Tegernseerhof Mittelbach Zweigelt Rosé 2023

Alcohol: 12%

Grape(s): Zweigelt

Localization: Kremstal, Austria

Tasting Notes: The beautiful coral pink color is enough to get your mouth watering. The bright, fruit-filled nose is loaded with delicate cherry and red currant notes. The crisp, refreshingly dry, light to medium-bodied palate is perfectly balanced and showcases the fresh cherry and delicate red currant flavors.

Notes: Fermentation is entirely in stainless steel, to ensure fresh aromas and flavors. This rosé is estate-bottled—and the entire Zweigelt production is devoted to rosé wine, no red wine is produced.

Food Pairing: Perfectly at home on any picnic, delicious with fried chicken, and tames the heat when paired with spicy dishes. There is also a slight watermelon note that makes it perfect for summer sipping and a great pairing with barbecued shrimp.

The Domain: Weingut Tegernseerhof, located in the Wachau region at Unterloiben just below Dürnstein, is the property of the Mittelbach family. It claims a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, when it was built in 1176 by the Benedictine community of the Tegernsee Abbey, and like many medieval abbies, Tegernsee was a center for learning and culture, producing illustrated manuscripts as well as wine. At the turn of the 19th century, the property was acquired by the Austrian imperial family, and some decades later, it passed into private ownership. Today, winemaker Martin Mittelbach is the sixth generation of Mittelbachs to lead the family enterprise. When Weingut Tegernseerhof became a member of the "Vinea Wachau" consortium in 2009 they had to give up any vineyards outside the Wachau, which in this instance impacted all their holdings in Kremstal, all planted to Zweigelt. Happily, they were able to lease these vineyards to Hans Mittelbach, Martin’s uncle, who makes a rosé Zweigelt at his winery in Rohrendorf specifically for the Tegernseerhof label. The vineyards are farmed in a sustainable regimen. Martin Mittelbach, the proprietor at Weingut Tegernseerhof and nephew of Hans, oversees all aspects concerning quality: grapes are hand-harvested, a strict selection is made, the grapes are gently pressed and the maceration is for only one hour. This hands-on approach is the reason that the wine is bottled under the Tegernseerhof label.