What to eat with Blaufränkisch?
4 minutes read
If you love trying new food and wine pairings, Blaufränkisch — Austria’s signature red — is one you should get to know.
Austrian food (often called “Viennese cuisine”) is a mix of so many influences: French, Italian, Turkish, Balkan, Eastern European, German… all thanks to the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
That’s why you’ll find everything from wild mushrooms and white asparagus to alpine cheeses, freshwater fish, and hearty roasts. Pork, veal, lamb, poultry — they’re roasted, braised, boiled, or fried, and often seasoned with spices like paprika, cumin, caraway, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The kind of flavors that instantly make you want another bite.
So, picture this: you’ve just opened a bottle of Blaufränkisch. What’s on the table?
Blaufränkisch is one of the most food-friendly reds I know. It’s perfect with Austrian classics like schnitzel, goulash, and bratwurst, but also loves fresh, tangy dishes — think tomato pasta or meats with a splash of acidity. Serve it slightly chilled and it’s a dream with seafood pasta or grilled fish. For something heartier, try it with mushrooms, risotto, beef cheek, grilled steak, or even Ossobuco. And if you’re in a cheese mood, Feta, Gouda, and Roquefort are all winners. Want my full list of go-to pairings? I’ve put them into a free one-page Blaufränkisch cheat sheet you can keep in your kitchen — sign up below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox.
A beginner’s guide to Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is one of Austria’s star red grapes. You might see it called Kékfrankos in Hungary or Lemberger in Germany — but it’s the same grape.
It ripens late and needs warm, rich soils (a bit like Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux). Its thick skin makes it naturally resistant to disease and rot, which is pretty handy for winemakers.
Like Riesling, it’s a grape that really reflects where it’s grown. In Leithaberg‘s limestone soils, it’s all about elegance. In the deep, rich soils of Mittelburgenland, you get more body and spice.
From Südburgenland, it’s refined and subtle, while Carnuntum’s cooler climate gives wines with bright red fruit aromas.
What does Blaufränkisch taste like?
Blaufränkisch used to be made in a big, bold, heavily oaked style—think Bordeaux. But tastes have changed, and today most wine lovers go for something more approachable: balanced, less oaky, and easier to drink.
Now, winemakers usually keep the vinification simple, then let the wine rest in large casks. This keeps the fruit front and center while still giving the wine the structure to age well.
Expect bold flavors and plenty of black fruit—blueberries and cherries are my usual go-to descriptors. It’s naturally high in acidity and full-bodied, so it can age beautifully. In youth, the tannins are lively and firm, but with a bit of patience, they soften into something silky and complex.
Best Blaufränkisch Food Pairings
Blaufränkisch is one of those wines you can bring to almost any dinner and it will just work. Think Austrian comfort food like schnitzel, goulash, or bratwurst. It’s also great with lighter meats in tangy sauces, or even a simple tomato pasta.
Serve it slightly chilled and its silky tannins make magic with fish — especially seafood pasta. It also loves mushrooms, risotto, slow-cooked beef cheek, and it can hold its own next to anything from meatloaf to a perfectly grilled steak. Personally, I’m a fan of pairing it with Ossobuco.
Cheese? Feta, Gouda, even Roquefort — the wine’s bright acidity ties it all together.
If you want my full list of go-to pairings — from the classics to the unexpected — I’ve put them all into a one-page cheat sheet you can keep in your kitchen.
The difficult task of wine and food pairing
Something to remember: everyone’s sensitivity to flavors and aromas is different. What feels like a light touch of bitterness to one person can be overwhelming for another — and that’s not just a matter of taste preference, it’s about how our senses work. Some people enjoy stronger reactions, others don’t. So, what’s a “perfect” pairing for you might be underwhelming, or even unpleasant, for someone else.
Food can also change the way a wine tastes — and more often than not, that change isn’t for the better. Sweetness and umami tend to make a wine seem more astringent, more bitter, and less sweet and fruity. On the other hand, saltiness and acidity make it feel softer, less bitter, and rounder in flavor, with the fruit standing out more.
If you want to see this in action, try this: take a raw button mushroom, then cook it for just 30 seconds — you’ll notice the umami intensify instantly. It’s a simple experiment that shows how powerful these changes can be.
Overall, food usually has a bigger impact on how wine tastes than the other way around… and that impact is more likely to be negative if the pairing isn’t thought through.
Conclusion: What to eat with Blaufränkisch?
So, when you’re pairing Blaufränkisch (or any wine), think about more than just “what goes together.” Pay attention to how the flavors in your food might change the way the wine tastes — and how your own palate responds. That’s the secret to finding pairings you’ll genuinely enjoy, not just ones that sound good on paper.
If you want to skip the trial and error, I’ve put my favorite Blaufränkisch pairings — from schnitzel to seafood pasta — into a simple one-page cheat sheet you can keep in your kitchen. Sign up below, and I’ll send it straight to your inbox… plus a few extra pairing tips for Austrian, Japanese, and English wines.
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