Setzer Zweigelt 2014
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Winemaker Notes
Sattler is one of the few young growers I know who isn’t out to get your attention but instead seeks merely to bring you pleasure. I love these kinds of wines, as you know. You take the first sip and think “Well sure, O.K., it’s clean and pleasant and all, but...” and then the glass is suddenly empty and you barely know why. I could tell you why: it’s because the wine tastes good and invites you to keep sipping. Intense flavor of black-berries and cherries, soft tannins. Long finish.
Pairs well with beef, game or similar dishes.
Setzer sells wine from approximately 28 ha vinyardes in 15 different countries. The village, Hohenwarth, derives its name from Hohe Warte - high observation point - and refers to the fortified Romanesque church, which was built in the 11th century at 400 metres above sea level. As all of the neighbouring regions like Kamptal and Wagram are at a significantly lower sea level, Hohenwart\'s vineyards enjoy an exceptional microclimate.
Winemaking has a very long tradition in Hohenwarth and can be dated back to 1360 AD. The Setzer winery was founded in 1705. Originally mainly used for farming - with only a few vineyards - they decided in 2001 to lease the area dedicated to farming, and to commit themselves to winemaking only. Their vineyards and those producing the grapes they buy from other vintners are located within a two-kilometre radius of our winery. The grapes they use enjoy exactly the same basic climate, although their characteristics are more pronounced in single vineyards. In spite of a rather low level of precipitation in their area - 400 litres p.a. on average - they don\'t irrigate their vines. Their roots are deep and the vines can easily survive longer periods without rain.
The winery belongs to the Austrian wine region called the Weinviertel. The main grape varieties are Grüner Veltliner and Roter Veltliner, a very old and traditional white wine grape variety.
Austria’s most popular red variety, the Zweigelt grape can make a charmingly fruity, snappy and spicy wine ideal for summer sipping. Be on the lookout for the one-liter bottles—perfect for the barbecue! It is also capable of more serious, concentrated, age-worthy version that can withstand a short number of years of age. Somm Secret— While native to Austria, Zweigelt is actually a fairly recent cross bred by Dr. Zweigelt in 1922. He crossed two native varieties, Blaufränkisch, for its peppery bite, with St. Laurent, chosen for its elegance.
Appreciated for superior wines made from indigenous varieties, Austria should be on the radar of any curious wine drinker. A rather cool and dry wine growing region, this country produces wine that is quintessentially European in style: food-friendly with racy acidity, moderate alcohol and fresh fruit flavors.
Austria’s viticultural history is rich and vast, dating back to Celtic tribes with first written record of winemaking starting with the Romans. But the 20th century brought Austria a series of winemaking obstacles, namely the plunder of both world wars, as well as its own self-imposed quality breach. In the mid 1980s, after a handful of shameless vintners were found to have added diethylene glycol (a toxic substance) to their sweet wines to imitate the unctuous qualities imparted by botrytis, Austria’s credibility as a wine-producing country was compromised. While no one was harmed, the incident forced the country to rebound and recover stronger than ever. By the 1990s, Austria was back on the playing field with exports and today is prized globally for its quality standards and dedication to purity and excellence.
Grüner Veltliner, known for its racy acidity and herbal, peppery aromatics, is Austria's most important white variety, comprising nearly a third of Austrian plantings. Riesling in Austria is high in quality but not quantity, planted on less than 5% of the country’s vineyard land. Austrian Rieslings are almost always dry and are full of bright citrus flavors and good acidity. Red varietal wines include the tart and peppery Zweigelt, spicy and dense Blaufränkisch and juicy Saint Laurent. These red varieties are also sometimes blended.