What we love about Wenzel is ...well…everything! First and foremost is that he makes pure, delightfully clean natural wine. Second is his story, that of a passionate, successful winemaker who had a philosophical revelation. A natural winemaker’s job is to cultivate vitality he says. “I call natural wine the product of pure, unadulterated fermented grape juice. Organic farming is simply the prerequisite.” Michael stopped using any synthetic pesticides and began to rely entirely on native yeasts. “Natural yeasts are - and it took me a long time to realize this - the real winemakers. My responsibility as a winemaker is to respect nature.” They removed all metal from their vineyard. Each vine now has wooden support tied with a natural, biodegradable hemp ribbon. They began to prune their vines short, lower to the ground, so nutrients travel more easily into the vine. Their vines are densely planted to foster healthy competition increasing phenolics and keeping sugar levels low. Michael says this creates a more “harmonious” and balanced wine. “Good natural wine is not filling. There are many wines that you have had enough of after one glass. Natural wine ... has to be light and drinkable.”

Aus dem Kalk literally means from the chalk. The Blaufrankisch grapes for this wine came from three different vineyards planted in limestone soils from the flatter parts of the chain of hills near the town of Rust (pronounced "roost".) The weathered limestone is interspersed with layers of loam in the surface-soil and gives the wine it's undisputed miineral qualities and high toned aromatics. Native yeast. 20% whole cluster fermentation and 20% carbonic maceration add additional layers of fruit and heady aromatics. 18 months in large old Austrian casks. Unfiltered and minimal sulphur additions.

An elegant, Burgundian style of Blaufrankisch!