A cross between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, Zweigelt is Austria’s most planted red wine grape. While single varietal wines are fairly common, Zweigelt can also be found in blends with Cabernet and Merlot, an Austrian twist on Bordeaux style wines. With notes of sour Morello cherry, violet flowers, cinnamon, nutmeg, and hints of minerality, Zweigelt wines are gulpable. The perfect picnic wine, Zweigelt pairs with fried pork, potato salad, burgers, and sausages. 

A grape that produces killer dry wines, Zweigelt can also be found in wine regions in Canada where it’s used to make ice wine. Produced from grapes that have frozen on the vine, ice wines have a high level of residual sugar left after the alcoholic fermentation is over, creating ambrosia-like sweet wines. Smaller plantings of Zweigelt can also be found in Slovakia, Washington State, and Japan.

Experience Zweigelt with this wine:

Hopler Pannonica Red Blend 2018

Grape Photo Courtesy of Austrian Wine