If you like Pinot noir, try this wine: Austria’s Zweigelt
Not all wine grapes are old or
ancient. Sometimes what’s new is – new. This grape here, was invented in 1922. It’s called Zweigelt. And it’s Austria’s number one red wine. If you like lighter-bodied, elegant reds,
like Pinot noir, Zinfandel and Beaujolais, this one’s for you. In fact sometimes it’s
even referred to as the Pinot noir of Austria. Now I said that Zweigelt was “invented,”
but more accurately, it was synthesized. You see, grapes naturally cross-pollenate in the wild creating new varieties.
And they often mutate too. Which is why today we have about 10,000 varieties around the world. But that process can be synthesized. And in the wine industry, botanists and scientists often create new varieties to meet a particular need. In the 1920s Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt
was working at the Federal Office of Viticulture at Klosterneuberg, Austria. He was looking for a grape similar to Pinot noir, but something more tolerant
to the cold climate of Austria.
He cross-pollenated two local grapes (Blaufrankisch + St. Laurent)
and the result was Zweigelt. The grape was so successful that today in Austria, it's the #1 planted red grape, at about 20,000 acres. The irony is that it actually surpassed
both of its own parent grapes, in popularity. What does Zweigelt taste like? Well, as described, it’s on the lighter side, akin to a Pinot noir. Often times you can see right through a glass of Zweigelt, Which gives you hints that
it will less tannic and intense, too. High quality examples are tart and fruity, giving a sort of sweet and sour sensation. Red cherry, Raspberry and currant flavors are typical, and you’ll often get these secondary notes of spice, namely pepper and cinnamon, which
gives it a spicy, exotic touch. This one here even has some savory notes of olive tapenade, which is pretty cool.
Some Zweigelt will even have a slight
effervescence to it, making it even more fresh and zesty, especially when slightly chilled. Chill it up and it's amazing summer wine. Surprisingly, Zweigelt pairs well with fish and shellfish, but here’s the secret, you have to go with meaty cuts of fish, or use a tomato based sauce. Think of salmon and snapper, or mussels in red sauce. It’s also amazing with BBQ and grilled
meats, making it an even surer bet for the summer. For some reason, Austrian wines tend
to be a bit pricier, maybe because of importing costs. But even so, you can
get a quality Zweigelt for less than $20. And if you’re looking to find the
grape in other parts of the world, it can be found in Hungary, Czech
Republic, Washington State and even Japan.
So there’s your entry point into the
world of Zweigelt. Hope you get some, and if you do, be sure to leave some comments in the section below this video. And of course, don't forget to subscribe, like and share with your friends. I'll see you for the next new and interesting wine! Prost! .
