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| T-Shirt from Red Tail Ridge Winery |
(Editor's Note: Late addition July 27, 2026 Mea culpa! Mea culpa! Mae culpa! I am a big fan of Scout Vineyards And tasting their Blaufrankisch, among many other in the Finger Lakes earlier this year, inspired this piece. I somehow left them out of the article. I almost brought my bottle to a dinner the other night. Their bottle sat my table the entire time I was writing the article. I am an idiot (many of you who know me personally will concur) and I must make amends. You will find their review in it's appropriate place in the list down below. My sincerest apologies for the late inclusion)
Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is also known as Lemberger, a late-ripening variety, produces red wines that typically exhibit a pronounced spicy character. It has found a home in the east because it makes a delicious, medium-to-dark red wine, that is winter hardy, and buds later and ripens later. It’s incredibly well suited for cool weather regions, as it comes from cool weather regions. It also wears pretty well against disease pressure.
The grape is grown across Central Europe, most notably in Germany and Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Italy, and Hungary. It makes a fruit forward, medium-bodied red, with medium tannins and good color. It is a popular wine in Eastern Europe.
Nancy Irelan, partner and winemaker at Red Tail Ridge has long been a champion of Blaufrankisch in the Finger Lakes. “When we decided to make the move to the Finger Lakes, we wanted to choose the best reds for a shorter, cooler growing season. Looking at the heritage of Blaufränkisch, it seemed perfectly suited.” She must have been right, because her Blaufrankisch has been dialed since the first vintage she released. But it wasn’t easy.
“There were a couple of challenges with the clones being used. They tended to be very vigorous and high yielding, and the clusters would produce very large, thin-skinned, very densely packed clusters,” dangerously increasing disease pressure Nancy Irelan explained to wine writer Bryce Wiatrak last year. Irelan likes Finger Lakes Blaufränkisch for its “spicy, peppery character”, “It’s not what I’d consider a heavy, aggressive red,” she says.
As Christopher Tracy of Channing Daughters said, “As Christopher says, "it’s just the magic of givin' the wines some love." Tracy’s also made one of the more impressive varietal wines from this grape. Big and deep, out on Long Island, which has proven a warm and good place for Blau.
Born and raised in Zell, Germany, Peter Weis of Weis Vineyards, in the Finger Lakes, is also a fan of Blaufrankisch.
Blaufrankisch has been available in New York State and some surrounding states, for more than a decade, but only now is it starting to make a real name for itself among consumers. To me, it it has also taken a little for certain winemakers to dial in their wines. This is not a criticism. It takes five to ten years for a winemaker to dial in new red varietals from planting to finished wines. One had to find an understanding with the wine? Some tried immediately to make deep dark reds, over soaking the fruit, and drawing off flavors. Other beat the heck out of it with oak, trying to imposture a structure the best versions of the varietal wine never possessed (the constant eastern idea of California-izing red fruit and making BIG red wines). It takes a while to understand how it grows in the vineyard – does one part of the vineyard mature as opposed to another side?
The Finger Lakes produces a number of great Blaufrankisch, The Hudson Valley and Long Island contribute a few. The second state where's the most versions of the varietal wine on the eastern seaboard is New Jersey! And then there are some scattered few from Maryland, Virginia, and New England.
One of the leaders in making Blaufrankisch is Mike Beneduce at Beneduce Vineyards. According to Mike, "Every ambitious endeavor begins with a detailed plan – a blueprint – in our case. Seeking to create a wine definitive of our Estate vineyard, our answer was unveiled in the form of a unique varietal, Blaufränkisch. The vines have anchored themselves deeply into our mineral-rich hillside...."
Mike goes on to note, "The wine was a medium bodied dry red, with lovely, bright fruit up front. Plum and raspberry come across, blueberries and cracked pepper too, as promised. A lovely drinking wine with nice acidity and low tannins. A lovely, Rhone-ish styled red with plenty of flavor. A lovely lunch or dinner wine!"
A number of good winemakers have dialed in Blaufrankisch (ok. Yes…Lemberger too – I loathe that name….bad marketing – often confused with the odorous Limburger cheese).
