Gernot and Heike Heinrich founded their winery in 1990 with just one hectare and have steadily grown to 90 hectares today. Heinrich converted to biodynamics in 2006 and is a member of Respekt, a certifying body for biodynamic viticulture in Austria. Heinrich is today one of Austria’s most innovative wine producers.
All of Heinrich’s wines are fermented spontaneously and are often left with the skins for several weeks. The wines remain on their lees for an extended period and are vinified mainly in neutral oak casks. Gernot says, "we give the wines plenty of time to mature, the time that hardly anyone has today,” and adds, “it is above all else time that shapes our wines.”
RED is an approachable entry into the wines of Gernot and Heike Heinrich and serves as an introduction to the high-quality red wines of Burgenland. It’s made from a blend of Austria’s signature red grape varieties: the soft and fruity Zweigelt; structured and spicy Blaufränkisch; and the aromatic St. Laurent. It is aged for 12 months in used 500-liter oak casks.
Tasting Notes
RED showcases the enormous strides made in Austrian red wine and exhibits the quality of its native red grape varieties. Zweigelt serves as the wine’s base, providing soft and juicy red-berried fruit while notes of tobacco and spice come from Blaufränkisch. A small percentage of St. Laurent lends floral aromas and refreshing acidity.
Food Pairing
Zweigelt is Austria’s most-planted red grape variety and is favored for its soft and fruity character, making it easy to enjoy and versatile at the table. Its fresh and bright profile allows Zweigelt to cut the richness of traditional Hungarian goulash or complement the flavor of roasted game birds or earthy chanterelle mushrooms.