2020 Christian Tschida Engel auf Erden Rot

WINEMAKER: Christian Tschida
VARIETAL: Cabernet Franc
REGION: Burgenland, AT
VITICULTURE: Certified Organic/Biodynamic

Engel auf Erden, which translates to “Angel on Earth” is another riff on pink maceration, like Birdscape. It’s a bit closer to a red than the Himmel auf Erden Rosé but has the lift and acidity of a macerated wine. 100% 40 year old vines of Cabernet Franc planted on the gravelly schist soils east of Lake Neusiedlersee. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and crushed by foot. The juice ferments in large barrels with indigenous yeast and no racking. It is bottled without sulfur.

Christian Tschida cultivates 10 hectares of old vines in the Neusiedlersee region of Burgenland. His vineyards are planted on sandy gravel, schist, and limestone soils and have been in the family for 4 generations. This area of Burgenland has a unique microclimate due to the moderating influence of the vast Lake Neusiedlersee nearby.

Christian has a very hands off approach in his vineyards, preferring to let nature take its course. His wild looking parcels are instantly recognisable - overgrown with cover crops that both preserve biodiversity in the vineyards and force the vines to bury their roots deep into the soils in search of nutrients.