Among dozens of bottles that landed under our Christmas tree this season, came a Frankovka Goldberg 2012. Frankovka is an indigenous middle-European variety, named after the German Franconia, with best results in Austria and Hungary. Blaufrankisch, for example, makes up a third of the genial cuvee Gabarinza of Burgenland winemaker Gernot Heinrich and a large part of his equally valued coupage Pannobile.
Frankovka has grapes with medium tannins, relatively late maturation, potentially high concentration, but also pronounced freshness, which is especially important. In Croatia Frankovka is dramatically and without reason undervalued. Instead of the Slavonian, Srijem and Baranja production of red wines being based on Frankovka, it is still dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while labels of important producers often have Pinot Nero, ending often in completely wrong interpretations of this noble variety.
Frankovka is being taken seriously mostly by Feravino, Iločki Cellars and Belje, especially in their prestigious brand Goldberg. Frankovka should, however, due to its harmonious combination of concentration and freshness, as well as representing part of the local terroir, become the central red grape of this part of Croatia. The Belje Frankovka Goldberg we opened these days, quite vividly presents possibilities of this under valorised variety.
Grapes for this wine was harvested in the third decade of October. After maceration, fermentation and malolactic fermentation, Frankovka Goldberg aged for another 12 months in large oak barrels. The wine is especially dense, concentrated, with finely granulated tannins, high and well integrated alcohol, but with so much freshness which makes it lively and drinkable, regardless of its massiveness. On the first nose are blackberries and blueberries, with a bit of spices. The taste is also dominated by black fruits, with slight nuances of dark chocolate: the aftertaste is unusually long. Frankovka Goldberg is an example of what luxurious Slavonia-Baranja wines should look like. They are expensive, but for a reason.
For the original and more from Plava Kamenica, click here.
