Bernhard Ott Blaufrankisch 2023

A debut vintage from Moritz Ott, who pushed for red wine at this estate, and the origins show something genuinely intriguing. Wolfsgruben sits on a southwest-facing slope behind the Hengstberg, a cooler pocket of weathered gneiss that gives this Blaufränkisch a leaner, more restrained character than you might expect from Wagram. Dark cherry, iron filings and a trace of violet. The tannins are grippy but fine, with a firm backbone that holds the fruit in check. Still finding itself, as you'd expect from vines planted in 2021, but the direction is clear and the terroir is speaking. One to watch as the vines put down roots.