Expert’s choice: Zweigelt

Josef Umathum considers this to be one of his finest vineyards, and by any reckoning this is one of Burgenland's top Zweigelts. The nose is very perfumed, with charming cherry and blueberry aromas. This is styled to show finesse rather than power or weight, and it's supple and elegant, with light tannins but impressive length.

With experience in Sonoma, Philipp Grassl is comfortable with an international perspective, while remaining an ardent promoter of Carnuntum. Schüttenberg is a lofty, cool site with gravel and loess soils. The fresh cherry nose has considerable charm, and the palate is medium-bodied and graceful, avoiding extraction. It shows attractive acidity and persistence. An admirable and satisfying expression of Zweigelt.

Paul Achs is a leading biodynamic grower in the town of Gols. This, his top Zweigelt, is made from 35-year-old vines and aged in older barriques. The cherry-scented nose is very ripe and intense, with fine purity of fruit. It's suave and concentrated, with integrated tannins, and ample spice and elegance. Fine acidity confers admirable length.

This wine is a parcel selection from Fischer's best plots of Zweigelt, and it's aged in older barriques. The nose is robust and juicy, with ripe black-cherry aromas. Suave and concentrated, it has integrated tannins and good acidity, delivering a wine that's balanced and not too forceful.

The colour is deep and the black-cherry and blackberry aromas rich and expressive. Ripe and concentrated, it is also quite tannic and extracted, though its density is cut by spiciness, and there's good acidity and length on the finish.

MIchael Auer is not afraid of a generous dose of new oak, but he handles it deftly. The nose is dense, with cherry and blueberry aromas. Rich and suave, it's concentration is balanced by fine acidity, although the finish is undeniably chewy and spicy. The oak does not overwhelm the palate or finish.

Walter Glatzer is one of the grand old men of Carnuntum and has been producing fine red wines for over three decades. This organic wine comes from the loess-rich site of Haidacker. The nose is juicy and stylish, with black-cherry aromas. Svelte and concentrated, it's distinctly oaky, but has depth, power, and spiciness. Long.

Franz Taferner and his daughter Karoline used to produce rich, extracted wines, but recent vintages have shown a lighter touch. This wine comes from a warm south-facing loess and gravel site. The juicy nose shows ripe cherry and raspberry aromas, while the palate is broad, lush, and full-bodied. Fleshy and spicy, it avoids excessive extraction and tannic, and has ample length.

This aristocratic estate has had a fluctuating reputation, but in recent years has become more reliable and interesting, in part thanks to the work of consultant Stephane Derenoncourt and his international perspective. This Zweigelt, aged in older casks, has a fragrant nose of cherries and blueberries. Fresh and zesty, it's not extracted but still has some structure and length.

Markus Iro is a rising star in the town of Gols, offering well made wines of good value. This Zweigelt displays vibrant and lively cherry aromas, while the palate is svelte and supple, infused with very ripe dark fruits and showing moderate acidity and length. Not a complex wine, but approachable and balanced.

The Stiegelmar family have lived in Gols for over five centuries, and their Juris winery is well known for its red blends. A village wine from unirrigated vines aged 35-50 years, rooted in gravelly soils with a high iron content. The wine is aged for a year in a mix of used French oak barriques, blended and aged another year in large old Slavonian oak casks. The nose exhibits juicy cherry-compote aromas of striking ripeness. It's a rich, full-bodied wine that's concentrated and peppery, giving it a distinctive and spicy character.

Hannes Reh likes to produce big, fruity wines, and Unplugged is his low-intervention style, fermented with natural yeasts, fruit forward, and eschewing fining and filtration. The nose displays very ripe, intense cherry aromas, and the palate is generous and full-bodied, with a good dose of tannin that gives a long, chewy finish.

Reinisch is a distinguished red-wine producer in this area, and its organic Zweigelt is a classic expression of the variety. Aged in large casks, it exhibits fresh, bright cherry aromas that are lifted and stylish. The attack is lively, giving a wine that's concentrated but not extracted, and with a long mouthwatering finish.

A major producer in Carnuntum, Gerhard Markowitsch gained experience in Bordeaux and Tuscany. This is his best Zweigelt site, with a higher proportion of clay than elsewhere. The wine is aged in 500-litre barrels. Cherries and blueberries dominate the nose, which is spicy and vibrant. It's concentrated, with ripe tannins and moderate acidity and drive, finishing with good if not exceptional length.

For this top-of-the-range wine, the Keringers pull out all the stops, giving their best grapes a three-month maceration, and then ageing the wine in barriques. Ripe black cherries dominate the nose, while the texture is rich and velvety, with a plumpness highlighted by the modest acidity and length. Sumptuous but it does lack some freshness.

Pöckl have developed a strong reputation for its full-bodied and powerful reds, but this mid-range Zweigelt has the merit of drinkability. The lush, fleshy blackberry nose is beguiling and surprisingly opulent, and while there are tannins and density on the palate, it's not too extracted. The finish is moderate in intensity and length.

Dorli Muhr is best known for the exciting Blaufränkisch wines she makes on Carnuntum's Spitzerberg, but this Beaujolais-style Zweigelt is a delight. Vinified by carbonic maceration, it exudes a fresh raspberry nose, is crisp and lively on the palate, and while unpretentious is pretty and charming. There's fine acidity and it's best drunk chilled on a summer afternoon.

Kurt Feiler is best known for the outstanding sweet Ausbruch wines he produces in Rust, but his red wines can be very good too. This basic Zweigelt emphasises freshness and zest, and shows bright cherry and raspberry aromas. It's not complex but jt's eminently approachable, with good balance and length. It benefits from not trying too hard. Organic.