Roland Velich will be with us for a couple of days in London in March. His wines, as many will know, are called MORIC (pronounced Mor-its) for reasons I’ve never really known. But Roland makes great Blaufränkisch from Burgenland in Austria. In recent years he has also begun making some marvellous dry whites, based on the Furmint grape, from Balaton, Somlo and Tokay in Hungary.
Roland won in 2023 the Falstaff Trophy for Austria’s best red wine – his single vineyard Blaufränkisch ‘Schwemmer’ 2021. He was also Falstaff’s Winemaker of the Year. If this is a little too parochial for you, his Lutzmannsburg Alte Reben 2021 came in at no. 9 in James Suckling’s Top 100 World Wines in 2023. And Stuart Piggott marked this wine with 99 points. But this is no flash in the pan. As early as 2009, Roland’s Neckenmarkt Alte Reben 2006 was the highest scoring Austrian red ever at the Wine Advocate.
But in London we know all this. We don’t need the comfort of writers’ scores. We love his wines, and have built a strong following for them. We have worked together for 25 years, and are very proud to have played our own small part in the developing reputation of such a fine and individual winemaker.
2021 has been widely reported as the best vintage in Austria for 20+ years. And in Roland’s case it’s equally true.
So please join us on Monday 18th March at Wilton’s Music Hall to taste the full line up of 2021 as well as some of the older vintages which will show just how well these wines age. There will also be a vertical tasting of Roland’s top cuvée, Lutzmannsburg Alte Reben.
Wilton’s Music Hall
1 Graces Alley
London
E1 8JB
(A few minutes’ walk from Tower Bridge)
Tasting from 11h00 – 15h00
Lance Foyster MW