But now, Blaufrankisch has now come into it’s own. The wine has built a cult following that is continuing to build. Here are 19 delicious Blaufrankisch/Lemberger wines you must try. Fantastic sippers, stupendous food wines - roast chicken, pork, stews and pastas. A great food wine.
Today, Blaufrankisch is for closers!
(These appear generally in alphabetical order by state.... there is no ranking).
NEW YORK
Anthony Road Lemberger 2022 Seneca Lake is a vibrant medium bodied red wine from winemaker Peter Becraft. Wonderful nose of cherry and plum and red cassis, and spice. Lovely black tea and white pepper tannins, and terrific acidity giving the whole wine a wonderful mouthfeel. Juicy and delicious.
Channing Daughters Blaufrankisch Mudd West Vineyard 2019 is made from 75% Blaufrankisch and 25% Dornfelder. A ruby-red and purple wine. Christopher Tracy often makes one of the darkest Blaufrankisch in New York State. According to the winemaker's notes, the wine features "boysenberry, purple flowers, black plum, black raspberry, blackberry, lavender, violet, tobacco leaf and a resiny savory spice." I have have loved multiple vintages of this wine, and it has always been consistenent and excellent.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Blaufrankisch 2023 offers a lovely purple-ish presentation with notes of violets, blueberry, black cherry, and a whiff of eucalyptus. Cedar and a hint of mixed green and white pepper offer a coda to the wine aged in French oak. And wonderful exotic spice. Terrific acidity. The fruit lingers. Lots of structure here for folks who long for a slightly bigger wine.
Fox Run is one of the premiere producers of quality wine in the Finger Lakes, Winemaker's Craig Hosbach's Fox Run Vineyard Lemberger Seneca Lake is among one of the most popular Lembergers out there. An unoaked wine, the fresh dark cherry, blue berry, plum, and red raspberry all meld into an exceptional fruit forward wine, with dark spices and a note of black tea and black pepper to make one absolutely delicious and lingering red wine perfect for lunches and dinners alike.
Living Roots Blaufrankisch 2024 is a wild fermented, and unfined bright red, cool climate wine from the Finger Lakes, with lovely floral notes, bright cherry, and dark, with a big dose of savory allspice and black pepper. The bright acidity keep the red fruit lingering for a nice long time.
Lakewood Vineyards Lemberger 2023 is made from 100% Lemberger grown at Martini Vineyards This dry, oak aged wine is made by family member and winemaker Chris Stamp. This is a light bodied red with juicy, bright red fruit up front - cherries, strawberries, and just a hint of cranberry. This delicate wine, is elegant, with tremendous nuance - almost Pinot Noir-ish. A truly excellent red wine. One of the best Lembergers of the season!
Milea Vineyards Farmhouse Blaufrankisch 2024 is made from estate fruit in the Hudson Valley/ This medium-bodied red features black cherry, dark plum jam, blackberry, red raspberry and a hint of spice and finishes with black pepper and Irish breakfast tea tannins. This is a lovely, super food friendly, smooth approachable wine with a lovely soft finish and lots of lingering fresh fruit. Super, super enjoyable! (sorry for the older vintage photo....)
Michael Schnelle and Nancy Irelan, owners of Red Tail Ridge Winery, and Meagz Goodwin, make some of my favorite wines on the east coast. This wine absolutely blew me away - the Red Tail Ridge Blaufranisch 2023. According to the winemaker's notes, the grapes were harvested by hand on October 10th & 13th in 2023. They were destemmed and placed in open air vessels and Schneckenleitner for fermentation. Full malolactic fermentation occurred. Then the wine was aged for 18 months in neutral Schneckenleitner, neutral Puncheons and neutral French Barriques.
The resulting wine is an absolutely joy, The Red Tail Ridge Blaufrankisch 2023. Floral notes of violets and lavender burst forth from the glass, to lead off the aroma of this medium bodied red. Notes of cherry lollipop, fresh cherries, and spices all also come forth. The cherry comes through on the palate along with dark plum and cassis, black cherry and cranberry. That cranberry captures the acidity and combines with a does of black tea and black pepper, to give firmness to the finish of the wine. This was a spectacular wine, and easily remains, in my mind, one of the best Blaufrankisch in North America.
