Spotlight: Tschida Brutal
Christian Tschida is one of the most uncompromising voices in natural wine.
Like any genuine natural winemaker, Christian farms without recourse to chemical treatments, and his cellar philosophy is decidedly low-interventionist.
What separates Tschida’s wines from those of his like-minded peers is their uncommon delicacy, radiance, and focus, qualities which have garnered them “cult” status and a place on the lists of some of the world’s most venerated restaurants and wine bars.
Based in the Burgenland village of Illmitz, near the climate-moderating Neusiedler See lake, Tschida produces more than a dozen different cuvées from a single ten-hectare plot of vines planted to both regional and international grape varieties.
Some of the cuvées are more serious in structure, some are completely juicy and care-free, but all are made in practically the same manner: The grapes are destemmed, foot-trod, then vinified in large, neutral barrels with indigenous yeast. Tschida uses a vertical basket press for a very gentle extraction, and the wines are then aged in large neutral oak (mostly Stockinger).
Today we’re offering two rare and delicious examples of Tschida’s handiwork: “Brutal”, a light red made from Pinot Noir, and “Birdscape”, which falls somewhere between a light red and a rosé, and is made from a Blaufrankisch-prominent combination of red and white grapes.
While Christian certainly produces a good many unique wines (with great, eye-catching labels, it must be said), he doesn’t make much of any of them. Quantities here are more limited than usual – but feel free to ask for as much as you’d like, and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
With the Newsletter-only discount, these are the best prices we see in the country! Click below.
Christian Tschida, Birdscape, 2019 - $41.99
Made from Blaufrankisch, Pinot Noir, and several white varieties. A very chillable light red (or is it a dark rosé?) with notes of blackberry, raspberry, salt and roses. Give it a little air (>20 minutes) for the meaty, Jura-like reduction aromatics to subside. No sulfur added. (Extremely limited)
Christian Tschida, Brutal, 2019 - $44.99
Pinot Noir. Pretty and lithe, redolent of lavender, violets and black cherry. Luminous, elegant, and long on the palate. Like the Birdscape, this can be served cool and will benefit from a little aeration. No sulfur added. (Limited)