Blaufränkisch: Austria's bold red grape, from Burgenland to the world

Blaufränkisch wine ranges from bright, peppery reds to concentrated, age-worthy bottles depending on where and how it is grown. The producers below grow it across Austria's finest vineyard sites, from the shores of Neusiedlersee to the rolling hills of Steiermark.

A thick-skinned variety that thrives in cool continental climates, producing wines from fresh and spicy to deep and structured.

Color

Dropdown arrow

Type

Dropdown arrow

Country

Dropdown arrow

Region

Dropdown arrow

Grape

Dropdown arrow

Pairing

Dropdown arrow

Sort by

Sort arrow
Blaufrankisch

Blaufränkisch wines

Blaufränkisch is Austria's most important red grape and has been cultivated in the country for several centuries. It is a naturally high-acid, thick-skinned variety that keeps its freshness even in warmer vintages — which is part of why it ages well. The style shifts considerably depending on site: wines from the Neusiedlersee shore in Burgenland tend toward ripe dark fruit and structure, while those from Mittelburgenland, Austria's designated Blaufränkisch heartland, sit somewhere between spice, earthiness and fine tannin. On Free Grape Society, each bottle ships directly from the grower's own cellar, with no importer or warehouse in between.

Previous1 of 1Next

Blaufränkisch mixboxes

A mixbox is a producer's own selection of six bottles, assembled as the recommendation they would make if you visited their cellar in person. For a grape like Blaufränkisch, that often means tasting one estate's wines across its different vineyard sites or vintages side by side — the kind of comparison that makes the variety's range genuinely clear. Free Grape Society is a society of producers, independent experts and wine lovers, not a shop.

View all mixboxes

Wineries

The growers below all work with Blaufränkisch, but they come from quite different parts of Austria — some from the warm, flat vineyards around Lake Neusiedl, others from cooler, hillier sites further south and west. Reading each producer's own notes is a quick way to understand the style you are buying into, and the wine-advice service is there if you would rather talk through the differences before choosing.

View all wineries

Wine experts

Blaufränkisch attracts serious attention from wine experts, partly because it sits outside the mainstream and partly because it rewards careful tasting. Independent wine experts review wines they have personally tasted, and their notes are visible on each wine page and on the expert's own profile. Several of the experts below have reviewed Blaufränkisch wines featured on this page, so you can read their assessments before deciding.

View all wine experts

Frequently asked questions

How do I order Blaufränkisch wines on Free Grape Society?

Browse the wines on this page, add bottles to your basket, and pay securely by card or Klarna. Each bottle ships directly from the producer's own cellar to your door. Delivery typically takes 8–9 days on average, within a 4–14 day window depending on where the producer is based. Shipping is free.

What happens if a bottle arrives broken or doesn't taste right?

Send a photo to Free Grape Society customer support within 7 days of delivery. We will arrange a replacement or a refund. Because producers ship directly, quality issues are handled with the producer's direct involvement. Shared responsibility is built into how FGS works.

Can I order Blaufränkisch from more than one producer in the same order?

Yes. You can add wines from different producers to the same basket. Because each producer ships directly from their own cellar, bottles from different estates will arrive in separate packages — each dispatched independently. You will receive tracking information for each shipment.

How long does delivery take?

Average delivery is 8 to 9 days from order to door. The full range is 4 to 14 days depending on the producer's location and your delivery address. Wines ship directly from the producer's cellar, not from a central warehouse.

How do I choose between the different Blaufränkisch wines on this page?

Start with the region. Wines from Mittelburgenland tend to be structured and earthy; those from the Neusiedlersee area often show riper dark fruit. Producer notes on each wine page explain the specific site, vintage, and approach. If you are unsure, the wine-advice service connects you with an independent expert who can help you narrow it down.

What styles of Blaufränkisch are available — and how do they differ?

