German, Austrian & Hungarian Reds
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
German, Austrian and Hungarian red wines…even the title of this tasting theme is rather unwieldy, I’ll admit. I could have called it Central European red wines, but then, which countries make that cut isn’t always clear, and I’d be skipping interesting wines from other Central European countries, like Slovenia, Croatia and Switzerland.
Referencing prior connections between these 3 countries seems even worse, automatically dragging our minds back to the Central Powers, even though their respective histories - and in particular, their wine production histories - stretch back much, much further than WWII, so that doesn’t work either.
Hence this tasting’s unwieldy name. Though all 3 countries are known for their white wines, from Germany’s Rieslings to Hungary’s sweet Tokaji to Austria’s Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings, they all have quality red wines, too.
This tasting is for those who aren’t afraid of an umlaut or an impossible-to-pronounce-on-the-first-try wine. It’s for anyone who is curious about wines from lesser-known regions, or just in finding a really good deal. And for anyone who wants to become that guy who gets to spread the gospel of lesser-known wine.
Stuff to know
Germany, Austria and Hungary each have their own wine histories, all of which stretch way back. All three countries have made a name for themselves with their white wines, and have had long-held placements at the top of wine lists over the centuries, especially when royals dictated fashions and sweet wines were all the rage.
The popularity of their respective wines - both white and red - waxed and waned over the years, but for the most part, there were high-quality wines coming out of all three countries and wine producers in each could earn a decent living.
And then there were the wars. Of course there were many wars before the wars…but WWI and WWII were particularly unkind to the wine industries of Germany, Austria and Hungary. And before you have any “serves them right”-kind of thoughts, please remember that for many, war was not a choice but instead, forced upon them as they simply tried to keep themselves and their families alive. No one walks away from war unscathed.
Post-WWII, each country faced a long, slow rebuilding process with plenty of inherent ups and downs.
In Germany, agriculturalists and scientists started crossing grapes to find varieties that would thrive under less-than-ideal circumstances in efforts to bolster a struggling industry by focusing on quantity over quality. Wines like Blue Nun were the biggest success stories of this era, before new generations shifted the focus back toward quality, eventually establishing new country-wide regulations and identifying and ranking vineyards so that winemakers could promote their respective terroirs, not just wine styles.
In Austria, well-crafted wines weren’t economically feasible to continue to produce post-WWII. Cheap bulk wines became the new norm, and the country’s wine reputation suffered. By 1985, the situation hadn’t changed, and a few desperate and corrupt individuals took things way too far. Anonymous reporters outed the culprits who had added diethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze, to their wines in an attempt to make them taste sweeter and fuller than they actually were. No one became sick or died, but the resulting recall of millions of bottles of wine, arrests and media frenzy was one of the worst wine scandals the industry had ever seen. Austria’s government responded swiftly and dramatically, setting some of the strictest regulations in the world on their own industry. They didn’t just reposition themselves, they established tests at every step in the production process and rules ensuring that only quality wines would be allowed going forward. Austrian wine’s reputation didn’t turn overnight, but it became abundantly clear that it would. Today, Austria is known for quality-focused family-run estates instead of bulk wine manufacturers.
In Hungary, too, the post-WWII focus moved from quality to quantity as producers aimed for survival instead of success. There were family wineries who continued to produce top-notch wines, but the wines were often stored in hidden home cellars, intended to be enjoyed during better times or shared only with other locals. Hungary became an EU member country in 2004, then adopted the EU wine regulation system in 2011, giving the country much-needed support along with recognizable systems and structures that helped promote wines beyond the country’s borders. Though still best-known for its outrageously delicious sweet Tokaji, the country’s still wine regions have started to garner more international recognition and acclaim.
What to look for in this tasting
In countries known for their white wines, it’s hardly surprising that the reds err on the side of light- to medium-bodied. Even with climate change and increasingly warm vintages, it isn’t common for the red wines from Germany, Austria or Hungary to be high in alcohol or full-bodied. We’re still in high acidity territory, where most of the wines do well enjoyed with a bit of chill.
