This bottle is the first of three I picked up at the popular Tip Top Meats in Carlsbad. CA. Along with their reputation as one of the best places to buy meat in North County San Diego, they also have a nice gourmet grocery store with a wine and beer section. They carry a number of low-end (mostly under $25) wines from the US, Germany, Austria and Italy. I figured I would get adventurous and try some new grape varieties I don’t remember ever trying before.
This Blaufrankisch was bottled in a 1L format and cost around $15. The color was on the lightish and translucent side, deeper than a Spatburgunder and more towards that of a Burgundy garnet. The nose was fairly unremarkable, tending towards nondescript red fruitedness. On the palate, an mix of red-black fruit, a bit Pinot-ish in the fruit, but no sous bois or Pinot funk, instead having some Cab Franc herbaceous notes (but no green pepper) and some syrah-like black pepper grace notes. Very little in the way of tannins, with the structure coming entirely from ample but not overdone acidity. Not terribly deep or complex, but with a clean finish and a wine that went quite nicely with a meal for a very affordable price. Just a humble, honest wine and I’m perfectly okay with that.