Although it may not be the first country you’d think of in terms of European wines, Austria has a great deal to offer in terms of almost consistent high quality and a fascinating history to match. Wine has been grown in Austria for thousands of years, primarily today in its east, with archaeological evidence of wine production for 4000 years. When the Romans arrived some 2000 years later, viticulture truly thrived when Marcus Aurelius lifted the ban on wine production north of the Alps – a similar situation as to what was seen in Czech and Slovak wines. Despite its ups and downs since, in the 18th century, an imperial decree created the distinctive Austrian inns called Heurigen, inns that specialise in wine.
Phylloxera devastated Austrian wine culture in the 19th century and led to a reinvention of Austrian wine, with a focus on the now distinctively Austrian Grüner Veltliner. Following the end of the First World War, things had improved markedly and Austria was the third largest wine manufacturer in the world. However, it underwent a period of mass production that culminated in the 1980s with the discovery of an ingredient commonly found in antifreeze in Austria wine to round it out. This led to a colossal loss of reputation for the country’s wine industry, but also the necessary impetus for it to reinvent itself and focus on high-quality wines.
So what to try? Austria is famous for its high-quality dry whites, notably the Grüner Veltliner, which accounts for 36% of all wines produced in the country. Dry white fans should also try Welschriesling, which is also made for Neusiedlersee dessert wines. While Austria indeed focuses on dry whites, considering how little land is actually used for wine production in the country, it’s staggering the range they can develop, with Zweigelts (the most popular red wine produced in the country) being well-balanced fruity wines and Blaufränkisch being rather intense and full-bodied.
In short, Austria has an impressive range of wines and a focus on quality that parallels the consistency of wine producers like New Zealand.
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