Burgenland, Austria
Sisters Birgit and Katrin Pfneisl hail from a celebrated Hungarian winemaking family. Their grandparents fled across the border from Hungary to Austria to escape Communism and continue the family’s long history of crafting artisanal wines from the traditional Hungarian and Austrian varieties, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, and Zenit. Their fantastic 2020 Zweigler radiates a translucent black-ruby hue followed by fresh, crunchy aromas of Bing cherries and loganberries infused with black pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, and loamy earth. Bright, spicy, and immediately gulpable, the wine dances on the palate with delightfully playful expressions of brambly black raspberries, cloves, black tea, and sweet paprika. Fresh, exuberant, and youthfully energetic, the wine finishes with reprises of peppery berry fruit supported by just enough fine tannins and zesty acidity to frame the ebullient kernel of fruit. Like Birgit und Katrin’s always-terrific Blaufränker, this is just about the most upfront, unstuffy, flat-out delicious Zweigelt on the market. The fact that it’s under $17 for a full liter bottle makes it the value red wine play of the newsletter. Enjoy now and over the coming two years as the ultimate red picnic wine, a surefire winner at your early autumn barbecue, or at the table with paprika-dusted chicken, beef stroganoff, mushroom-laden vegetarian risottos, goulash, salumi, sausages, and pan-seared pork chops. Looking ahead to the holiday season, this will prove a lovely choice for a Thanksgiving red wine.
Organically Farmed
An October 2021 newsletter selection
Special full case discount! Buy 12 bottles of this item and receive an additional 5% off.
