What's In a Name? If It's Blaufrankisch, More Than You Think

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent

When you meet Heron Hill's winemaker, do not make the mistake of calling him "Tom." That is not his name, and he'll correct you. Before I spoke recently with Thomas Laszlo, I was warned by a writer friend not to call him by the wrong name. "He's pretty serious about it," I was warned.

To Thomas' credit, he acknowledges being a little edgy about his name.

"My mother was very particular with names. She always pushed for Thomas, so it's Thomas!" he says with a subtle laugh.

He's just as particular with names as his mother, and it extends into his winemaking. On July 1st, Heron Hill will release the first Blaufrankisch from the Finger Lakes. Of course, Blaufrankisch has been grown and bottled before, but only under the name "Lemberger." Laszlo scrapped Lemberger in favor of Blaufrankisch and now Heron Hill managers are hoping the new name results in big sales. (Note that Keuka Spring Vineyards will also be using Blaufrankisch going forward).

"Even with my neighbor, just the mention of 'Lemberger' brought associations with Limberger cheese," Laszlo explains. "That's obviously not a good thing. Most of the plantings around the world carry the name 'Blaufrankisch,' but otherwise it's not 'Lemberger,' it's 'Limberger,' exactly like the cheese. Only in the United States is it called 'Lemberger.' The TTB consciously changed the I to an E to make it more user-friendly, but I don't think they went far enough. They were misguided from the start, and that mistake is a big reason why it's not more widely planted in this country."

Beyond the unfortunate comparison to cheese, Laszlo has other reasons for dumping Lemberger. "Blaufrankisch has more standing in cultural wine circles," he says confidently. Then he makes an assertion that is bound to raise some eyebrows at Dr. Frank, or Fox Run, or Anthony Road, or the other producers that make Lemberger. "It's made in the Finger Lakes as Lemberger, but I don't think there's a following for Lemberger at all. There's no risk in going with a different name because it hasn't caught on at all."

Regardless of what it's called, the wine has to be good to convince consumers to buy it -- especially for $35 a bottle, which is the aggressive price that Heron Hill has set for the 2007 Reserve Blaufrankisch.

"In cooler years, Blaufrankisch comes off a lot like Pinot Noir," Laszlo says. "In warmer years like 2007 and 2008 it's much more like a Syrah with a Burgundian profile. But even in tough years it never really shows the green or herbaceous notes that you'll find in other varieties. And it has a very attractive, dark color."

Laszlo vehemently disagrees with those who have compared Blaufrankisch to Zinfandel. He believes that eventually, the Finger Lakes will hold Blaufrankisch up side-by-side with Riesling as the most suitable varieties for the region. And he says unlike many other red vinifera, Blaufrankisch will not keep winegrowers awake late into the bitterly cold winter nights.

"It's much more winter-resistant, and it's just not prone to rot like other varieties," he says, adding that the 2007 Blaufrankisch -- sourced from the highly regarded Hobbit Hollow Vineyard on Skaneatles Lake -- checked in at four tons per acre, but he's comfortable with as much as five tons per acre.

Laszlo's version of Blaufrankisch won't be shy with oak -- he performed extensive oak aging with "quite a bit of new oak for 18 months, giving it a bit of the Cabernet Sauvignon treatment," he explains. The winemaker is urging consumers to drink it now or hold it for as long as 10 years. "This wine definitely has a 10-year window. I'm not going with the kind of winemaking that others tend to do that leads to a bunch of awards but then the wine has problems in just a few years. You'll be able to hold onto this one."

That's a bold statement, but then again, that's Tom Laszlo. Pardon me, that's Thomas Laszlo.

Comments

[Taster B]

ah, this tale brings to mind the timeless B-52's classic: Dance This Mess Around.

[David Falchek]

Critics of the term "lemberger" always invoke the lactose specter --- that consumers will confuse it with the stinky cheese. I frequently deal with some of the least informed wine consumers. Yet, I have never met anyone who would ever conclude that a bottled wine was made from a cheese. Why don't these people think flightless birds are crushed to make "Little Penguin" wines?
Far be it from me to overestimate American intelligence, but honestly, tasting room visitors are not that moronic. I still believe good staff can handsell a product regardless of what its called.

[Evan Dawson]

David,

I don't think anyone thinks the wine was made from a cheese. You're attacking a straw man there. The issue is association, and I can promise you, having poured on one of the busiest weekends of the year at Fox Run last year, that association is real. It's not an issue for everyone, or even most people, but it certainly was an issue for many of the average tasters who stopped by on a wine tour. I literally had people recoil and decline to taste it. After I persisted, they did, but the initial reaction for many people I met was visceral.

