Tasting note:

Composed of 70% Blaufränkisch and 30% Pinot Noir, this vivid red from Austria’s Burgenland region is a high-energy thrill ride. Natural winemaking at its absolute best!”

Rarely, if ever, have I encountered a wine so aptly named: “wild and free” is exactly how we all felt after tasting this primal, perfumed, irresistible red from Michael Wenzel.

It’s a blend of Blaufränkisch and Pinot Noir that played like music for me, combining the raw, dark-toned crunch of Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” and the flower-power aromatics of Cream’s “I Feel Free.” Honestly, I could see myself drinking this and only this for the foreseeable future. It perfectly encapsulates everything that is so appealing about “natural” wine—the rawness and immediacy—without any of the flaws that often sink wines in this category. Wenzel is a relentless experimenter and a dedicated practitioner of organic viticulture, and with “Wild and Free” he set out to evoke the lightweight, low-alcohol, chillable reds his winemaking family long enjoyed with lunch. It succeeds at that, but it will be just as good with dinner, too—pure and juicy, mouth-watering and mineral, this is a talented winemaker’s all-purpose “house” wine. Get some on your table as soon as you can!

David Lynch, Sommelier & Editorial Director