Zweigelt

The Zweigelt, also called Rotburger, is a type of grape used to make wine. It was created in 1922 by a man named Friedrich Zweigelt in Austria. Zweigelt worked at a special place where they study how to grow grapes and fruits.

This grape is special because it is a mix of two other grape types, St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch. Mixing different grapes can create new ones with good qualities, like being strong and able to grow in different places.

Today, Zweigelt is popular in Austria and is used to make red wines that many people enjoy. It has become an important part of Austria's wine-making tradition.

Wine regions

Zweigelt grapes are grown in many places. They are very common in Austria. They have also been planted in Canada, especially in Ontario and British Columbia. Smaller amounts grow in Hungary, Australia, and New Zealand. In the Czech Republic, it is called Zweigeltrebe and is one of the most popular red grapes. It is also found in most wine areas of Slovakia. Recently, farmers in Belgium and Poland have started growing it too. As of 2014, a few small farms in Washington state have begun planting Zweigelt grapes.

Naming and synonyms

Zweigelt is also known by other names such as Rotburger (not to be confused with Rotberger), Zweigeltrebe, and Blauer Zweigelt.

In the 1950s, a viticulturist named Dr. Laurenz Moser thought the name "St. Laurent x Blaufränkisch" was too long and suggested naming the grape after its creator, Friedrich Zweigelt. By 1958, the idea to name it after him became very popular.

In 1972, the name "Zweigeltrebe Blau" was first used in a new Grape Variety Index. By 1978, the name changed to "Blauer Zweigelt," and "Rotburger" became another name for it. This helped show that Blauburger, Goldburger, and Rotburger/Blauer Zweigelt all came from the same origin. There is no proof that Zweigelt himself ever called his grape "Rotburger."

Today, "Rotburger" is still used by some Austrian wine makers, but most prefer the name Zweigelt. The question of naming the variety after someone who was a Nazi was first talked about publicly in December 2018.

Viticultural characteristics

In the Puget Sound AVA, this grape variety usually ripens 1–2 weeks earlier than Pinot Noir. It grows in very large clusters of dark blue, almost black grapes. The wine made from it is usually darker in color than Pinot Noir from the same place and gives a bigger harvest.