Aside from similarly light- to medium-structures, these wines are each their own. Some lean toward the savory side of things, while others are fruit-forward. Several come with a kick of spice, usually in the form of black pepper. Some are oak-aged, others have never seen a barrel. Each is described in more detail below, but what they have most in common is great value: these are wines that are typically under-rated.
The wines
#1: Spätburgunder
Spätburgunder (”schpate-bur-gunder”) is the German name for Pinot Noir. However, many producers today choose to eschew the German word for the French “Pinot Noir,” since it’s far more internationally recognized, which helps boost sales. Raise your hand if you’ve skipped asking for a style of wine when its name looked too complicated to pronounce. We’ve all been there.
Germany, which has some of the world’s northernmost wine regions, is unsurprisingly best known for its white wines, especially Rieslings. But Germany also has regions with ideal locations for expressive Pinot Noir, AKA Spätburgunder. Burgundy may be Pinot Noir’s home, but the once-powerful Dukes of Burgundy controlled territories far east and north of today’s Côte d’Or, so it’s not that surprising that Germany has had its own Pinot Noir plantings since the 14th century. Great vines have always had a way of finding new homes.
As the world has warmed in recent years, German winegrowers have benefited from expanded opportunities to make world-class Pinot Noir. Today, Pinot Noir is Germany’s most-planted red grape variety and the resulting wines are some of the buzziest Pinot Noirs available.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Austrian Blauburgunder or Pinot Noir, Alsace Pinot Noir
#2: Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch. (”blauw-frohnk-eesh”) is one of those wines that suffers from poor marketing, simply due to having a decidedly unsexy name. The grape goes by other monikers, but I can’t say that the alternatives really improve things: it’s also known as Lemberger or Blauer Limberger in Germany, Frankovka in Czech Republic and Serbia, Frankovka modrá in Slovakia, Kékfrankos in Hungary and Franconia in Italy.
Even with its decidedly central European roots, Blaufränkisch is best known in Austria, where it thrives in regions like Burgenland and Niederösterreich. The “blau” in Blaufränkisch refers to the dark, almost blue color of the grapes, which give these wines a deceptively deep color that makes you think the wines will be massive. Most are medium-bodied, with some edging toward the light end of medium and some edging toward full-bodied, usually thanks to extra ripeness and oak aging.
Like many savory wines, Blaufränkisch has noticeable tannins and complementary moderate to high acidity levels. Though the wines are medium-bodied, they can still feel dense and rich, thanks to the prominent tannins and intense, dark flavors, especially the peppery note that delivers spiciness in spades, like getting freshly ground pepper delivered via wine instead of food. Other common flavors include blackberry and black cherry, as well as dark chocolate and cinnamon.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Kékfrankos from Hungary, Blauer Limberger from Germany, Frankovka from the Czech Republic and Serbia, Frankovka modrá from Slovakia or Franconia from Italy
#3: Zweigelt
Zweigelt (”tsvy-gelt”) is an Austrian grape, one created by a Dr. Fritz Zweigelt in the 1920s when he crossed two red grapes, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, and ended up with a new variety of wine grape that was worth keeping. Zweigelt today is still mostly grown in Austria, where it’s the most-planted red grape, though parts of Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary have caught on, and Canada, too, has added Zweigelt to its repertoire.
Zweigelt, despite its decidedly unsexy name and history, makes some seriously delicious wine. The very first Zweigelt wine I tasted was sold in a one liter bottle one shelf above the bottom in an H-E-B grocery store with a plain, unappealing label. It was the only Zweigelt I could find in Austin at the time, and let’s just say that if I wasn’t looking for a Zweigelt for my wine studies, I never would have bought it. But then once I tried it, I couldn’t stop recommending it to friends. I went on a full-fledged Zweigelt tasting spree for a while, and while my fervor has calmed down, I will still happily recommend these wines. And luckily, there are many, many more options on the market today.
