Felix by Kolfok - 'BLAU' - Blaufränkisch - Burgenland, AT - NV

Notes from the Winery/Importer

A new wine for us. This is a wine about family. A wine for weeknight dinners and sipping with friends. Made for us from Stefan Wellanschitz's (of Kolfok fame) family estate. It is Blaufrankisch from 15-45 year old vineyards in Unterpetersdorf in the Neckenmarkter mountains where his Mother is from. The soils are clay and basalt which imparts a wonderful minerality. Everything about it speaks to the tradition and where they are from, from the family vineyards to the used large 1500-3000 liter barrels made by a local cooper from trees in the Waldviertal used vintage after vintage. Only native yeasts are used, no fining and minimal amounts of sulphur. The Felix Blau is a wine we are absolutely delighted to have and enjoy here in the U.S. for the first time. -Wine Monger

Notes on the Producer

The word Kolfok has its origins in a regional dialect and describes a person, critical to common thoughts — an unconventional thinker. Winemaker and Kolfok in chief Stefan Wellanschitz was born into winemaking at the family's estate in Neckenmarkt, a winery that dates back to the early 19th century, to a time when this part of Burgenland was still Hungarian and not Austrian. While still also working at the family's estate, Stefan decided to launch his own wines back in 2013, wines that are a clear deviation from the family's more traditional style, towards natural winemaking and a purist low-tech approach that would highlight soils and micro-climate, aka terroir. Some parts of the vineyards are directly at the border of Hungary, especially the town Neckenmarkt shows a unique combination of alpine soils and Pannonian climate. In the middle of the Oedenburger Valley, Neckenmarkt is located at a relatively high altitude, the vineyards are up to 500 meters above sea level with a smorgasbord of soils coming into play. In the higher parts soils range from schist, gneiss to limestone, and in the lower vineyards from ferrous loam to volcanic clay. Says Stefan: "I want to show those exceptional conditions in my wines. That's why I work naturally both in the vineyards and in the cellar. To prevent monoculture the vines are growing organically together with other herbs and plants. In the cellar it's very easy - the wine leaves the press without the use of pumps into local oak barrels which can be from 600 liters (Halbstueck) to 1200 liters (Stueck), this is where the stays without fining, moving or even sulfuring. At the optimum time, they are bottled unfiltered with minimal addition of sulfur."