Summer Red Series- Zweigelt
Most people have not heard of the Zweigelt grape, where it comes from , what it taste like or where it gets it’s name, which I find fun to say. Zweigelt was discovered in 1922 by a well known Austrian entomologist and phytologist named Friedrich Zweigelt. He crossed the Blaufränkisch variety and St. Laurent variety to create the Austrian hybrid Zweigelt. The grape is also known as Rotburger, Zweigeltrebe, and Blauer Zweigelt.
Austria is the leader principal group, followed by the Czech Republic and Slovenia. In recent years it is having great success in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula and in British Columbia and starting to appear in the USA such as Washington State and New York. It is an easy to grow grape, very fertile therefore to produce quality wines it requires intensive leaf work and yield management. The grape does very well in cool climates. Advantages are that it’s late budding and ripens early, avoiding any weather hazards in both spring frost and autumn rainfall. It is also robust, highly resistant to dryness and various vine diseases. It’s a cool climate viticulturist dream!
Zum Supp Martin Zweigelt 2014 made by Martinshof Winery in Weinviertel, Austria, is named after a famous wine tavern in Vienna, owned and operated by Michael Martin’s ( the winemaker) family for generations. Michael Martin is known as an innovator, a risk taker. The packaging alone tells you something - it’s bottled in a retro style 1 liter bottle, sealed with a crown cap closure instead of a cork or screw cap. A crown cap is generally used for “method ancestral” champagne, cider or beer. The wine is a bright light ruby color, light in body, low in tannin, medium alcohol, crisp acidity. It’s bright, tart fruit forward red berry appeal, typical of Zweigelt, perfumed and spicy makes it a perfect picnic or cookout wine. Flavors of sour red cherry, raspberry, black pepper, licorice, cinnamon, hint of chocolate and violet are just lovely. It’s crips, clean and thirst quenching. In general the wines are meant to be enjoyed relatively young however it can also stand up to some barrel aging maturation. It has to be well chilled, at least an hour before opening.
Pair this wine with grilled sausages, fried chicken, burgers, grilled white fish or chicken, macaroni or potato salad or chilled on it’s own. It’s a crowd pleasing quaffer - you won’t be disappointed.