Owned and operated by Daniel and Olivia Budmen, Scout Vineyards has been a leader since it opened its doors in making innovative and creative wines - always experimenting. The Budmens are graduates of Hobart and William Smith Colleges who pivoted from careers in environmental law and medicine to winemaking. Their list has quickly become among my favorites.
Scout Vineyards Kaspar Vineyard Blaufrankisch 2025 is a limited-production, club wine made from 100% Blaufrankisch, grown at the Colizzi family owned Kasper Vineyards. The wine was fermented in stainless steel to produce a bright, refreshing dry red wine. This translucent, light purple wine explodes with black cherry, plum, and some love notes of blue slate and spice. Super juicy and easy to drink, this light to medium bodied red wine is an easy sipper or perfect for fowl, chicken, pork, pasta and stews. Absolutely delicious!
When one thinks of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards, of the Finger Lakes, one thinks of Riesling, Chardonnay, or Cabernet Franc, and sparkling. Oskar Binke and Fred Merwarth run a tight ship and make excellent, high quality wines. Blaufrankisch doesn't necessarily come to mind when thinking of them. But they do offer a small case production of Baufrankisch that is, of course, exceptional. This is a new offering, as the vines are just coming into maturity. The Hermann J. Wiemer Blaufrankisch 2024 is 100% hand picked and assorted estate Blaufrankisch, made with partial carbonic maceration. "Indigenous yeast fermentation with a combination of pump-over and punch-downs. 75% neutral oak aged, 25% aged in Sandstone Jarre, according to Merwarth's notes. The resulting wine is overwhelmingly dark cherry and dark plum, with a hint of wild herbs. A wonderfully balanced acidity keeps the fruit lively throughout. Super drinkable and smooth and lovely, with just enough backbone to make it a truly exceptional small production wine. A very welcome adddition to the world of North American Blaufrankisch.
Peter's Weis Vineyards Blaufrankisch 2023 starts with plum, cherry, and cranberry, with
notes of vanilla, spice and black pepper. This light-to-medium bodied red was
soft and approachable, and finished with enough acidity to make the fruit last
and last. Perfect for roast chicken, roast pork, or Italian pasta dishes, this
wine was super drinkable and bursting with flavor. Absolutely
outstanding!
NEW JERSEY
Jim and Scott Quarella oversee the family farm that is Belleview Vineyards. This unique. medium-bodied, dry red wine incorporates bold plums and cherries with notes of vanilla and violets. There's also a hint of the telltale spiciness Blaufrankisch is known for. But it is not as pronounced as in some other versions of wines made from this grape. The palate explodes with cherry and fig flavors. Big and rich. Lovely layers of fruit and nuance come through. Some tannins. Very nice acidity allowing a long lasting flavor of the fruit that lingers, and lingers. This is a wonderful, easy drinking red wine. A sure crowd pleaser.
Certainly one of the best and most popular producers of the category is Beneduce VIneyards and winemaker Mike Beneduce. Mike has been one of the big drum beaters for Blaufrankisch for almost 15 years. He had made exceptional wines, and especially terrific high quality Blau consistently for all those years. Beneduce Vineyards Blaufrankisch 2022 is something special with bold and savory notes of dark stewed fruit - a compote of red raspberry, cherry pie, and red currants - with some warming notes of espresso savory touches of rosemary, and a hint of white pepper to finish this very lovely wine. One of the best producers of this wine on the eastern seaboard. Fantastic!
Sharrott Winery is located in the Blue Anchor section of Winslow Township in Camden County, New Jersey. Formerly an apple orchard, the vineyard was first planted in 2005. Lawrence Sharrott is the owner/winemaker along with his oldest son Larry. The grapes are sourced from Larry Coia, at Coia Vineyards. Sharott Vineyards Blaufrankisch among the biggest Blau I have ever had. It had a dark red-purple-ish color. It's a fruity wine. Very juicy. On the nose there's dark plum, hints of tomato, and lovely classic Blau spiciness. On the palate there's a combination of dark plums and big cherry notes. Ripe cherries and dark cherry. Herbs and spices come through as well, including good dose of oak. This wine is big fruit up front, with nice, but seemingly low tannins on the back end. Despite the dazzling beginning, it's overall flavors are subtle and they keep on coming.
