Zweigelt

Zweigelt is Austria's most widely planted red wine grape: a 1922 crossing of St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch that has become the signature red of its homeland. It yields juicy, light-to-medium-bodied wines built around bright sour cherry and raspberry, with a gentle peppery spice, fresh acidity and soft, supple tannins. Approachable, food-friendly and usually best served young and lightly chilled, it ranges from cheerful everyday bottles to serious, oak-aged reds capable of ageing. Beyond Austria it is grown across central Europe and in Canada's Niagara Peninsula, and it remains one of the most distinctive cool-climate reds.