices and pomegranate flavors fill your mouth along with tart acidity and smooth tannins. This is a well-balanced wine that only gets better in the glass. 13.5% abv Purchased ($19). Very Good (tasted 12/4/10)