Vineyard ProjectVP004 Gober & Freinbichler Blaufränkisch (750ml)

We were turned on to these two growers – Dominik and Gerald – by our friend Franz Weninger, whose wines we’ve always appreciated. We were in fact looking to do a “Vineyard Project” wine with Franz; he had a friend with good vineyards that he thought might need help and be open to more organic viticulture. In the end, it didn’t work; most often in life it doesn’t work, remember that. It’s ok.

Then, maybe a year later, Franz wrote to us about these two growers – maybe you remember Dominik and Gerald from the last paragraph? – and said they were thinking of working a few really good vineyards and that they had a great sensibility and that they could probably use a partner to help them get the winery started?

If you want to know the real truth, then COVID hit. And so there we were, all of us quarantined at home and all international travel, difficult and dangerous. Franz said, basically, “The wine is fucking very good just buy it.” And John and I, honestly just not knowing what to do, said “uh…ok.” And so we committed to tens of thousands of dollars of wine, without ever tasting it or meeting the people. (Honestly this is the first and last time that will ever happen.)

In a way, I’m probably telling this story because I’m proud of it. John constantly ribs me about my worrying, about my slightly neurotic tendency to overthink everything, always. I guess I’m proud that I made the jump, that we made this jump, for all the right reasons. I’m also probably telling this story because it has a very happy ending. The wine was awesome, like Franz said. It was juicy and satisfying, yet compact and not heavy, not cumbersome and gooey. It felt fresh. We loved it; judging by the sales you loved it too.

The spectacular 2021 vintage has just arrived; it is spectacular. At around $20 retail, it is also absurdly well priced.

When I finally met Dominik and Gerald, we had a great tasting and at the end, buzzing a little bit maybe, they admitted to being anxious to meet me. They said something like:  “I mean, who buys that much wine without ever having tasted it? That was crazy.”

I told them casually I do this stuff all the time, no big deal.