Gols winemaker Werner Achs takes first place with his Xur 2019 at the 42nd Falstaff Red Wine Awards. Andi Kollwentz wins the Reserve Trophy.
"The 2019 vintage fully meets the high qualitative expectations placed on it". That is the verdict of Falstaff's Austrian editor-in-chief Peter Moser, who along with an expert panel, tasted and evaluated around 1,300 red wines as part of the 42nd Falstaff Red Wine Awards.
This year, the coveted winning title goes to the wine with the most points from the 2019 vintage, which was determined by the nine-member expert jury in a final blind tasting. Around 800 wines were submitted for the main competition, from which the varietal winners were first chosen.
While Werner Achs was able to celebrate 100 points for his Werner Achs Reserve 2017 in the Reserve Trophy last year, this year he is at the top of the winner's podium – for the third time in the history of the Falstaff Red Wine Awards. His winning wine, the red wine cuvée Xur 2019, impresses with great complexity and precision, an abundance of aromas, subtle spiciness, mineral touch and very elegant texture.
Second place overall goes to Horst Gager, whose single-varietal Blaufränkisch, awarded 97 Falstaff points, was also the varietal winner. René Pöckl completes the podium with his Rêve de Jeunesse 40 2019 in third place.
1. FALSTAFF WINNER: XUR 2019, Weingut Werner Achs
Gols – Neusiedlersee
97 Falstaff Points
2. FALSTAFF WINNER: Blaufränkisch Mittelburgenland DAC Reserve Ried Mitterberg 2019, Weingut Gager
Deutschkreutz – Mittelburgenland
97 Falstaff Points
3. FALSTAFF WINNER: Rêve de Jeunesse 40 2019, Weingut Pöckl
Mönchhof – Neusiedlersee
97 Falstaff Points
This year's Reserve Trophy awarded 100 Falstaff points twice. Wines from the 2018 vintage and older were evaluated in the two categories Cuvée & Varietal Diversity and Blaufränkisch. Not only did the top scores demonstrate the high standard of Austrian red wine, but no less than eleven wines scored 98 points or more.
The overall victor in the Reserve Trophy 2021 was Andi Kollwentz with his Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, while Ernst Triebaumer held his own in the Blaufränkisch category.
1. Winner of the Reserve Cuvée and Varietal Diversity Trophy 2021: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Weingut Kollwentz
Großhöflein – Leithaberg
100 Falstaff Points
1. Winner of the Reserve Trophy Blaufränkisch: Blaufränkisch Ried Mariental 2018, Weingut Ernst Triebaumer
Rust
100 Falstaff Points
The lively fruit-driven red wines of the promising 2020 vintage were once again honoured with their own Grand Prix in three categories: Blauer Zweigelt, Cuvée and Blaufränkisch.
Winner of the Zweigelt Category: Zweigelt Unplugged 2020, Weingut Reeh
Andau – Neusiedlersee
93 Falstaff Points
Winner of the Blaufränkisch Category: Blaufränkisch Edelgrund 2020, Weingut Paul Achs
Gols – Neusiedlersee
93 Falstaff Points
Winner of the Cuvée Category: Heideboden Rot 2020, Weingut Keringer
Mönchhof – Neusiedlersee
92 Falstaff Points
The Falstaff publishing house and Austrian editor-in-chief Peter Moser would like to thank the winemakers whose excellent wines form the basis for the Falstaff Red Wine Guide 2022 (currently only available in German) and to the jury:
Heinz Pecenka, Leopold Zawadil, Mario Morandell, Roman Horvath, Wolfgang Kneidinger, Hermann Botolen, Herbert Oschep and Konstantin Schindlmaißer.
