Blaufränkisch
Also known as Kékfrankos, Lemberger, Frankovka
Probably Central Europe, Austria
A firm, peppery, dark-fruited red grown from Burgenland to Hungary and Württemberg, and the parent of Zweigelt.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Niche
Climate
Moderate climate
Ripening
Late season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Austria
Burgenland
Mittelburgenland and Eisenberg make its most serious, peppery, age-worthy wines.
Hungary
Sopron and Szekszárd
As Kékfrankos, Hungary's leading red, spicy and fresh.
Germany
Hungary
Background
Origin & History
DNA profiling shows Blaufränkisch to be a cross of Gouais Blanc and Blaue Zimmettraube, an old, rare variety, tying it to the same medieval workhorse as Chardonnay and Riesling. The "Fränkisch" in its name is usually read as marking it a noble, high-quality vine, as against the humble "Heunisch" (Hunnic) grapes such as Gouais Blanc.
It is a star of Burgenland, especially Mittelburgenland and Eisenberg, and is Hungary's Kékfrankos, important around Sopron and Szekszárd. In Württemberg it is Lemberger. It is a parent of Zweigelt and of several other Austrian crossings.
Lineage
Family tree
Ancestry above, descendants below. Click a related grape to explore its own lineage.