That's a small sample size, of course. Hardly scientific. But I can appreciate the concern, having seen some of that reaction.

[Lenn Thompson]

David: I don't think this is a matter of consumers being confused. I think it's just a reaction to a word that sounds an awful lot like a stinky cheese.

I'm in the Blaufrankisch camp, personally, because I like the idea of a grape going by it's original name. Sure, it's a unique name that not everyone can pronounce the first time they see it, but I've heard people say "mer-lot" (rhymes with 'hot') or caber-net (rhymes with 'get') frank too.

[Peter Bell / Fox Run]

I know. Let's pretend it's a French grape, and call it "Lahm-Bare-Zhay". Lends a little much needed cachet, n'est ce pas?

[Peter Bell / Fox Run]

...or we could name it after the prominent California wine critic, and call it 'Danberger'.

[Thomas Pellechia]

Peter Bell...you are a hamburger... ;)

As you can tell, I certainly understand Thomas Laszlo's wish to be called by his real name, and, I suppose, why not a grape variety too.

[Bryan]

It's great you mention calling him Thomas and not Tom. During the Cool Climate Seminar in Southampton last summer, he led his discussion by telling everyone if you google "Thomas Laszlo" you will find a gay pornstar with that name in the first results, and that's not him.

He's a funny guy and definitely opinionated. I agree that Blaufrankisch is a much better name.

[Lenn]

I wonder how many readers just typed "Thomas Laszlo" into Google.

[David Falchek]

If the case for "blaufrankisch" is because it was "the original" name, then many, many varietals are going to have to change their lables. Few today have the names from the Charlemagne era or, for that matter, the King Darius era. Why not go back to original Persian names of all V. vinifera?

[Lenn Thompson]

David: A fair point, but I'm not really hearing an argument FOR Lemberger. So far you've only defended that name, I think.

[Peter]

It is not entirely correct to say that "Only in the United States is it called 'Lemberger", for it is called Lemberger in Germany. Less often is it named Limberger. The associations with the stinky cheese comes up every so often, but not enough for this to be a real problem. I find that the people who do make an issue of it eat Kraft singles and have never tasted Limburger cheese anyway. That issue can quickly be remedied by an educated tasting room pourer. Fox Run, Red Tail Ridge, Keuka Springs, Dr. Frank, Rooster Hill, Anthony Road, Swedish Hill, Hosmer, and Ravines all use the Lemberger name for the grape that goes into their wine. These wineries have been using the name for years and have developed branding for the name. To get these wineries to change the name to Blaufrankisch because Thomas and Christopher have makes no sense. To come up with a new name entirely makes no sense either, plus you would never get everyone to agree. Blaufrankisch and Lemberger are both appropriate names for the same grape and I have no problem with either of them being applied. Spaetburgunder anybody?
Peter Becraft/Anthony Road Wine Co.

[David Falchek]

I don't think "Lemberger" is a one-size-fits-all answer. Wineries need to do what they think works for them. I don't think the arguments against Lemberger are sound. "Blaufrankisch" is hardly an improvement in accessibility or aesthetics.
I argued in the 1990s to call it Blue Franc like Jed Steele and a few folks in Washington.
Consumers love blue and love to be able to pronounce their wines.

[Peter Bell / Fox Run]

Let's just call it "Hello Kitty" and be done with it. The truth is, apologies to Teutonic types, certain Germanic phonemes just grate on the ears to those used to the mellifluous sounds of Romance languages. And yes I know that English is technically a Germanic language.

[Joeshico]

I don't really understand all the fuss about the name.
Is it only because the Lemberger has established itself here in the Finger Lakes and Blaufrankisch is a bit of a tongue twister to some? Is this any different than a few of the wineries producing Pinot Gris while a majority do Pinot Grigio. Personally, I believe the Blau name will catch on and if marketed well, will be good for the Finger Lakes wine industry.

[Art Kaye]

I know this is an old thread, but this was in yesterday's NY Times (Sept. 15, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/dining/reviews/blaufrankisch-a-complex-austrian-red-wine-review.html?ref=dining

While Asinov doesn't seem to realize anyone is making wines from this grape in the Finger Lakes, he does note that it's Blaufränkisch (note the umlaut, please) in Austria and usually Lemberger in Germany.

[Evan Dawson]

Art - Yeah, saw that. Nice for the grape to get attention! Eric is an open-minded writer and I'm not surprise his interest alighted there.