Z Red Wine Cuvée – 2020

Z Red Wine Cuvée by Oliver Zeter from French Oak

Z Red Wine Cuvée by Oliver Zeter is a red wine for which Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah are harvested by hand into small baskets. Twelve months in barriques and at least as many in the bottle lie behind the 2020 vintage.

Z Red Wine Cuvée 2020 is a full-bodied red wine from Oliver Zeter in the Palatinate, whose tannins and acidity the winery describes as precisely structured. With 13.5% vol, it carries its dark fruit powerfully while remaining elegant and finely polished.

Cassis, lingonberry, and velvety tannins

The Z Red Wine Cuvée initially smells of cassis and blackberry, followed by wild lingonberries and stewed plums, allowing the fruit to open up further with every swirl of the glass. A subtle spice of red bell pepper keeps the dark fruit fresh.

The winery describes the mouthfeel as elegant and full-bodied. Tannins and acidity interlock in such a way that power and freshness are perfectly balanced. The cuvée feels dense yet remains velvety, which is why it also pairs well with a long dinner. The winery credits the international character of this wine to low yields and the favorable conditions of the vintage.

Small baskets, French oak, and lots of patience

The grapes come from old vines in several vineyards of the Mittelhaardt, whose light, stony soils warm up quickly in the sun. The winery usually limits the yield by halving the grape clusters, so that each vine directs its energy into fewer berries. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah ripen there as long as the weather permits and are then harvested by hand.

The harvest is placed in small baskets that hold only 20 kilos to ensure the berries arrive intact at Oliver Zeter's cellar. There, they are crushed and fermented on the skins for two weeks, allowing the color, tannins, and aroma to pass from the skins into the wine.

Immediately after pressing, the young wine is moved into French oak barriques, where it also undergoes malolactic fermentation. It gains structure in the wood, and its tannins gradually round off. After twelve months in wood, it is bottled and rests for at least another year before it leaves the winery. We explain what the small oak barrel does for a wine in our product guide on barriques.

Duck breast, pot roast, and roasted pumpkin

A pink-roasted duck breast with orange sauce, a slowly braised beef roast, or a roasted pumpkin with feta and thyme find a powerful companion in this cuvée. Its tannins pick up on the roasted and fatty notes, while the berry fruit plays with the orange and pumpkin. The cuvée also has enough depth to pair with a mushroom goulash with paprika and caraway.

Slightly below room temperature, at about 17 degrees Celsius, the aroma and structure come together perfectly. If you open the bottle an hour before eating, the wine has time to breathe and show its fruit.

You can find Syrah as a standalone wine in the Syrah Réserve 2022, which also comes from Oliver Zeter. Other red wines from Germany and other countries can be found in our Red Wine category.

Z Red Wine Cuvée 2020 – A red wine and its values

• Origin Germany
• Region Palatinate
• Oliver Zeter, Neustadt an der Weinstraße
• Grape varieties 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah
• Aged in barriques
• 13.5% vol alcohol
• 0.4 g/l residual sugar
• 5.3 g/l acidity
• 87 points Vinum
• 88 points Eichelmann
• 88 points wein.plus