Terra Nonno Winery (often referred to as Terra Nonna) is family-owned and operated by the Pipitone family. It is owned and run by founders Adamo and Jeannette Pipitone, along with their son and daughter-in-law, Adamo Jr. and Erika Pipitone. Located in Rosenhayn, New Jerseytheir Terra Nonno Blaufranisch is an estate wine grown in the Outer Coastal Plaine. The dark black/blue skinned grape gives this wine a red/purple color. Soft and rich and approachable, this wine is super easy to drink. Very much a food wine. perfect for chicken, pork, stews, pasta, and pizza.
One of the oldest and largest producing wineries in New Jersey, founded in 1933, Tomasello Winery has been helmed for more than three decades by Jack and Charlie Tomasello. I love their line of Palmaris fine wines. The Tomasello Outer Coastal Plain Blaufrankisch 2022 has a wonderfully red/purple color to it, with notes of stewed dark fruits - plum, cherry, blueberry - with notes of white pepper and spice. On the palate, the fruits came through with added notes of cassis and bramble. There was also nice notes of black and white pepper, and a whiff of cedar. The fruit lasted a long time. This was an exceptional Blaufrankisch. The Outer Coastal Plain continues to grow some of the best fruit on the eastern seaboard. This powerful wine was immense and impressive. Absolutely outstanding.
VIRGINIA
Michael and Sandra McGinnis own and operate Hazy Mountain Vineyards & Brewery. They opened the Tuscan-inspired winery in Afton, Virginia, in June 2021, and also operate a second vineyard site, Little North Mountain, in nearby Swoope, I tasted the Hazy Mountain Blaufrankisch 2021 on a recent trip to Virginia, surprised to see the varietal on their list. The wine, made from 100% estate fruit spent 16 months in French Oak barrels. They produced 569 placing them among the largest producers in the country. This light to medium bodied red was choc-a-block with red fruit - red raspberry, fresh cherry, Damsom plum and cranberries - also has notes of herbs and spice. A light white pepper, light black tea finish, but super approachable, and quaffable. A terrific food wine poised for chicken, pork, stew, and pizza. A super friendly crowd pleaser.
Another find from a recent trip to Virginia was the Ox-Eye Lemberger 2022 at their tasting room in Staunton. Ox-Eye Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery owned by John and Susan Kiers. Located in the Shenandoah Valley, they established the vineyard in 1996. This lovely dry red has dominant notes of black cherry and plum, with a hint of cranberry. A hint of pepper at the back end, this quaffable wine is soft and easy to drink.
NEW ENGLAND
Ian Modestow and Michelle Kersbergen, co-owners of Black Birch Vineyard in Hatfield planted Blaufränkisch vines in 2017 to craft rich red wines. Their varietal wine, Black Birch Blaufrankisch 2022 are exceptional. I have bought bottle after bottle of this exceptional wine. This bottlign offers a medium-bodied, dark red wine with notes of dark cherry, red raspberry, and dark plum jam, augmented by warm spice, and black pepper. The acidity is solid and offers the fruit a vehicle on which to last for a long, long time. I have entertained many people with bottles of their wine. Love this unique bottling.
LAKE ERIE
Mazza Vineyards is located in the Lake Erie region, owned and founded by Robert Mazza, a leader in the PA Wine Industry and a pioneer on the east coast. Bob has been leading the Mazza team and growing the Mazza business, along with the PA wine industry, since Mazza Vineyards’ beginnings in 1972. Robert was one of the people involved in created the Farm Winery license revolution. His son Mario is now General Manager and Vice-President. The Mazza Lemberger 2018 is 94% Lemberger and 4% Merlot. The wine was fermented on the skins, and aged 25 months in French and
Hungarian Oak from Orion, Francois Freres, and Zemplen. The finished wine is a medium-bodied red that features notes of ripe black cherries, red raspberries, and a hint of cranberry, with a lovely earthiness, and a tight note of herbs, spice, and a dose of black pepper. This wine is easily drinkable now, especially with poultry of any kind, pork, game, stews or pizza. A very drinkable red wine.
