The Second Glass

Have you ever had a Grüner Veltliner? They’re awesome right? So why aren’t there more Austrian wines around? Basically it’s because Austria is too frickin’ cold! Austrian wine makers have trouble ripening grapes and protecting vines from frost damage. That is until Fritz Zweigelt engineered an unstoppable SUPER-GRAPE! Zweigelt is very early ripening and frost resistant, making it the ideal grape variety for places with harsh winters and hot summers. Zweigelt’s invincibility has not only made it Austria’s leading red grape but it is also catching on in Canada, Belgium, and even Japan!

The 2005 Salzl is my Zweigelt of choice. It comes in at about $13 and really delivers some great medium-bodied cherry fruit with licorice, a bit of minerality, and spicy white pepper. It’ll go great with the pizza or wings you’ll be eating every game the Sox stay alive.