Blaufränkisch covers a wide range: lighter, peppery, early-drinking styles with fresh acidity at one end; deeply concentrated, oak-aged bottles built for the cellar at the other. The grape's natural acidity and firm tannin are a constant. Climate and winemaking choices — whole-cluster fermentation, barrel size, ageing time — determine where on that spectrum a particular wine lands.

Which Blaufränkisch wine expert can recommend something for me?

Fill in the wine-advice form on Free Grape Society and an independent wine expert will get back to you with a personal recommendation. Experts on the platform have tasted wines across Burgenland and Austria's other red-wine regions and can suggest specific bottles based on your taste preferences and budget.

Why don't you sell supermarket-brand Blaufränkisch wines?

Free Grape Society lists wines from independent producers who grow, make, and bottle their own wine. Large-volume supermarket labels are typically produced by négociants who buy in bulk from multiple growers and blend to a price point. The wines on this page come from estates where the person who grew the grapes also made the wine — which is a fundamentally different thing.

Is Blaufränkisch sold outside Austria, and how does Free Grape Society differ from buying it there?

Blaufränkisch is distributed through importers and specialist wine retailers in many European markets, often at a significant markup. On Free Grape Society, producers set their own prices and ship directly, so the price you pay reflects the producer's own valuation rather than a series of intermediary margins. You also get direct access to the producer's full range, not just the wines an importer chose to bring in.

Where Blaufränkisch comes from and how region shapes it

Blaufränkisch is a central European grape with deep roots in Austria, where it has been grown for centuries in Burgenland — the warm, lake-influenced region along the Hungarian border that remains its heartland. The same variety travels under different names: in Germany it is known as Lemberger or Blauer Lemberger, and in Hungary as Kékfrankos, where it forms the backbone of Egri Bikavér. It is a late-ripening grape, which means it does well in sites with a long growing season and enough warmth to develop its characteristic dark fruit and firm structure. In Burgenland, the Neusiedlersee moderates temperatures through the autumn, allowing the grape to ripen without losing its natural acidity. The result, depending on the site and the winemaker's approach, ranges from bright, pepper-edged reds to wines aged in oak that need a few years to open. You can explore wines from Austria or go directly to Burgenland wines to see which producers on Free Grape Society are working with this variety.

How Blaufränkisch tastes, and what to drink it with

Blaufränkisch has a distinctive profile: high acidity, firm tannin, and a spice note — black pepper and dark cherry are the most common descriptors — that sets it apart from softer central European reds. When grown at altitude or in cooler sites, the acidity stays lively and the wine leans toward red fruit and an almost herbal edge. In warmer, riper years or in oak-aged versions, the dark fruit deepens and the tannins fill out. This structure makes it a natural match for food. It holds up well against roasted meats, game, and dishes with some fat — venison, duck, and braised beef are all reliable pairings. The peppery character also works with dishes that carry a little heat or spice. If you are choosing between a lighter style and a fuller oak-aged version, the lighter end of the range is easier at the table with everyday cooking; the structured versions reward a bigger occasion and some time in the glass before you pour.

Buying Blaufränkisch direct from independent producers

Most Blaufränkisch found in supermarkets or large retail chains comes from high-volume operations that prioritise consistency over site character. The variety's more interesting expressions — single-vineyard wines, low-intervention interpretations, small-production estate bottlings — rarely reach standard retail channels at all. On Free Grape Society, the producers who grow Blaufränkisch ship directly from their own cellars, with no importer or warehouse in between, which means you are getting the wine as the producer intends it, and at the price they set. You can browse Blaufränkisch alongside the other grapes of its home region on the Burgenland wineries page, or look across all Austrian wineries if you want to see the broader context. Free Grape Society is a society of producers, independent experts and wine lovers, not a shop — and for a grape like Blaufränkisch, which rewards curiosity and a direct conversation with the grower, that distinction matters. Wines are tasted before listing, and independent expert reviews are visible on each wine page where they exist.