Configuration: (6 x 750mL)

Winery: Lichtenberger González

Appellation: Breitenbrunn, Burgenland, Austria

Philosophy/Practices: Organic

Grape Variety: Blaufränkisch and rotburger

ABV: 13.5%

Winemaker's notes: A snapshot of the varying soils and exposures in Adriana and Martin’s organic vineyards, this Muschelkalk Rot is an incredible foray into the Lichtenberger González range. So begins the dissertation on freshness-meets-concentration that makes these wines so magical.

Why we love it: Muschelkalk is the local name for the shell-limestone calcareous band of soil that runs through much of LG’s organic vineyards, and adds a distinctly saline note to the wines. It’s a well-deserved nod to the geography of this region, which Adriana and Martin so deftly translate through their holistic farming and low-intervention winemaking. The Muschelkalk wines aren’t “entry” level; rather, they’re exceptional snapshots of the entire vineyard site, expressed through multiple grape varieties that grow together there.

The dominating blaufränkisch in this cuvée lends a peppery, steely graphite vein that we absolutely love - a hallmark of this Austrian variety. Blau is an incredible translator of terroir and can be found in full-bodied, full-force iterations, or in much more reigned-in and elegant examples. Adriana and Martin’s blau and blau-based reds exemplify the latter.