Paradigm-shifting, soul-stirring, mind-expanding. These are just a few descriptors worthy of Jagini’s masterfully and minutely crafted Blaufränkisch, and yet I feel like they still don’t do it enough justice. This 2012 showpiece is a brainchild of Roland Velich and Hannes Schuster, two of Austria’s most talented and revered red wine producers. Over the years, we’ve offered both of their individual and equally delicious Blaufränkisch bottlings, but today’s limited release is a combination and culmination of their talents. The result is a shockingly long-aged, terroir-specific masterpiece that transcends the grape. 

Truly, as far as collaborations go, Jagini is about as pedigreed and micro-scale as it gets—in fact, it’s the only wine they produce under this label. If you ask us, this nine-year-old stunner belongs in the pantheon of Europe’s finest mature wines, and it tastes like several of them too: I compared its breathtaking elegance to Premier Cru Burgundy, and my colleagues felt it had the muscle of Barolo and the smoky/savory nuances of Côte-Rôtie. Your palate may draw parallels to different regions, but one thing’s for certain: This is going to blow everyone away. One of Austria’s finest mature red wines, for $50? Come on!

Weingut Rosi Schuster began in 1979, the year Hannes’ parents got married (his mother’s name is Rosi). Hannes joined his mother’s side in 2005, spearheading a move towards organic farming, and today the estate is 100% certified. Hannes produces exquisite, sought-after Sankt Laurent and Zweigelt, yet Blaufränkisch is the estate’s darling, coveting the oldest soils. Planted densely for horse-plowing in soils of clay/loam over limestone, Schuster’s special Blaufränkisch vines, averaging 55-100 years of age, reside on a hillside in the village of Zagersdorf, a few miles west of Lake Neusiedl. Each vine bears only a few clusters, severely reducing yields to unprecedented standards for a dry wine. 

Roland Velich, meanwhile, is a fanatical dreamer. He erases the boxes of “traditional” and “modern” by making the most expressive wines from the humblest terroir. Unafraid of skeptics, he is making Austrian reds at Moric that deliver memorable experiences. So, when Hannes Schuster realized the potential of Zagersdorf’s deep-rooted vines, he called Velich. Roland is a Blaufränkisch guru, dedicated to the vines of Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg in the Middle Burgenland region. He is a die-hard ambassador of all things we love: organic farming, meticulous sorting, natural yeasts, no fining, no filtration, minimal use of sulfur, and larger neutral barrels. 

The Burgenland has been part of Austria for less than 100 years, tossed like a football between kingdoms, empires, and monarchies; it’s a maze of culture and viticulture. But Velich believes that Blaufränkisch was a constant, once one of the world’s greatest red wines, just forgotten by the mess of politics and boundaries. He long admired the Blaufränkisch wines of the Schuster family, kindly jealous of their terroir, due north of his estate, in the ancient wine-growing district of St. Margarethen—where fossilized grape seeds indicate wine was made here 3,000 years ago. At the end of the 20th century, local farmers, incentivized by the government to clear land, ripped out most of the old Blaufränkisch vines. Together, Schuster and Velich, salvaged three remaining hectares and restored an ancient lifeline with “Jagini.” 

Hannes Schuster’s last name means “shoemaker.” It’s fitting that “Jagini” is the old, atypical term for the same word, a nod to a remarkable grape and its abandoned story. Harvested in several passes, grapes for Jagini fermented and aged in Austrian and German oak barrels (all neutral and untoasted). And, in a move out of the Moric playbook, the wine was stowed away for extended bottle aging—2013 is their current release! 

A vibrant, opaque garnet hue reveals itself in a Burgundy stem and with just a few swirls, seductive fragrances roll out: ripe black plum, elderberry liqueur, black raspberry, dewy strawberries, and currant. But that’s just the fruit—it’s also loaded with damp rose petal, pepper, wet stones, smoked soy sauce, and leather. Deeply concentrated and dark-fruited without sacrificing a crumb of elegance or freshness, the texture is velvet-smooth with well-toned, graceful tannins. Every glass introduces chameleonic nuances that will have you bouncing from Pinot to Syrah to Nebbiolo—yet it never once loses its proud Austrian identity. If desired, decant for 15-30 minutes before serving at 60 degrees. Enjoy your stash over the next five years. Cheers!