Let Austrian reds ease you into cosy autumn sipping

Versatile Blaufrankisch and mellow Zweigelt are perfect choices for the last weeks of summer

Our wine expert's picks of the week

Aoife Carrigy

Austrian red wines are a lovely choice at this time of year, straddling that spectrum between light, bright summer sippers and more rustic, autumnal styles but rarely moving into rich, wintry territory. Today’s selection spotlights two of the leading local grape varieties that feature in red wines here: Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt.

Blaufrankisch is capable of producing elegant, well-structured wines, and producers increasingly do so in a style of winemaking that emphasises freshness and light extraction of delicate aromas, flavours and tannins. That’s not to say that Blaufrankisch can’t do power too. This versatility and ability to express the terroir it is grown in makes Blaufrankisch a rewarding grape for winemakers to play with. Not unlike Pinot Noir (or indeed Beaujolais’ Gamay Noir, of which it is a parent), Blaufrankisch offers a signature freshness as well as both power and restraint, juicy red fruits and richer savoury-spicy character, depending on where it grows.