Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

In the Mood

Winery: Zull
Cuvée: Lust und Laune
Appellation: Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
Type: Rosé
Vintage: 2023
Alcohol: 12%
Grape Varieties: Zweigelt 80%, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%
Average Retail Price: Austria €8.00

Lust und Laune translates to Desire and Mood. Isn’t that perfect for a rosé? A desire for a refreshing sip of something pink… A laid back summer mood…

When Susan and Towny tasted today’s wine with us during a zoom dinner last week, they sat by the fireside and were definitely desiring anything resembling summer. We, however, in Arizona were coping with temperatures that continue to hover at 106°F/41°C. Oof. The mood here was not good. But the rosé was so refreshing that we forgot that the mercury was skyrocketing…

Our digital dinner was so much fun. Towny and I did all the mise-en-place before signing in online. Once on zoom, we did a little assemblage together and, in very few minutes, we were at the dinner table scooping large spoonfuls of my Autumn Salad onto our plates. It’s a wonderful combination of farro, pumpkin, mushrooms, chèvre, and a few fun surprises. Head over to Cocoa & Lavender to get the recipe.

This month’s wine hails from Austria, not exactly where one thinks of sourcing rosé. But why not? On a recent trip to Vienna, Susan managed a side trip to Schrattenthal in Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) for a visit to the Zull Winery. There she met owners Philippe and Andrea Zull for an extended tasting of their wines. And, as one does, she returned to the States with a few bottles of wine, including one for me so that we could do this tasting together.

The wine is primarily comprised of the Zweigelt grape, a hybrid named for Friedrich Zweigelt. In 1922, he hybridized two grape varieties to create Zweigelt: St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch. The other varieties in Lust und Laune include Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Knowing the wine’s provenance, one might assume it would be sweet. But that is a misconception about Austrian wines and certainly not the case with Lust und Laune. When we opened the bottle, I detected the scent of bright red fruit on the nose — very tart like redcurrant. Towny thought watermelon; Susan and Mark both suggested flint or slate. We had fun going back and forth with ideas while sipping this refreshing, pale salmon-pink rosé.

On the palate we all tasted grapefruit, and I discerned unripe strawberry. The wine is bright and fresh with a long finish with notes of banana taffy. It paired really well with the salad I made — each of us took parts of the salad to taste separately with the wine — the pumpkin, the shiitakes, and the cheese. We were all especially pleased with its harmony with the chèvre. We could easily imagine this with fish and seafood, or with a cheese course.

It’s a very nice wine, and very reasonable (in Austria). It has been available sporadically in the United States — so keep your eyes open. Or, as Susan did, visit the Winery and bring some back!