One for Pinot Noir lovers looking for something similar but also a bit different. Brilliant red cherry color. Clear and typical Zweigelt aroma with black currant, cherries and grapefruit, hints of peonies and minerals. Sappy and lively. A touch of caramel and vanilla lends further complexity. Finely woven red berry fruit, mellow with smooth tannin.

Tasting notes

Powerful ruby-garnet with a pale rim. Aromas of plum, smoked spices and tobacco. Elegant and spicy on the palate, with cherry and pepper flavors dominating. At once silky and vibrant. Finishes with a flavor of chocolate. The smooth tannins are nicely embedded in ripe red fruit. Drink now through 2014.

Technical notes

Zweigelt is a cross breed of St Laurent (a close relative of Pinot Noir) and Blaufrankish, dating from the 1920s, by Dr Zweigelt. This mouthwatering red wine is grown in a vineyard called Rote Erde, which literally means ‘red soil’. The soil itself is loamy. Once pressed the must is fermented in steel tanks at up to 30°C. Malolactic fermentation then takes place in barrique. The aging occurs for 12 months in wood: 40% in barrique and 60% in oak casks.