Zweigelt is an Austrian red grape variety that dates back to the 1920s. It is a cross between Blaufränkisch and St Laurent (which is thought to be related to the Pinot Noir family and shares many characteristics). In New Zealand, only about 1 hectare is planted, making it a pretty rare find.
On our visit to Nelson, we visited Seifried where we did a quick tasting and decided to buy this bottle of Zweigelt as well as the sweet riesling we reviewed last time. The bottle that we bought is the 2020 vintage. It has been oaked for 12 months, undergoing malolactic fermentation (which is where malic acid is converted into lactic acid, allowing for a smoother rounder wine).
Price:
We bought this bottle from the cellar door at Seifried for NZ$20 ( £9.30, R217.78, US$ 11.90). Although the 2020 vintage is currently sold out you can grab their 2021 vintage on their website for the same price.
Appearance:
It is a beautiful ruby-red colour, moving slightly towards the purple end of the spectrum. It has a medium intensity allowing light to pass through it.
Nose:
This Zweigelt was bursting with aromas straight off the bat. It was very fruity with notes of blackberry, cranberry and blueberry jam. Brought together by a slightly chocolate hint. It had a medium intensity, and wasn’t very complex on the nose but that all changed with the taste.
Palate:
Initially, the taste of this wine retained all of the primary fruit notes expected from what we got on the nose, with a specific emphasis on dark plums. However, it quickly moved into more tertiary characteristics such as oak, and slightly earthy almost mushroom-like hints. What was left lingering on your tongue was a combination of christmas spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
This wine was very well-balanced. It is dry, has high acidity, and is medium-bodied paired with low to medium tannins. It is quite intense and has a long finish. A very well-rounded wine that ticks all the boxes expected for this price point.
Conclusion:
We were really lucky to come across this wine, as it is not one of the common varieties you find in New Zealand. As wine students, we love being able to try new stuff and expand our palates. We would recommend going out and trying to find varieties that you haven’t bought before. As there are some great things out there that are overlooked simply because people aren’t used to the grape. This Seifried Zweigelt is one of them.
As for the pairing of this wine, we think it would go well with hard cheeses such as gruyere or edam. If you are looking for a fuller meal to pair with your Zweigelt, a roast chicken would be a good way to go. And for any vegetarians out there, anything with mushrooms would work very well to compliment the mushroom notes in the wine.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with the Zweigelt variety and is interested in learning some more. We have linked the Austrian wine page here. If you are interested in the world of wine, you should check it out.
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