2016 LFC BLAUFRÄNKISCH

Bottoms Up

By Janice Binkert | March 10, 2018

Respect. Aretha Franklin wasn’t getting enough of it, and these days, neither are medium-bodied, elegant red wines like Blaufränkisch. Which is puzzling, because this traditional Austrian cool-climate red is infinitely approachable, delicious, and food friendly — complementing a wide range of dishes from lamb to pizza. Left Foot Charley’s Bryan Ulbrich was one of the first northern Michigan vintners to recognize the potential of Blaufränkisch, showcasing it early on at his urban winery and tasting room in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Since then, it has developed a small but fervent legion of fans who actually give it a lot of respect, well aware that it is a limited-release wine. What that means is that if you want to get in on the action, you need to get over to LFC, treat yourself to a taste, and snap up a few bottles; only 20 cases are left. Blaufränkisch MacDonald Vineyard 750 ml, $35. Left Foot Charley, 806 Red Dr., Traverse City. (231) 995-0500. leftfootcharley.com