Meinklang Burgenland Red

Winemaker: Angela Michlits

Appellation: Neusiedlersee, Austria

Grape Varieties: 60% Zweigelt, 30% Blaufrankisch, and 10% St. Laurent 

A delightful red is a natural wine of 60% Zweigelt, 30% Blaufrankisch, and 10% St. Laurent made with carbonic maceration preserving all the fresh juciness and bright red fruit flavors. A perfect summer quaffing red. This is a natural wine.einklang’s red is a blend of 60 percent Zweigelt, 30 percent Blaufränkisch, and 10 percent St. Laurent, grown biodynamically near the shores of Lake Neusiedl. The color is ruby red with blue glints, and the aromas mingle brambly berries, black currant, and cranberry with anise seed and leafy tomato vine. Medium-bodied with a juicy red center, the finish crackles with herbal/basil notes. It’s a young wine, simple and uncomplicated, making it a good choice for red-sauced pastas, grilled meats, and aged cheeses. Light-bodied like a Pinot Noir, but with crunchy red fruit. Unfined, unfiltered, low sulphites. Serve chilled.

Meinklang is an original, family-run mixed farm, set in the middle of the World Heritage Site of the National Park Neusiedlersee, on the Eastern side of the Neusiedlersee Lake, bordering directly on the Hungarian lowlands, where life’s diversity and complexity are celebrated.

This farm functions much like an organism, relying not only on the people but also on the local herd of cows which contributes in an essential way with their natural and invaluable fertilizer.

The farm’s diversity is enriched by ancient grains such as spelt, farro, and einkorn wheat, as well as the fruit orchards and vegetable gardens, meadows of wild herbs and flowers, and the elegant charm of the grapevines.

From the winery:

The vineyard as a biotope. In the vineyards, in the midst of protected natural varnishes, valuable green plants and wild herbs grow around our vines: sweet clover, sweet peas, red clover and wild grasses provide a habitat for soil organisms and beneficial insects. The deep roots loosen the soil and form the basis for healthy vines. At the same time, the greening is a natural factor in competition with the vines - intentional gentle competition is positive for the development of aromas and phenols in the grapes.

As fertilizer, we use our own compost made from cattle, horse and sheep dung, pomace, green cuttings and, from time to time, stone meal.
Vital and robust vines can only grow on living soil, giving them a very individual and characterful wine.

Our aim is to reflect on the origin of the term “wine garden” and to create a real garden with fruit, vegetables, vines and herbs. Even nettles and thistles are allowed to grow in the middle of the vines: they are important forage plants for many insects. Some caterpillars and species of butterflies could not survive without them. The larvae of numerous beetles, flies and mosquitoes are stored in the thistles. This "weed", demonized by many farmers, creates valuable habitats where butterflies and songbirds can be found in summer. It enables humus to build up and reharmonizes the vines' habitat. And not only the vines should benefit from the new paradise garden, we are also happy if we can bring fruit and vegetables home with us from the wine garden after a long day at work.

Vine to vine, strung in a straight line on bare ground like soldiers on roll call: monotonous images like these have shaped the vineyards that have become habitual for decades. We want to break new ground: We have created 27 eco-islands with around 800 m² on the largest contiguous vineyard area of ​​10 hectares. These islands, laid out in the form of huge drops of water, extend over several rows of vines and break up the monotonous vine architecture.

The center of each island is a fruit tree: these can be almonds, plums and quinces. There are also tall apple trees that provide habitats for birds, small mammals and insects. Shrew and field mouse, hedgehog, stone marten and the rare garden dormouse live around the fruit trees.
At Meinklang, the black elderberry bush is also planted, the fruits of which more than 62 species of birds feed on. The plant oases are complemented above all by bushy trees, shrubs, herbs, vegetables and flowers - a total of more than 300 species.

Insect hotels have had their day
The greening of the soil commonly practiced in organic viticulture, the setting up of nest boxes and so-called insect hotels etc. are steps in the right direction, but they do not go far enough for us. Our goal is to create consistent and natural habitats for the vine's roommates. Wine plantations become vineyards.

Freedom in the vineyard. The Pinot Gris vines are a special challenge for us: we forego pruning and let them grow in complete freedom, following the primary instinct of the climbing vines.
The vines can fully develop their metabolism, are no longer disturbed by the pruning and regulate their yield themselves: an above-average number of grapes ripen with very small berries and the harvest is ultimately smaller than usual.

This has the great advantage that the small berries have more skin in relation to the pulp and consequently bring more aroma, extract and complexity to the wine.
And because the vineyard then looks completely “unkempt”, we named the wine “Graupert”. A dialect word that old Burgenlanders say to you when you look messy.