Weninger Ponzichter (Bio)

A 50/50 mix of Hungarian Pinot Noir and Austrian Zweigelt grapes from both sides of the border. Biodynamic production, natural winemaking, with part of the grapes fermented in whole bunches, part of them de-stemmed before crushing. Very smooth and quaffable, true to Franz’s natural winemaking style.

Named after the ‘Ponzichter’ (originally ‘Bohnenzüchter’ or bean growers), the Austrian winemakers who once produced wines in the Sopron wine region in Hungary.

About the Weninger winery

The generations-old Weninger family estate in Burgenland, Austria received critical acclaim in the 1980s, after Franz Weninger became winemaker and started focusing on high-quality Blaufränkisch wines. As the borders reopened in 1989, the Weningers acquired land on the Hungarian side of the border in the Sopron region, near the town of Balf. Now, the son, Franz Reinhardt, is in charge of winemaking and has converted the winery to organic and biodynamic practices, striving to create natural wines that show the true potential of the region.

While many winemakers are turning towards natural winemaking, few get it as right as Weninger does. The wines are juicy, full of flavor and great value and show no signs of the “weird” flavors that many biodynamic winemakers are claiming to be normal. This is why Captain Cork declared them “Winemaker of the Year 2013”, and we couldn’t agree more.