Zweigelt generally prefers soils that are not too heavy and rich in hums. Especially when grown in red gravelly soils, very high quality wines can be produced. Harvested by hand from the beginning to end of September. All movement of must and wine is carried out using gravity. Maceration lasted 2-3 weeks and spontaneous fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel vats. The wine aged in a mix of large oak barrels and 2nd use barriques until bottling with glass stoppers. Zweigelt generally prefers soils that are not too heavy and rich in hums. Especially when grown in red gravelly soils, very high quality wines can be produced. Harvested by hand from the beginning to end of September. All movement of must and wine is carried out using gravity. Maceration lasted 2-3 weeks and spontaneous fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel vats. The wine aged in a mix of large oak barrels and 2nd use barriques until bottling with glass stoppers. Varietal Composition 100% Zweigelt Pair with chicken baked in hay with spaetzle, bacon, and mustard greens with a smoked tomato sauce. The medium texture of the chicken matches nicely with the body of the wine. The acidity of the wine is also matched by the tomatoes and the bitter flavors in the wine will pair well with the mustard greens. Early vintages were powerful and boldly tannic, aged primarily in new barriques, however, over the past decade the intensity of vineyard work has become more critical to the development of the wines. Hence, use of new barrels in the cellar has become modest. The new, ultra-modern winery, completed in 2002, provides the freedom of space and the tools to ensure that the fruit is translated into wines that are powerful, yet without hard edges - complex, yet delicate. The winery is dedicated to promoting elite examples of classic varietals from the area like Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch. As each year passes, the red wines of Austria become more refined and the winemakers more adept. These may still be foreign sounding to the US market; however, it is clear the quality of the wines produced here will need no special translation to be appreciated.
| Wine maker notes |
| Gernot and Heike Heinrich founded their winery in 1990 with 2 ½ acres of vineyard purchased from Gernot”s family. His early work in the family winery, like most of that generation, was purely an agricultural pursuit with goals more related to quantity production. Gernot”s parents had wished their son would choose a different path, because unlike him, they could not see the potential for great wines to be produced from this area. Just over a decade later, the Heinrich”s were recognized with the prestigious Falstaff ”Winemaker of the Year” award. The philosophy at the winery is as transparent and pure as their wines. Their initial challenges were no comparison to the joy and some measure of freedom it gave Gernot & Heike to make a fresh start for the area. That joy and bravery still drives them both today, as they look across Lake Neusiedl to Leithaberg for their next challenge. |
| Technical notes |
| Varietal Composition 100% Zweigelt |
| Other text |
| Early vintages were powerful and boldly tannic, aged primarily in new barriques, however, over the past decade the intensity of vineyard work has become more critical to the development of the wines. Hence, use of new barrels in the cellar has become modest. The new, ultra-modern winery, completed in 2002, provides the freedom of space and the tools to ensure that the fruit is translated into wines that are powerful, yet without hard edges - complex, yet delicate. The winery is dedicated to promoting elite examples of classic varietals from the area like Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch. As each year passes, the red wines of Austria become more refined and the winemakers more adept. These may still be foreign sounding to the US market; however, it is clear the quality of the wines produced here will need no special translation to be appreciated. |
| Food pairing |
| Pair with chicken baked in hay with spaetzle, bacon, and mustard greens with a smoked tomato sauce. The medium texture of the chicken matches nicely with the body of the wine. The acidity of the wine is also matched by the tomatoes and the bitter flavors in the wine will pair well with the mustard greens. |
| Producer |
| Gernot and Heike Heinrich founded their winery in 1990 with 2 ½ acres of vineyard purchased from Gernot”s family. His early work in the family winery, like most of that generation, was purely an agricultural pursuit with goals more related to quantity production. Gernot”s parents had wished their son would choose a different path, because unlike him, they could not see the potential for great wines to be produced from this area. Just over a decade later, the Heinrich”s were recognized with the prestigious Falstaff ”Winemaker of the Year” award. The philosophy at the winery is as transparent and pure as their wines. Their initial challenges were no comparison to the joy and some measure of freedom it gave Gernot & Heike to make a fresh start for the area. That joy and bravery still drives them both today, as they look across Lake Neusiedl to Leithaberg for their next challenge. |
| ABV: |
- |
| Distillery: |
- |
| Vintage: |
2017 |
| Region: |
- |
| Size: |
750 ml |
| Availability: |
Currently Out of Stock |
| Distributed by: |
IW |
