Christian Tschida Non-tradition Rot 2018

Wow, this is just beautiful - so seamlessly drinkable, the kind that keeps disappearing from the glass. Stunning, completely unorthodox Cabernet Franc; no green notes, just layers of black berries, freshly ground black pepper, gouache, earth, and night-blooming flowers. A faint fizz on the open dissipates fast and only adds to the charm. Bright acidity, deep fruit, a long complex finish tying everything together. Pure joy in a glass.

Christian Tschida farms ~14 ha around Illmitz on the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl, with parcels in Leithaberg on the lake's western shore. Fourth-generation grower; Christian took over from his father Fritz in 2003, extending Fritz's chemical-free viticulture into the cellar. Indigenous-yeast ferments in large neutral Stockinger barrels, no racking, gravity-only handling, unfined and unfiltered, zero added sulphur since the 2015 vintage. Dense plantings and hand-harvest. In 2016 he became the first fully sulphur-free producer ever named Gault Millau Austrian Winemaker of the Year - a useful marker of how far his approach had moved from the country's mainstream by then.

Non-tradition Rot is 100% Cabernet Franc from a ~1 ha selection across three parcels (Eisner, Thenau, Bimusgrube on limestone with schist), ~40-year vines. Hand-harvested, fully destemmed (despite Tschida's reputation for whole-cluster elsewhere); spontaneous fermentation in large barrels with ~6 weeks of total skin contact. ~2 years in Stockinger oak. Bottled with no added SO2.

The Non-tradition line is deliberately stylistically and commercially outside the Austrian Wine Act - labelled simply Non-tradition rather than Burgenland DAC or Qualitätswein. First release: 2015. 2018 was hot and dry with the earliest harvest in living memory in Burgenland; that this comes in at 12.5% reflects early-picking discipline rather than vintage character.

The undisputed favourite of the night. An absolutely stunning, yet completely unorthodox Cabernet Franc. No green notes in sight - just layers of black berries, freshly ground black pepper, gouache, earth, and a mix of night-blooming flowers. It starts off slightly fizzy, but that only adds to the charm, and it dissipates quickly, leaving behind a beautifully concentrated yet effortlessly drinkable wine. Bright acidity, deep fruit, and a long, complex finish tie it all together. Pure joy in a glass.

This wine features a beautiful bouquet that includes blackberry, bell pepper, red fruits, underbrush, sweet tobacco, and leather. The palate is salty, velvety, and round, achieving a well-balanced harmony. Good acidity contributes to its structure, and it finishes with a long, flavorful aftertaste. A truly well-crafted wine with a delightful array of sensations.

Non-tradition Rot

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