Blaufränkisch Ultra

The Blaufränkisch Ultra begins at Deutschkreutz train station before dawn, transforming an ultra-run into a wine tasting journey. The primary event is an 80 km group run through the Oberpullendorf district in Mittelburgenland, coinciding with the Rotweinfestival’s Open Cellar Door Day. This is not about finishing places or times; runners proceed together, conversing, sampling wine, and visiting the participating winegrowers along the route. The typical itinerary includes stops at 25 wineries for a glass of Blaufränkisch at each, although some years have featured around 30 stops. Shorter distances maintain the same ethos: the Run Fun covers approximately 36 km with 24 wines, and the Fun Run is 21 km, still including over twenty cellar visits. The concept is inspired by France’s Médoc Marathon, but this iteration is smaller and more localized, with records indicating only about a dozen ultra participants on a warm July day.