Zweigelt! Why not?

Just up the hill from Quail's Gate (Okanagan), and around the bend from Mission Hill, is the wonderful winery of Mt Boucherie.

My wife Thyra & I were the just after our honeymoon in August 2009, and had a wonderful afternoon of tastings.... at least, it was wonderful for me as I remember Thyra driving so I could taste everything! At Mt Boucherie we had a rich Zweigelt and I remember asking what the heck it was - as I don't remember ever tasting one before.

Zweigelt was only created 90 years ago in Austria by Franz Zeigelt (from a lesser known varietal and an uknown varietal) but has become the #1 planted varietal in Austria today. It's starting to make good growth in Canada & if you're ever in West Kelowna - visit Mt Boucherie.

WINE A

clear visual

• pale garnet centre
• very light cherry rim with slight brickishness
• moderate strong legs showing alcohol 12.5%+ (that was my guess - it was 12.9%)

clean nose; moderate+ to full- strong aromas of

• leathery oak
• baies rouges - but deep red berries, such as black raspberries
• perhaps some black fruit like saskatoon
• for only 12.9% the alcohol is a bit hot
• slight tinge of green fruit?

clean palate; 0 dryness, moderate acids, moderate+ tannin, moderately intense flavors of

• green apple
• young blackberries & raspberries
• leathery oak
• the tannins are moderately chalky and rough (is that from the age of the vines?)

moderate body, moderate alcohol (stated above) and decent length on the palate

I really like the nose on this wine... it has a rich, full fruit and oak aroma that has some layers to it for a young vineyard, but. But the palate doesn't deliver the nose - the palate is a bit monodimensional and the acids are a bit unbalanced even though they aren't full acids. This isn't a bad wine, but to me it isn't a great wine either. To me (IMHO), it's a really interesting taste of something else - a varietal one doesn't come accross everyday in BC and they do a decent job of it. It definately needs food - try pizza, bbq pork ribs... nothing too spicy or too cheesy.

2006 Mt Boucherie Zweigelt, Kelowna (BC)