Discovery / Grape Varieties / St. Laurent
Grape Varieties · Follow your curiosity
St. Laurent
An Austrian and Central European red-grape story, with cherry-fruit associations, a Pinot-family connection and an adventurous California chapter at Tres Sabores.
A little acquaintance, at a glance.
- Colour
- Red grape
- Also written
- Sankt Laurent · Saint Laurent
- Connections
- Austria · Czechia · Slovakia
- California route
- Tres Sabores · Carneros
Meet St. Laurent
St. Laurent, also written Sankt Laurent or Saint Laurent, is a dark-skinned grape with important Central European homes. Austria’s Thermenregion and Burgenland are useful starting points, while Czech and Slovak wine traditions add other names and places to explore.
Its precise historical origin remains uncertain. The Austrian agriculture ministry places it in the Pinot family, but this is a distinct grape profile: a resemblance to Pinot Noir should start a comparison rather than erase the name on the vine.
Find its places
Austria
The Thermenregion south of Vienna and northern Burgenland are strong connections. Their vineyards provide context for the grape, rather than one compulsory taste.
Czechia and Slovakia
Svatovavřinecké and Svätovavrinecké are regional names worth recognising. A different language on a label may lead back to the same variety.
California
Jon Engelskirger’s work at Tres Sabores supplies a less-common California route, connecting Carneros-grown St. Laurent with both a standalone expression and a blend.
What might you notice?
Cherry and dark berries
These are familiar tasting associations. Begin with what you smell yourself and allow room for floral, spicy or earthy impressions.
Freshness and structure
Notice acidity, body and tannin separately. Colour alone cannot tell you how powerful or delicate the wine will feel.
The growing season
Flowering sensitivity and site requirements help explain why growers make careful choices. A grape’s reputation does not replace the account of a particular vineyard and vintage.
One documented cellar route
Bründlmayer’s St. Laurent 2022 factsheet describes fermentation in a small wooden vat, with around fifteen to eighteen days on the mash, followed by eighteen months in 300-litre oak casks on their second and third use. Those details identify a specific production approach: fermentation vessel, skin contact and maturation are separate clues.
The vessel’s previous use matters beside its material and size. Our Barrels & Sizes guide explains the wider capacity conversation. A grape name alone does not specify new oak, a particular barrel size or a fixed maturation time.
A different connection at Tres Sabores
The producer’s festival account describes Jon sourcing St. Laurent from Dale Ricci’s Carneros vineyards, then exploring fermentation in Andrew Beckham’s Novum amphora. Follow Tres Sabores & Julie Johnson for that story and its Thinking Cap blend connection.
Compare those vessels without assuming that clay guarantees one flavour or that wood must dominate another wine. The producer’s choices, the fruit and the length of contact all belong in the discussion.
A family connection to remember
St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch were crossed to create Zweigelt. That is a breeding relationship between grapes, rather than the recipe for a blended bottle. It offers another useful distinction between what grows in the vineyard and what the winemaker assembles in the cellar.
At the table
Try a dry example beside mushrooms, a vegetable gratin or a modestly seasoned meat dish. Start with the food’s preparation and the wine’s actual weight and freshness. A small pour and an everyday glass are enough to begin.
A small Cork Dork discovery
Give your curiosity a little room.
Compare Bründlmayer’s documented wooden-vat and cask route with the Tres Sabores amphora story. Record grape, vineyard source, fermentation vessel and maturation separately. If tasting, describe freshness and tannin before drawing a conclusion about the vessel.
Your observations, your words. Small pours welcome.
A few questions worth uncorking.
Is St. Laurent another name for Pinot Noir?
No. They have a family connection, but St. Laurent is a distinct grape.
Is Zweigelt a blend of St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch?
Zweigelt is a grape created by crossing those parents. That breeding relationship is different from blending finished wines.
Does St. Laurent need an amphora?
No. The producer examples show different vessel choices.
Where shall we wander next?
Tres Sabores & Julie Johnson →Pinot Noir →Barrels & Sizes →Qvevri & Clay Vessels →Skin Contact →Behind this introduction
Editorial sources checked 25 October 2026. Composition, production rules and cellar practices can vary by appellation, producer and vintage. The producer’s notes are the place to check a particular bottle.