Red grape variety
St Laurent
An Austrian red related to Pinot Noir, producing dark-cherry-scented wines of real finesse.
What is St Laurent?
St Laurent produces darker, more velvety wine than Pinot Noir while sharing its perfume and silkiness. It buds early and is frost-prone, which limits how widely it is planted.
Central Europe; DNA analysis indicates a parent–offspring relationship with Pinot.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 10470 under the prime name SAINT LAURENT, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin france, and the pedigree "PINOT NOIR X ?". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of St Laurent, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | medium | Some variation | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- Burgenland — Austria
If you like St Laurent, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Pinot Noir
A close genetic relative with a similar aromatic profile.
Lighter in colour and more delicate.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more savoury.
Zweigelt
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
País
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more savoury, and leaner and more cutting.
Cinsault
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more floral.
Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more floral.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Cru Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and fresher.
Gamay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and more aromatic.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Bonarda
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and broader and softer.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more savoury.
Negroamaro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more savoury, and broader and softer.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Grilled chicken
Works because ripe fruit balances the bitterness of char and smoke.
Mushroom pasta
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Bloomy-rind cheese
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Brie and soft cheese
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
How to serve it
Temperature
14–16°C
57–61°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Burgundy bowl
A wide bowl gives a delicate, aromatic red more surface area to release aroma, and directs it to the nose from a wider rim.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Austria’s softer, darker relative of Pinot Noir, and a parent of Zweigelt. Most is made for early drinking; barrel-aged Thermenregion and Burgenland examples have the structure to develop for several years towards a distinctly savoury character.
Family tree
Parentage here is proposed rather than settled — see the note below.
Parents
Offspring
A relationship with Pinot is established; the exact direction and the second parent are not fully resolved.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof
- Austrian Wine Marketing Board — Österreich Wein Marketing