2013 Blaufrankisch Neckenmarkter Alte Reben

A dark cherry color followed by deep, highly precise, intense and elegant dark and ripe fruit aromas (wild black and blue berries, blackcurrant, licorice, juniper) underlined by a refreshing touch of lemon juice, leafs and herbs and some toasty and spicy pepper/pimento/carbon flavors, the 2013 Blaufrankisch Neckenmarkt Alte Reben is another great proof of how great Blaufränkisch can become on slate soils, not just on limestone. The 2013 reminds me of the perfume of a flowering heath and a pine wood in midsummer. The purity, elegance and sublime complexity of the nose is continued on the palate, which is silky, intense, fiery, sweet, juicy and crystalline. This is a full-bodied and intense wine, but there is a lot of finesse and perfect level of ripeness here. The tannins are as fine as the crystalline acidity and perfectly integrated. Can there be any better Blaufränkisch on this planet? The 2013 has power and lots of spices, intensity and pure and sweet juice, but most of all finesse, structure and purity, with the tannins giving a great grip. This wine will go for 6 to 12+ years and is one of the finest I have tasted at Moric since the – still great – 2006.