of present Austria (Lower Austria and Burgenland) in the 10th century. In his 1777 publication Beschreibung der in der Wiener Gegend gemeinen Weintrauben-Arten, ampelographer Sebastian Helbling accounted the variety as one of the best red grape varieties of Lower Austria, and used the name Schwarze Fränkische for it. In present-day Austria Blaufränkisch is the second most important red grape variety after Zweigelt, with , representing 6% of all Austrian plantings in 2008. The vast majority of these plantings are in the Burgenland region of eastern Austria. It is particularly common in Mittelburgenland, with planted in 2008, an area sometimes given the nickname "Blaufränkischland". The Mittelburgenland is considered ideal for the grape due to the dry warm winds from the east across the Pannonian Plain, and the sheltering influence of the hill regions to the north, south and west of the region. Outside the Burgenland, of Blaufränkisch were planted in the Neusiedlersee region, and were planted in the Neusiedlersee-Hügelland region in the hill country bordering the lake. The wines produced in this region, influenced by the warm moderating climate of the lake, tend to be, as described by wine expert and Master of Wine Jancis Robinson, "richer and more full bodied", while the clay vineyard soils south of the lake in the Südburgenland tend to produce wines with more spice notes. In the Carnuntum area located between Vienna and the Neusiedlersee, the slate-based soils near the city of Spitzerberg are also home to some Blaufränkisch plantings. Districtus Austriae Controllatus and wine styles Within Austria Blaufränkisch is a permitted variety in several Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) zones. Producers in the Burgenland tend to delineate light bodied, unoaked Blaufränkisch wines to the Mittleburgenland DAC Classic, while labeling more full bodied, oaked styles as Burgenland DAC Reserve. In the Eisnberg DAC of the southern Südburgenland, the grape is grown in iron-rich soils and tends to produce a distinctive varietal style. In the Leithaberg DAC situated in the slate and limestone hills around the Leitha Mountains, Blaufränkisch must make up at least 85% of the blend, with St. Laurent, Zweigelt or Pinot noir permitted to round out the remaining portion. In this cooler climate wine region the Blaufränkisch tends to be, as described by Robinson, "nervy and elegant". In Austria, Blaufränkisch tends to produce deeply colored wines with dark fruit aromas, peppery spice notes and moderate to high acidity. Depending on where it is produced