If you have never tried an Austrian Zweigelt, then this is the One to try first. Anne Krebiehl of Wine Enthusiast gave it 93 points and described it as a “Zweigelt rendered with elegance and sinuousness in all its fruitiness.”

The Zweigelt grape has only been in existence for 100 years. In 1922 Fritz Zweigelt crossed Saint-Laurent with Blaufrankisch and the resulting offspring, one could argue, is a superior grape. This black-skinned variety is still mostly used to produce red wine in Austria, but it is also growing favour in vineyards in Ontario where it thrives in a similar climate to its homeland.

Zantho is an old Hungarian word meaning ‘farmland’, or ‘stoney, barren soil’, an apt description for the soils where the Zweigelt Reserve is grown. The winery is a joint venture between celebrated winemaker Josef Umathum and Wolfgang Peck in the Seewinkel region of Austria. The Reserve Zweigelt was fermented with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks before resting in oak barrels for 15 months.

This fully dry, full-bodied wine is bursting with ripe red cherries. Pair it with rich stews and soups. It is now available for a limited time in the Vintages section of select LCBOs - $24.95.