The Wine: Beck Ink Red Wine 2019

Judith Beck Beck Ink is a red natural wine made from a blend of St Laurent and Zweigelt hand-harvested biodynamic grapes grown in Burgenland, Austria. Beck Ink is made with spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no additional sulfites. Beck Ink is a medium bodied wine, dark in color, with notes of plum, black cherry, and roses. Moderate tannins, Beck In should be enjoyed paired with hearty main courses. Beck Ink is a vegan wine.

The Producer: Judith Beck

The Judith Beck estate is based in the Burgenland commune of Gols, in the Neusiedlersee region, on the eastern – and warmest — side of the Lake Neusiedl, not too far away from Meinklang Farm. Gols is part of the larger Burgenland region in easternmost Austria, which enjoys a very warm climate defined by the Pannonian Plain to the east and the Lake.

Judith’s parents, Matthias and Christine Beck founded the family estate in 1976. Judith Beck made her first vintage in 2001 and in 2004 she assumed full control of the winery. After graduating from the Klosterneuburg Viniculture College Judith Beck gained international experience at world-renowned wineries, including Chateau Cos d’Estournel in Bordeaux, Braida in Piedmont and Errazuriz in Chile. Managing the family winery comes naturally to Judith who has an innate “sixth-sense” feel for the regional varieties Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, and St. Laurent.

Judith Beck owns a total of 13.5 hectares of vines in Gols, with holdings in the vineyard sites of Altenberg, Gabarinza, Salzberg, and Schafleiten. 85% of the area is planted to red varieties – Blauer Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, with the remaining 15% planted to white varieties – Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. In addition, grapes are brought in from another 5 hectares in the communes of Apetlon, Halbturn, and Winden, and used in the production of the basic red wines. Vines are planted at high densities of up to 7,000 vines per hectare to limit yields and ensure ripe fruit at harvest time. Soils range from loam and clay on the lower vineyards to limestone, higher up on the ridges. All grapes are hand-harvested.

The Becks built a new modern and functional winery and aging cellar in 2005. It allows Judith to manipulate her wines as little as possible in the vinification process, resulting in wines which show the pure and vivid expression of the varietal and the unique vintage character. Judith Beck’s wines are at once elegant, fruit-forward and complex expressions of her vineyards.

Judith and her father Matthias practiced sustainable viticulture from the outset and converted to biodynamic practice with the 2007 vintage. Judith uses only native yeasts in the fermentation process. The red wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, in new barriques or in open vats. The wines undergo malolactic fermentation in new barriques or in large oak barrels. Some of the red wines are also matured in large oak vats, some of which are quite old, and are already being used by the third generation of owners.

The wines are vegan. The estate is a member of the Pannobile association, as well as of “11 Frauen und ihre Weine” (11 Women and their Wines). The philosophy of the domaine is aptly put by Judith: “Wine and the joy of living and pleasure all go hand in hand. We prefer wines which captivate all of our senses with each new bottle and each new sip.” - (description and photo by vosselections.com)

The Region: Neusiedlersee - Austria