Sankt Laurent is a red grape variety from Austria where it makes elegant red wines that can be reminiscent of Pinot Noir.
Sankt Laurent has a beautifully pure expression of ripe red and black cherry and red and black plum. These fruit notes, if the wines were oaked, can be accompanied by hints of cinnamon even though the grape itself can sometimes bring pepperiness. Its tannins are smooth and elegant; the best examples attain beautiful complexity when aged.
Sankt Laurent is an indigenous Austrian grape variety; its genetic origins are unknown.
There are some plantings of Sankt Laurent in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but Austria is where this grape is at home and planted most. The regions of Thermenregion and Burgenland bring forth the most elegant and long-lived wines.
Sankt Laurent is thought to be named after Saint Lawrence whose feast day is the 10th of August, the time when grapes start changing color in the vineyard.
This grape variety is also known by the name of:
Blauer Saint Laurent, Chvartser, Magdalena Nera, Lorentstraube, Lovrijenac Crni, Lovrijenac, Laourentstraoube, Lorenztraube, Laurentzitraube, Laurenztraube, Lovrenac Crni, Lovricanka, Lovrecanka Crna, Sankt Laurent, Sant Lorentz, Vavrinak, Saint Lorentz, Saint Laurent Noir, Schwarzer Lorenztraube, Schwarzer, Sankt Lorenztraube, Pinot St. Laurent, Pinot Saint Laurent, Pinot Sent Laourent, Sent Lovrenka, Sent Laourent, Sentlovrenka, Shentlovrenka, Shvartser, Szent Loerinc, Szent Loerinczi, Szent Loerine, Szentloerinc, Svaety Lorinc, Svati Vavrinetz, Svatovavrinecke, Svaty Vavrinec, Svatovavrinetzke, Svatovavrinetske
