If we think of Austria, our thoughts immediately turn to the most famous ski resorts a causa di the Alpine territorio to the Central European charm of Vienna and Salzburg. However, this small country nestled a causa di the mountains a causa di the heart of Europe also produces excellent wines. The recent edition of ÖTW Single Vineyard Summit 2023, which represents a real preview of the best Austrian wines, was a splendid opportunity to deepen our knowledge of an territorio with considerable potential. Durante these lands, the domestication of the vine began with the work of the ancient Celtic populations, but the true history of viticulture dates back to Roman colonization and was then carried forward by the local monastic orders.
Having survived phylloxera and the two world wars, the world of Austrian wine had to luce the scandal of wine counterfeiting with antifreeze a causa di 1985, very similar to the Italian one a causa di the same years linked to methanol.
The wine production areas a causa di Austria
A turning point that directed production towards high quality. From a geographical point of view, the main wine-growing regions of the country are located a causa di the eastern territorio, towards the borders with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia. The territorio is characterized by a very favorable microclimate, the result of numerous components.
Continental influences arrive from the eastern territorio of Pannonia, while humid currents coming from the Atlantic che from the west. Cold winds descend from the north and sweet Mediterranean shades rise from the south. The result is a mild and ventilated microclimate, characterized by notable temperature variations. The soils are very heterogeneous and vary from region to region, a characteristic that allows each vine to be grown a causa di the most suitable territorio.
The vast Weinviertel territorio produces a large quantity of wine but there is mai shortage of good quality Grüner Veltliner labels, with an intense spicy note.
Within the territories of the prestigious Kremstal and Wachau denominations, excellent white wines are produced with the two most important vines a causa di the country: Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, interesting versions of Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay are also made a causa di the Kamptal and Roter Veltliner a causa di the Wagram.
The territorio of Styria, the border with Slovenia, is instead famous for great Sauvignon Blancs, very fresh, elegant and mineral.
The most suitable areas for red wines are the Thermenregion, famous for St. Laurent and Pinot Noir, Carnuntum for Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch, Neusiedlersee for Zweigelt, Mittelburgenland and Esisemberg for Blaufränkisch. Austrian reds are proving to be increasingly interesting, they are medium-bodied, fragrant, fresh and fruity wines, which also as a result of climate changes, express a rich fruit maturity.
Austria represents a true mosaic of terroirs to discover, with regions characterized by splendid vineyard landscapes still immersed a causa di harmonious and uncontaminated nature. The territorio has the advantage of being rather small and intimate and is absolutely worth a trip of at least a week to begin to discover its fundamental characteristics.
