Franz Weninger is one of the most curious and experimental winemakers we know. He has already completed at least his 25th harvest, yet whenever we visit him, we encounter new shapes and solutions in the fermentation room. The estate has made tremendous progress with Blaufränkisch (Kékfrankos), which they still cultivate in every vineyard, and about which they now know almost everything possible. The Kirch, or Kircholz, is one of Weninger’s classic vineyards, which has been made as a single-vineyard wine since 2003. Compared to the neighbouring Hochacker vineyard, it has stonier, warmer and drier soils, and the wine’s style reflects this: spicy and floral aromas, vibrant acidity and medium body. The cultivation, as with all Weninger vineyards, is biodynamic and the vines are nearly 60 years old.

“A balance between subtle minerality and powerful flavours. In the Kircholz vineyard, alongside the beautiful natural ground flora, a unique feature is the activity of ants. For years, I’ve watched them build their tunnels directly beneath the vine rows and clean the dead bark from the vines. This old plantation was pruned incorrectly for a long time and the larger wounds on the vines turned into dead sections, which could become a hotbed for disease. Winemakers often tackle these areas with a chainsaw, but in the Kircholz vineyard, the ants do a more precise job. They consume only the dead parts, allowing air to reach the living parts of the vine,” says Franz about Kircholz.

The wine has a timeless character and is one of the best Blaufränkisch wines we know. It underwent spontaneous fermentation in an open vat, followed by 14 months of ageing in old, used, oval barrels. A detailed, elegant wine with natural flavours, depth, notes of cherry and marzipan, and fine, powdery tannins on the finish. Original, pure, and very much loved.

Bottled on-site unfiltered and unfined, with minimal sulphur content (10 mg/l). Bottling took place in January 2025, with 2,900 bottles made.