Zweigelt wines are usually medium-bodied, though some winemakers make fuller-bodied or lighter styles as well as rosés from the grapes, too. Most Zweigelt wines have a purple-ish tinge to their bright ruby color, though some are darker, particularly if they’ve been oak aged.
Look out for dark fruit flavors, like blackberry, black plum and Morello cherry, with a peppery edge that’s sometimes complemented by other spices like cinnamon and anise.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Zweigelt wine from any region in Austria or Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic or Canada
#4: Dornfelder
Dornfelder (”darn-fel-der”), like Zweigelt, is an intentionally created grape. To be clear, that doesn’t mean it was genetically modified or anything, it just means two types of grapevines were cross-pollinated to create a new variety, a hybrid grape. In Dornfelder’s case, the parent vines were Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe, neither of which is exactly well known.
Dornfelder, though, while not internationally known, is planted in most German wine regions and shows up on restaurant lists even in teeny German towns. Initially appreciated for its resilience and ability to thrive even in less-than-ideal vintages, it’s slowly become appreciated for its potential as more and more producers have shifted from focusing on quantity to quality over the years.
Dornfelder wines are deeply colored, even surprisingly so for German wines, and they tend to have moderately high acidity levels, soft, velvety tannins and moderately high alcohol levels resulting in medium to full-bodied red wines.
There are two primary styles produced: fruity, unoaked wines and structured, spicy wines that have undergone oak barrel fermentation and/or aging. Flavor-wise, you might find blackberries, black plums, sour cherries, cinnamon, cloves and dark chocolate. Some producers even make sweet and sparkling wines from Dornfelder, though they’re rare and hard to find outside of Germany.
What to ask for: Ask by style name
Alternative(s): German Portugieser (AKA Blauer Portugieser) or German Trollinger, Australian Dornfelder
#5: Egri Bikavér
During my Wine & Spirits MBA studies in France, my classmates and I each had to create a presentation about a lesser-known wine-producing country, sharing stories about history, grapes, wines and of course, domestic & export sales, positioning, challenges and opportunities. It was an MBA program, after all. Most of us had to really hunt to find the wines to accompany our presentations, since we were living in Dijon, France, home to lots and lots of Burgundian wine, some other French wines…and not much else. One of my classmates made a presentation about Hungarian wines, and I will never forget his enthusiastic coverage of the “Bull’s Blood of Egri,” Egri Bikavér (”egg-ree bee-kah-vair”). The image of a bloody bull slapped onto an outline of Hungary on his PowerPoint slide will forever be etched in my mind.
Like most legends, the details of Egri Bikavér’s origins are murky, but essentially, the Ottoman Empire besieged a Hungarian castle in Eger during the 16th century. Allegedly, before the battle, the Hungarians consumed their dark red wine to such an extent that the attackers mistook their deeply stained wine teeth for evidence of having consumed sacrificial bull’s blood, thought to give unimaginable strength. Overwhelmed by the Hungarians’ show of courage (and perhaps the implied savagery?), they lost the battle.
Documentation-wise, the name pops up around 1851 in a book of proverbs, where Bikavér is simply described as a name used for strong red wines, like those from Eger.
Egri Bikavér, despite the sanguine implications, is actually a red blend. A Kékfrankos-based blend, to be specific. Kékfrankos (AKA Blaufränkisch) is typically blended with other local grapes like Portugieser, Kadarka, Oportó or Medoc Noir to create a particular style of Bikavér wine: Classic, Superior or Grand Superior.
