Zweigelt
Classic aromas of Zweigelt are: Strawberry, Raspberry, Black Cherry and Black Plum
Zweigelt is a red Austrian grape varietal made from a crossing of the more famous grapes: Blaufrankisch and Saint Laurent. It was crossed in 1922 and is named after the scientist who initiated the cross: Fritz Zweigelt.
It Austria’s most important red grape varietal and is planted nearly twice as much as the more famous: Blaufrankisch. There is 6,511 ha in total across the country but is most important in the south-eastern regions of Niederosterreich and Burgenland.
There aren’t many plantings of Zweigelt outside of Austria and if there are any they are largely experimental. The United Kingdom, Japan and Hungary all have small plantings.
Zweigelt makes wines that are full in body with medium to high acidity. Often full of red berry fruit flavours such as raspberry and wild strawberry and in warmer climates there are black plum flavours. The quintessential aroma of is sour and/or black cherries.