Zweigelt 2019
Regular price
$69.00
Sale
94 points by James Suckling! Zweigelt, one of the most exciting Austrian varieties combines the best qualities of its parents St Laurent x Blaufrankisch (a crossing created by Austrian Dr Fritz Zweigelt in 1922). Think of the spice character of Syrah and the floral notes of Malbec. Stunning complexity, wonderful vivid acidity - a flavour powerhouse with elegant structure and a lingering finish. Built to last…
Vintage 2019+
Another exceptional Marlborough season, though flowering was selective, we hand-picked an incredibly low yield of just 400g per vine, resulting in fruit of rare concentration and natural balance. This crossing of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent reveals the best of its noble lineage: vivid colour, depth, and vibrancy. St. Laurent contributes lifted, Pinot-like cherry aromatics and silken elegance; Blaufränkisch lends a spicy nuance and refined acidity. A vintage that shows Zweigelt at its most structured and expressive, compact, yet with remarkable finesse and power.
Hans' Winemaking Comments
Hand-picking only perfectly healthy grapes allows for long cold soaks and a slow, soft extraction of colour and flavours from the grape skins. The must then went naturally through indigenous fermentation for a true expression of the grape variety and its terroir, as it is not influenced by adding cultured yeast. In total, the must was left 21 days on the skins before being pressed and transferred into used French oak barriques for the natural malolactic fermentation. The young wine was matured for a long 24 months in the same barrels making it a contender for a long life. Unfined & unfiltered to retain the great flavours. Vegan.
Tasting Notes+
The vitality and exuberance of aromas is mouth-watering before the wine even reaches your palate. Intense ripe blackcurrant and plum jumps out at you like a sucker punch, enveloping Szechuan pepper, cloves, and a hint of nutmeg. Perfect balance in a powerhouse wine as it bursts with vibrant acidity, dark fruit at the core and firm tannins. dark, brooding and savoury melt with freshness on the long, long finish. A wine for the true wine lover and a collector’s dream.
Technical Data
| Variety | 100% Zweigelt |
| Rootstock | 3309 |
| Vine Planted | 2003 |
| Soil | Shallow (<45 cm). Excessively drained. Developed from stony alluvium. Mixed even within the rows (sandy, gravelly and patchy clay-sand layers). |
| Planting Density | 5,500 vines/ya |
| Yield | 2t/ha |
| Alcohol | 14% |
| Residual Sugar | <1 g/l |
| Ageing Potential | 15+ years |
| Bottles Produced | 956 |
Food Matching Suggestions+
Great wines for flavourful food or charcuterie. An excellent match to pork belly or rib-eye steak and Mediterranean herbs! The vibrant acidity cutting perfectly through even richer foods.
Industry Reviews+
“So transparent, showing flowers and perfumes as well as minerals on the nose. Watermelon too. The palate is firm and linear with a tight and vivid finish. Racy at the end..” Nov 10, 2024.