Grape Guide
Sankt Laurent
RedSankt Laurent is a dark-skinned Central European variety, probably of Austrian origin, that gives deeply coloured, soft-textured reds built around sour cherry fruit. It is a parent of Zweigelt and is widely thought to be related to Pinot Noir, and it matters most in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany, where it is usually spelled Saint Laurent.
Key Characteristics
- Black-skinned; it probably takes its name from St Lawrence, whose feast day on 10 August falls around the start of ripening
- Parent of Zweigelt (crossed with Blaufränkisch), and also of André, Dunaj and Rondo
- Flowers early, so coulure, blossom drop and spring frost are recurring risks
- Compact bunches of small berries that are prone to botrytis, downy mildew and sour rot after autumn rain
- Distinct from Pinot Saint-Laurent, a different and now commercially insignificant variety
Typical Flavors
Major Regions
Thermenregion, Austria · Neusiedlersee, Austria · Weinviertel, Austria · Moravia, Czech Republic · Pfalz, Germany · Rheinhessen, Germany · Slovakia
Also Known As
Laurenzitraube (Austria) · Lorenztraube (Austria) · Saint Laurent (Germany · France) · Schwarzer (Germany) · Svatovavřinecké (Czech Republic) · Vavřinecké (Czech Republic) · Svätovavrinecké (Slovakia)
Overview
Sankt Laurent is a black-skinned variety that makes wines of deep colour, moderate to high acidity and a plush, finely grained tannic structure. The fruit profile centres on sour and black cherry, with plum and, as the wines age, notes of coffee and dark chocolate; young examples can show a green, herbal edge when yields are high or ripeness is incomplete. Its texture is often compared to a more powerful Pinot Noir, though DNA evidence on how close the two really are has been mixed. The grape is best known in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where it is a mainstream red, and in Germany, where it returned from near extinction to become a modest but growing specialty. Winemakers generally treat it as an oak-friendly red that rewards low yields and careful site selection. It ripens earlier than Pinot Noir, which makes it a practical choice in cool continental sites, but its sensitivity at flowering keeps yields uneven from year to year.
Origins & History
The origin of Sankt Laurent is not settled. Most authorities place it in Austria, where it was cultivated by the nineteenth century, and an 1893 planting is recorded at the Klosterneuburg estate on Vienna's Kahlenberg. An Alsatian origin has also been argued: the variety was known there by about 1850, and a Baden-Württemberg ampelographer of that era is credited with bringing it to Germany under the name Schwarzer. A third account holds that it reached the botanical garden in Dijon from a collector in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, which would explain a French-sounding name, but the more convincing explanation is the old Austrian name Laurenzitraube, a reference to St Lawrence, whose feast day of 10 August coincides with the onset of ripening. Parentage has been equally debated. Early work suggested a link to Pinot, and later DNA work points to Pinot Noir as one parent, though this is not universally accepted, and the second parent is unknown (Savagnin has been suggested but not confirmed). Pinot Saint-Laurent, a separate variety with no commercial standing, is sometimes confused with it but is not a synonym. Its most important genetic legacy is Zweigelt, crossed with Blaufränkisch in 1922 and now Austria's most planted red variety. Sankt Laurent was also used to breed André, Dunaj and Rondo. It was recognised as a quality variety in Austria in 1972, and plantings there roughly doubled in the decade to 2008 before easing.
Viticultural Characteristics
Sankt Laurent forms compact bunches of small berries and ripens in mid season, a little ahead of Pinot Noir. It flowers early, which exposes the crop to coulure and poor fruit set, and it is vulnerable to late spring frost. The vine copes with winter cold reasonably well, yet downy mildew and botrytis bunch rot both threaten it, and heavy September rain can split the tight bunches and invite sour rot. It performs best on deep, moisture-retentive soils such as loess and loam, or with irrigation where summers are dry; thin, droughty soils tend to stress it. Yields are erratic, so growers rely on crop thinning and open canopies to protect quality and keep disease pressure down. Compared with Pinot Noir, it is less fussy about where it is planted, which explains part of its appeal in Central Europe.
Wine Styles & Characteristics
Most Sankt Laurent is vinified as a dry, varietal red. Fresh, tank-fermented versions emphasise sour cherry and a lightly herbal note, with bright acidity and supple tannin, and are made for early drinking. Reserve bottlings come from low-yielding vines, extended maceration and maturation in French oak, producing wines of dark ruby colour, velvety weight, firm but fine tannins and flavours of black cherry, coffee and chocolate. These can age for a decade or more. Austrian and German growers sometimes use new or lightly toasted barriques sparingly, since the variety's fruit can be overwhelmed by heavy oak. Rosé is a minor but growing use in Germany. Slovak winemakers now and then add Blauer Portugieser to the blend, and Czech producers also make late-harvest and fuller, barrel-aged versions. Quality is highest where yields are controlled and grapes reach full phenolic ripeness.