Sunday School

WINE

ZWEIGELT BLEND “PUSZTA LIBRE!” NEUSIEDLERSEE, CLAUS PREISINGER, ‘22

Burgenland, Austria

Carefree and brimming with juicy charm, Puszta Libre! is a wine that invites you to toss aside the rulebook. Made by biodynamic trailblazer Claus Preisinger, this natural red is as unpretentious as it is irresistible. Its name pays tribute to the Puszta – the Hungarian word for the vast, untamed lowlands – and its spirit is just as expansive and wild.

This blend of Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, and St. Laurent captures the essence of easy-drinking "glou glou" wines. Claus crafted it with minimal intervention: a touch of carbonic maceration for five days (a nod to the playful Beaujolais style he admires) followed by fermentation with native yeasts. It then rests briefly in large casks and steel tanks, preserving its vibrant, fruit-forward character.

In the glass, you’ll notice its lively ruby hue. On the nose, expect bursts of ripe raspberries, cherries, and a subtle hint of watermelon candy. Each sip is a cascade of fresh berries, with just enough texture to keep things interesting. This wine is easy and exciting, harmonious and chill, making it the ultimate way to say goodbye to 2024.

$15 glass   •   $11 glass

CHEESE

WEINKÄSE LAGREIN

Alto Adige, Italy · Cow-P

In contrast with its German-sounding moniker, this cheese comes from northern Italy: Alto Adige, to be precise, an alpine region tucked against the Austrian border that’s also known as Südtirol (“South Tyrol,” after the nearby Tyrolean Alps). So, what’s in a name?

Well, Weinkäse is German for “wine-washed cheese,” while Lagrein is an indigenous Italian grape varietal that produces tannic, acidic wines. A relative of the better-known Syrah, it’s grown mostly in Italy. (A few Australian winemakers have also flirted with it, but they never got as far as making cheese with it.) This Weinkäse is semi-soft and porous in texture, with the hearty richness of mountain milk. The rind looks like purple velvet thanks to a four-day swim in hearty Lagrein wine, accompanied by two tasty pool toys: garlic and black pepper.

The flavor reminds us a bit of Havarti, but with the inimitable heft of a washed-rind cheese. If we blindfolded you, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d just bit into the creamiest salami of all time. Weinkäse Lagrein: the other, other white meat.

$9  •   $6