Saint Laurent
Also known as St. Laurent, Sankt Laurent
Probably Lower Austria, Austria
A dark, perfumed, Pinot-like red of central Europe, and the second parent of Zweigelt.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Rare
Climate
Cool climate
Ripening
Early season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Austria
Lower Austria and Burgenland
Perfumed, cherry-like reds; the Thermenregion is a stronghold.
Germany
Pfalz
Small plantings for soft, Pinot-like reds.
Background
Origin & History
Saint Laurent has a close parent-offspring relationship with Pinot Noir, and its other parent has not been settled; Savagnin is one possibility. Its exact origin is disputed, but it has long been grown in Austria and the Czech Republic.
It is demanding in the vineyard, but at its best it makes a deep, cherry-scented red with softer tannins than Blaufränkisch. Fritz Zweigelt crossed it with Blaufränkisch in 1922 to make Zweigelt.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Saint Laurent is an old variety of unknown origin. Click a related grape to explore its own lineage.