I'm leavin' on a jet plane...to Austria!

On Tuesday, June 9th I'm leaving from New York to fly to Vienna, Austria for the Austrian Wine Marketing Board's "Austrian Wine Summit 2009: Discover Wine Wonderland Austria," and returning Sunday, June 14th. I'll be traveling with my boss and the managing partner of Brand Action Team, Steve Raye. This will be my first trip to Austria.

Here's a quick overview of our schedule. I'll be filling in the details with stories and pictures as I travel:

When I arrive early Wednesday morning I'll have several hours to enjoy a self-guided mini-tour of Vienna on foot. By evening I need to be at the Heuriger Zahel for a get together for all the Wine Summit guests.

Thursday is going to be great. We'll start out with a trip to Burgenland and a reception at the Austrian Wine Academy. Here we'll receive an overview of Burgenland wines. Later there's a trip to the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt. During the late afternoon we'll take a boat ride across the Neusiedlersee for a comparative tasting of noble sweet wines from either side of the lake.

We'll return to a "Pannonian Dinner," showcasing matured red wines from Burgenland. We're staying overnight in a hotel in Jois.

Friday is going to be extensively about lower Austria, with lectures, a short visit to the Festival Schloss Hof, and lessons about the diversty of Danube terroirs featuring lower Austrian wines.

Saturday features vineyard visits in Wachau, a trip down the Danube, and in the evening, a party at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. At the party there will be live jazz, food, and of course, good wine from the Danube regions & Burgenland.

On Sunday it's back to the good ole' U.S. of A. where I hope to arrive full of Austrian stories, history, wine, food, and culture. I hope you'll check back for updates along the road in Austria and more.

Cheers!