The Guardian’s Amy Monroe shares her favorite unusual, overlooked, and underappreciated wines every Tuesday. Check out her previous installment here.
In a country that’s famous for Mozart, coffee, and birthing Gov. Schwarzenegger, what does it mean that Zweigelt is Austria’s most widely planted red grape? To most people, nothing really. While Austrian white wines made from Grüner Veltliner, the most widely planted grape in the country irrespective of color, enjoy some love from sommeliers and adventurous drinkers, Zweigelt remains relatively anonymous. It shouldn’t.
Meet Ecker Zweigelt, a recession-busting, screwcapped liter bottle that tastes like a lithe Pinot Noir spiced up with a generous shake of black pepper. It’ll take to your Tuesday night turkey burger like a natural, but there’s no need to pair it with food if you’re trying to cut back on the solid stuff. This is a wine that defines smooth, thanks to the one thing it lacks: tannin, a naturally occurring preservative that causes many reds to feel astringent on the palate. It’s the kind of wine you can crack (Thank god for screwcaps!) and knock back any day of the week — and why wouldn’t you? The price is right (around $13); the package is large (30 percent more juice than a standard size bottle); and the wine is good (I could drink a gallon of this stuff).
Of course, there’s a time and a place for fancy Napa Cabernet and vintage Champagne, but it’s probably not out of a paper bag on a lazy Sunday afternoon in Dolores Park. That’s what Ecker Zweigelt is for.
Available at Mollie Stone’s
635 Portola Drive, SF
(415) 664-1600
www.molliestones.com