Zweigelt Wine

Zweigelt - a crossing of Saint-Laurent with Blaufrankisch, created in 1922 - is the most widely planted red-wine grape in Austria. A highly popular variety, it is grown in every Austrian wine region, with the finest examples coming from Burgenland, particularly the Neusiedlersee. A classic Austrian Zweigelt is richly colored with a deep, bright core of spiced cherry and raspberry flavors. The finest examples have the potential to cellar well for a decade or so, but the majority are best consumed within a few years of release.

Although varietal Zweigelt wines are very common, the grape is also commonly used in blends. It is often combined with Cabernet and Merlot to create an Austrian twist on the classic Bordeaux Blend. Just as commonly it is married with its parent-variety Blaufrankisch for a pure-blooded (if somewhat incestuous) all-star Austrian blend.

A Zweigelt wine label
A Zweigelt wine label

Not just limited to dry styles, Zweigelt is used to produce sweet wines in various forms. The world's most expensive wines made from Zweigelt are either strohwein made from dried grapes, or ice wine. And these are not just limited to Austrian vineyards; at least one top-end Zweigelt ice wine is produced in Canada's Okanagan Valley.

Zweigelt was developed by Dr Friedrich "Fritz" Zweigelt, who originally named it Rotburger. This led to confusion with an entirely distinct variety (see Rotberger) created at around the same time in Geisenheim, Germany. It wasn't until the 1970s that this duplication was finally resolved, when Dr Zweigelt's variety was renamed "Zweigelt" by the influential Austrian winemaker Lenz Moser.

A truly successful crossing, Zweigelt has inherited desirable characteristics from both of its parent varieties (see Saint-Laurent and Blaufrankisch). From Saint-Laurent it gets its bright, Pinot-like cherry aromas and the ability to create silky, elegant wines. From Blaufrankisch it has taken a certain spiciness and good acidity. Both parents are capable of creating wines with deep, rich purple-crimson coloring, so it is no surprise that Zweigelt wines tend to very richly colored; the best have a dark, brooding appearance in the glass. Unfortunately, this latter characteristic creates a natural temptation for some winemakers to overcrop their Zweigelt vines, resulting in wines with acceptable depth of color but rather diluted flavors and aromas. Austria's relatively stringent wine laws have helped keep yields in check to a certain extent, but there are still marked differences between those Zweigelts from high-yielding vineyards and those made by more quality-conscious producers.

A key indicator of Zweigelt's success as a crossing is that it has now become parent variety itself, most notably with Cabernet Franc to create Cabernet Moravia, but also with Rathay to create Austria's little-known Roesler.

Because Zweigelt buds later than Saint-Laurent and ripens earlier than Blaufrankisch, it provides a kind of insurance policy in the vineyard. While the other two varieties are susceptible to harsh weather conditions (spring frost and autumn rain respectively), Zweigelt vines typically dodge these seasonal threats. Zweigelt also has the advantage of being a high-yielding variety, further contributing to its popularity with winegrowers.

Thanks to Zweigelt's popularity in Austria, the variety is now becoming popular in the Czech RepublicGermanyHungary and Slovakia. Small-scale plantings have also been trialed further afield, in Canada, Japan and England.

Synonyms include: Blauer Zweigelt, Zweigltrebe, Rotburger.

Food matches for Zweigelt include:

  • Roasted ham hock
  • Grilled sausages with mustard
  • Duck confit

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Most Popular Zweigelt Wine

Based on search frequency
Wine Name
Region
Popularity
Score
Avg Price
Weingut R & A Pfaffl Burggarten Zweigelt Reserve, Weinviertel, Austria Weinviertel 8,957th 88 21
Weingut Hans 'Johann' Schwarz 'Schwarz Rot', Neusiedlersee, Austria Neusiedlersee 13,250th 91 44
Weingut Gernot and Heike Heinrich Zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria Burgenland 17,106th 89 12
Weingut Fred Loimer Zweigelt Rose, Kamptal, Austria Kamptal 17,833rd 9
Weingut Setzer Zweigelt, Weinviertel, Austria Weinviertel 20,319th 85 13
Weingut Josef Ehmoser Zweigelt Rose, Wagram, Austria Wagram 21,029th 89 8
Weingut Umathum Zweigelt, Neusiedlersee, Austria Neusiedlersee 21,385th 88 10
Weingut Nigl Zweigelt Rose, Kremstal, Austria Kremstal 22,453rd 89 13
Anton Bauer Zweigelt, Wagram, Austria Wagram 22,864th 91 12
Biohof Pratsch Rose, Niederosterreich, Austria Niederosterreich [Lower Austria] 23,294th 87 12
Weingut Markus Huber Zweigelt Rose, Traisental, Austria Traisental 24,148th 13
Schloss Gobelsburg Gobelsburger Zweigelt, Kamptal, Austria Kamptal 28,341st 89 14
Weingut Anita und Hans Nittnaus Blauer Zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria Burgenland 29,667th 88 9
Weingut Leth Tregrande Reserve Blauer Zweigelt, Wagram, Austria Wagram 30,385th 90 13
Willi Opitz 'Opitz One', Neusiedlersee, Austria Neusiedlersee 31,822nd 93 267
Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher Zweigelt Beerenauslese, Neusiedlersee, Austria Neusiedlersee 32,595th 91 32
Zantho Zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria Burgenland 33,435th 88 9
Leo Hillinger Zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria Burgenland 34,300th 87 9
Weingut Erich & Maria Berger Zweigelt, Kremstal, Austria Kremstal 35,250th 87 10
Weingut Winkler Hermaden Olivin Blauer Zweigelt, Sudoststeiermark, Austria Sudoststeiermark 37,342nd 89 17
Weingut Ecker Eckhof Zweigelt, Wagram, Austria Wagram 38,464th 85 10
Weingut Jager Zweigelt Rose, Wachau, Austria Wachau 38,464th 88 17
Weingut Willi Brundlmayer Langenloiser Zweigelt Rose, Kamptal, Austria Kamptal 39,656th 88 8
Weingut Hannes Reeh Unplugged Zweigelt, Neusiedlersee, Austria Neusiedlersee 40,847th 90 19
Weingut Holzapfel 'Pink' Rose, Wachau, Austria Wachau 42,168th 8
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To see how Wine-Searcher uses average pricing and professional wine critic scores on this page, please see Average Wine Prices and Wine Scores. To find out about popularity, please see Wine Ranks.
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