Fritz Zweigelt
Encyclopedia
Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt was an Austria
n biologist
and viticulturist who made hybrid crosses of European wine
grape
s (Vitis vinifera
). His most famous creations are Rotburger (later named Zweigelt
) and Blauburger
.
near Graz
. He was educated there, and in 1911 received a PhD in natural sciences from the University of Graz
.
The following year he started work at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg
, Austria and in 1938 became its director.
His fortunes were closely tied to that of the Nazis in Austria, and his career ended in 1945.
He published an autobiography the year before he died in Graz in 1964.
grape from Blaufränkisch
and St. Laurent
in 1922, and Blauburger
from Blaufränkisch
and Blauer Portugieser
the following year.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and viticulturist who made hybrid crosses of European wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s (Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
). His most famous creations are Rotburger (later named Zweigelt
Zweigelt
Zweigelt is a red wine grape variety developed in 1922, at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg, Austria, by Fritz Zweigelt. It was a crossing of St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch. It is now the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria, as well as having some...
) and Blauburger
Blauburger
Blauburger is a red wine grape variety that is grown a little in Austria and Hungary. It should not be confused with Blauburgunder, which is an Austrian synonym for Pinot Noir.-History:...
.
Biography
Zweigelt was born in 1888 in HitzendorfHitzendorf
Hitzendorf is a municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in Styria, Austria. It has a population of 3,694 and comprises the 13 communities Altenberg, Altreiteregg, Berndorf, Doblegg, Hitzendorf, Höllberg, Holzberg, Mayersdorf, Michlbach, Neureiteregg, Niederberg, Oberberg und Pirka. Fritz...
near Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. He was educated there, and in 1911 received a PhD in natural sciences from the University of Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
.
The following year he started work at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg is an attractive small town in Lower Austria, Austria with a population of 24,442.It is located on the Danube, immediately north of Vienna, from which it is separated by the Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg hills...
, Austria and in 1938 became its director.
His fortunes were closely tied to that of the Nazis in Austria, and his career ended in 1945.
He published an autobiography the year before he died in Graz in 1964.
Breeding programme
At Klosterneuburg, he bred what became known as the ZweigeltZweigelt
Zweigelt is a red wine grape variety developed in 1922, at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg, Austria, by Fritz Zweigelt. It was a crossing of St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch. It is now the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria, as well as having some...
grape from Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is a late-ripening variety gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character...
and St. Laurent
St. Laurent (grape)
St. Laurent is a highly aromatic dark-skinned wine grape variety of the same family as Pinot Noir, originating in France....
in 1922, and Blauburger
Blauburger
Blauburger is a red wine grape variety that is grown a little in Austria and Hungary. It should not be confused with Blauburgunder, which is an Austrian synonym for Pinot Noir.-History:...
from Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is a late-ripening variety gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character...
and Blauer Portugieser
Blauer Portugieser
Blauer Portugieser is a red Austrian and German wine grape found primarily in the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and wine regions of Lower Austria. It is also one of the permitted grapes in the Hungarian wine Egri Bikavér . In Germany, the cultivated area covered or 4.5% of the total vineyard area in 2007...
the following year.