We've also just received some very cool wine from Franz Weninger, which you can read about down below, and some tasty tasty Bobal from Bodegas Arraez in Valencia.
Just a heads up, there is still a couple of days left to sign up for the Act of Wine Subscription service which will be shipped out next week. We've got all the wines ready to go and there is some righteously good gear in there.
Photo from Respect Biodyn
BURGENLAND BORDER HOPPING
The Weninger family has a pretty long history of winemaking; working the fertile soils of Hungary since 1828. His father, making Parkerised wines was producing rich, full bodied Cabernet from a site in a small German speaking village in Hungary. These wines were far and away from the natural wines Franz makes today.
Travelling to California in the early 90's, Franz noticed many similarities in the winemaking techniques and chemicals that his father used, funnily enough he also found the wines to taste the same which he found problematic. When he returned home, he slowly started to implement a new way of doing things.
A commitment to expressing the terroir of the region, he began eliminating the use of additives in the wines. His father had recently converted the farming to biodynamics, so the soils were healthy and good to go.
The Weninger estate is now made up of 26 hectares in Austria and 24 hectares in Hungary with a wide variety of different soil types, all farmed according to Biodynamic farming methods. The real passion for Franz is Blaufrankisch, known locally as Kekfrankos, but he also works with other varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Syrah and Merlot.
Ponzichter (bean growers) was the name given to German speaking winegrowers in the Sopron region of Hungary because they grew vegetables between the vine rows. Franz was intrigued by this for a couple of reasons. If it was a bad vintage, the farmers still had something to eat but it also meant that the vegetables could assist in assimilating nitrogen into the soils. This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir from the Hungarian side of the border and Zweigelt from the Austrian side. It's light and pretty but still with great depth and structure.Check it out here
NEW HOURS COMING NEXT WEEK
We're going to be making a few adjustments to our shop hours and delivery days soon so stay tuned to instagram @actofwine to stay in the loop.
CURATION STATIONS
Have you checked out our Curated Packs? Grab yourself one of these to enjoy discounts on selections that wouldn't normally see them. Wines that we've picked around the shop just because we like them, you'd be mad not to.
We're on the road every day aside from Monday offering same day delivery to those customers within 15km of the Melbourne CBD. Simply order online before 1pm and you'll get your wines that arvo.... easy!
THE AOW SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
We've streamlined our subscription offerings to focus on getting the absolute best wines we can to our subscribers, whose loyalty and vision will always be rewarded with insane value wines and first looks at things that are yet to be released. Jump on here and give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
We have from the outset prided ourselves on having the best monthly subscription wine service in the game. We take this so seriously that each and every month we convene a panel of expert wine industry folk around a cheese board at Sam's house for a tasting selection panel. No punches are pulled, frankly it's brutal. So the wines that go in our monthly packs are certified FIRE.