In similar fashion to n Rioja or Chianti Classico’s systems of age- and quality-demarcation, the Egri Bikavér Classic wines are the most youthful, with little to no oak aging and plenty of fruit and spice to offer. Superior wines are made from riper grapes and are aged longer in oak, and Grand Superior wines are made from the ripest grapes and aged the longest before release. These wines tend to be more full-bodied with higher alcohol levels, though their structure is balanced by equally matched acidity and complemented by flavors ranging from cherries and red currants to blackberries and cassis, along with dried mint, thyme, black pepper, clove, anise, tobacco, dark chocolate and leather.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with an Egri Bikavér wine of any style: Classic, Superior or Grand Superior
#6: Kadarka
Kadarka (”kah-dar-kah”) isn’t as well-known or widely planted as Hungary’s Kékfrankos, but it’s still an important grape, not just in Hungary, but in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Slovakia and Serbia. Kadarka isn’t as easy to grow as Kékfrankos, and prefers to be trained as bush vines, which require a lot of hand-maintenance and harvesting, efforts that aren’t always appealing to producers, especially if there isn’t sufficient market demand to make them cost effective.
Kadarka wines are often compared to Pinot Noir, arguably the world’s best-known grape for light- to medium-bodied wines. Kadarka shares Pinot’s thin skins and lack of anthocyanins, the pigments making grapes and other vegetables like eggplants dark purple. These characteristics mean that Kadarka wines, like Pinots, tend to be pale and delicately structured. Unsurprisingly, it’s a go-to grape for making rosés, too.
Kadarka wines tend to be bright ruby-colored with soft tannins and lively acidity, with flavors like raspberry, cranberry and strawberry complemented by black pepper, ginger and the occasional floral rose hip or earthy potting soil thrown in the mix.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Kadarka from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Slovakia or Serbia
Tasting tips
The eats
One of the best things about light- to medium-bodied red wines is the versatility. All of these wines have plenty of food-friendly acidity, and they can handle being lightly chilled, further adding to the refreshment value. You could go so many routes food-wise, from on-theme Schnitzels or chicken paprikash to hearty late summer veggie-friendly dishes like Eggplant Parmigiana.
Personally, as the sunshine continues but the chilly winds pick up, I’m feeling the approach of chili season. Call it sweater weather if you prefer, but chili season is nearly upon us. Bust out your family’s go-to chili recipe and make your home smell amazing in the process…or layer on the potluck vibes and supply all the toppings while asking your guests to bring their respective takes on the chili classic. If you’re living in the vicinity of Cincinnati, by all means, go forth and boil that pasta. And if you’re striving to hold on to summer, grill the hot dogs and transform them into chili dogs. Everything goes in chili season.
If you choose the charcuterie route, look for cheeses and meats with relatively robust flavor profiles. Not necessarily the knock-your-socks-off strength, but sufficient flavor to stand up to some tannin, with cheeses like cheddar, Asiago or Gruyère and meats like salami, Serrano ham, or summer sausage. Even the breads can use some extra heartiness, with soft pretzels and whole-grain options in the mix, whether crackers, crusty bread or toasted crostini. Cherries, figs and red grapes will add some contrasting sweetness, while green olives add a salty bite. Round things out with nuts like pecans and spiced almonds and you’ll be ready to roll.
The prep
Wines that are lesser-known and difficult-to-sell often represent great values…but they can also be hard to find. If you’re living somewhere like Copenhagen, in a country with both physical and relational proximity to Germany, Austria and Hungary, these wines likely won’t be difficult to find. If you’re living in a city like Austin, Texas, where I used to live…finding these wines might take some time, and most likely, some online shopping. In those circumstances, try to give your guests as much time as possible to find their respective wines, ideally at least 3 weeks before your tasting.
Though generally good deals, these wines can be found at a wide range of price points, so it’s up to you as a host to decide whether you want to provide a spending range, or if you just want to leave that decision up to your guests.
I know it might feel strange to chill red wines, but these wines are still best with just a little bit of coolness to them. Imagine that you are grabbing these bottles straight from a fancy cellar where the air feels brisk and damp. That’s the goal here: a quick dunk in an ice bucket or a short break in the fridge will suffice.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first. If you have fewer than 6 wines/guests, you’ll still have a well-rounded experience. However, the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines are included, is recommended as follows:
Spätburgunder
Kadarka
Zweigelt
Blaufränkisch
Dornfelder
Egri Bikavér
