Kim Uncorked: Welcome to my weekly wine recommendation.
Hi, I’m Kim, a passionate lover of wine, food, and any experience that brings the two together! In this weekly blog post, I share my thoughts on a wine that I’ve recently purchased from one of our local independent wine merchants. If you’d like to know more about me, I’ve included a brief bio following the post.
2019 Heinrich Zweigelt
Burgenland, Austria
Marquis Wine Cellars
$39.99
1034 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC
If you’re looking for a lighter-bodied red wine to serve with your turkey dinner this weekend, the 2019 Heinrich Zweigelt offers a nice balance of vibrant fruit and food-friendly structure.
Zweigelt, also known as Rotburger, is Austria’s most widely planted red grape, created in 1922 from a cross between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. When made well, it produces a bright, juicy, elegant wine.
From Weingut Heinrich in Gols, Burgenland, the 2019 Zweigelt is organically and biodynamically farmed and aged in large, used wooden casks and neutral barrels to allow the fruit to shine. If you’re unfamiliar with biodynamic farming, it’s a holistic approach that treats the entire farm as a living, interconnected system, emphasizing biodiversity, composting, soil health, and natural preparations. It also incorporates planting and farming cycles based on lunar and cosmic rhythms.
So how does the 2019 Zweigelt express itself? It shows a medium ruby colour, with dark cherry, raspberry, and cranberry flavours, plus subtle herbal and peppery spice. Light- to medium-bodied, it has soft tannins and lively acidity that keeps the wine fresh without extra heaviness.
As for a turkey dinner pairing, that crisp acidity works particularly well. It can cut through the richness of gravy, herb stuffing and dark meat without overpowering the lighter meat or side dishes. And Zweigelt isn’t just for Thanksgiving. It’s a versatile variety that pairs equally well with grilled sausages, burgers, pizza, and especially a good schnitzel.
Sometimes a lighter red is exactly what the table calls for!
Kim Mead is a Vancouver-based wine and food writer. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines with Merit, the French Wine Scholar designation with Honours, the Bordeaux Masters designation with Honours, and the Italian Wine Essentials certification. Kim serves as Cellar Master for the Vancouver chapter of the International Wine and Food Society and is a member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux. Follow her @agalandaglass
