The Butcher (Zweigelt) - Schwarz Wein
What is it??
This red grape hails from Austria, where it came into being in the 1920s as a cross between the St. Laurent grape and the Blaufränkisch grape. Zweigelt was named after the viticulturist Friedrich Zweigelt.[1] Zweigelt (the grape) is also known by the name Rotburger; the issue of using the name of a National Socialist for the grape was addressed recently [2].
As our first venture into dry red wines, this was an adventure. We chose this mostly based on vibes, and the primary flavors (red cherry, raspberry, black pepper, licorice, chocolate) identified by Ryan's book [3] seemed like they would be nice together.
The book also suggested that we have this wine with picnic-type foods. So, we decided to get crackers and some cheeses to simulate a picnic! We are big fans of gouda, cheddar with green chiles or other flavors, and Parmesan. Maybe we'll add some cheese ratings into these posts in the future!
Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes
1.1. I thought it smelled like cherry, but it tasted like pepper maybe. It was really not for me, too bitter or peppery or something.
Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes
7.6. The nose is of cherry (or some other dark sweet red fruit, possibly a sweet raspberry), and hints of dark chocolate. The first taste was black pepper forward, with astringent notes on the backend. Subsequent sips have varied wildly. I've gotten notes of raspberry and chocolate on one sip, while the next sip was giving me notes of dust and high pH potting soil. A somewhat complex wine that I find myself returning to. Would recommend for the curious adventurer.
References
[1] J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz. Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours. 2012.
[2] Daniel Deckers. Friedrich Zweigelt as reflected by contemporary sources. In:
[3] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.
[4] Zweigelt. https://winefolly.com/grapes/zweigelt Wine Folly. Accessed March 2023.
Suggestion of what we should try next?
Let us know via the comment box below! We'd also love some cheese recommendations.