Petite Terroir

Moving Announcement!

2010-06-30T20:59:00.000-04:00

I have a very important announcement to make!

In an effort to make Austrian Wine information more accessible to a curious wine consumer we have decided to change the domain name for the Austrian Wine blog to:

http://www.austrianwineusa.com

Please visit this blog for the latest information on Austrian wine regions, grapes, events, contests and other information! We look forward to seeing you there!

Danke!

***the guess the grape contest will be moved to the new location 7/1/10

The Thermenregion

2010-06-29T09:08:00.008-04:00

During VieVinum I had the opportunity to visit the Thermenregion, one of Austria's most unique wine regions.

It was a simple case of right place, right time. On the third day of the wines show, I ran into Matt Stinton of Hearth Restaurant and Terroir Wine Bar in NYC who just so happened to be going on a private tour of the Stadlman Vineyard with winemaker, Bernhard Stadlman, and to my delight they invited me along.

Here's a little background:

The Thermenregion consists of 42 winemaking communities and 700 winegrowers, currently planted on approximately 2,600 hectares of land. The vineyard’s range begins just outside of Vienna’s city limits and runs along a chain of hills known as the Eichkogel, the Anninger, the Pfaffstättner Kogel, the Badener Berg and the Sosser Lindkogel and ends just south of Baden.

Despite the region’s historical beginnings, winemakers of the region incorporate many modern day winemaking practices such as nature friendly vineyard care, limited production, exacting grape selection and careful vinification of the wines. These practices allow the wines of the Thermenregion to stand out with refinement and elegance, depth and complexity and to pair excellently with food.

Climate:

The weather was unusually cold for May when we were there, but the Thermenregion is typically known for hot summers, dry autumns and cool winters. Vines are protected from excess moisture by the Anninger ridge and see a considerable amount of sunshine which all but keeps the grapes immune from mildew and rot.

Terroir:

Stadlman brought Matt and I through the vineyards before moving on to the winery and gave us an overview of the region. Originally, this area was submersed in the sea which accounts for the oyster shells that have been unearthed from the soil. This created the terroir for the region that imprints each grape with a distinct minerality.

The region is made up of a variety of soil types including two primary soils that are ideal for growing both red and white grape varietals. On the slopes of the hills the soils are made up of loam-rich clay, sandy loam and brown earth with a high shell limestone content. These are ideal conditions for some of Austria’s lesser known grapes such as Zierfandler and Rotgipfler.

On the other side of the region, on flat ground in the rightly named Stone Field, the soils are predominately made of the highly permeable limestone gravel. Here red varietals such as Blaufränksich, Pinot Noir and St. Laurent thrive.

History:

Wines have been crafted in the Thermenregion for over two thousand years beginning with the Romans in the Noricum province on the slopes of the Anninger at the base of the Pannonian basin. Wines of the Thermenregion have played an important role in Austrian history and the region is believed to be Austria’s oldest winemaking operation originating with the monastery of the Monks of Helingenkreuz.

Wines from the Thermenregion were generally chosen to accompany the meals served at Hofburg and Schönbrunn and the region was given special preservation upon the construction of the Austrian railway. The region achieved DAC status in 1985 under the Austrian Wine Act, but was called Weine von der Südbahn (the Wines from the Austrian Southern Railway) until relatively recently.

Grapes:

Grapes in the Thermenregion generally have thick skins due to rapid temperature changes between hot and cool that take place here and, as a result, provide for very aromatic wines. White, red and dessert wines are all produced in the Thermenregion thanks to the outstanding soil and weather conditions. Red and white grapes are generally grown in equal balance in this region; predominance depends upon the part of the region.

The Thermenregion is most famously known for the Zierfandler and Rotfipfler grape varieties as they are most widely grown in this region. Other white grapes include Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Neuberger. Predominant red grapes include St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, Blauer Portugieser and Zweigelt.

The Tasting:

The Stadlman winery is located within the small province of Traiskirchen and is generally open to visitors via appointment only, though the building is equipped with a restaurant and tasting room that is open approximately five times a year for a total of ten days.

Bernhard brought Matt and I into the cellars where we tasted barrel samples of both the 2009 Rotgipfler and the 2009 Zierfandler. It was clear these wines had some aging to do, but I was impressed by the complexity they were already showing so early in the vinification process.

After this experience we retreated to the tasting room where Bernhard tasted us on the wines imported into the US including the 2008 vintages of the Zierfandler and Rotgipfler wines from the Anninger as well as the Zierfandler Mandol-Höf and the Rotgipfler Tagelsteiner. As a special treat, Bernhard also tasted Matt and I on the 2006 vintage of the Zierfandler Anninger showcasing the grapes ability to age and develop.

Unfortunately, the Thermenregion, as well as the Zierfandler and Rotgipfler varieties are not as readily know in the United States yet, though it has been said by many that they actually prefer them to Gruener Veltliner at times. Perfect for pairing with oysters (naturally) these wines are a gem waiting to be discovered by the masses.

“Advanced Course – Wines and Spirits International” and “WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits” - Excellent wine education in the heart of Austrian wine

2010-06-23T13:04:00.002-04:00

The VIEVINUM Wine Fair 2010 in Vienna hosted the launch of an exciting new wine qualification offered by the Austrian Wine Academy, conducted in English, to commence in autumn of 2010. It offers a unique opportunity to participants to combine learning about international wines with practical first hand experience in viticulture and wine-making and all of this in the unique and picturesque environment of the Academy’s training centre in Rust in the Burgenland wine region.

The Austrian Wine Academy – a not for profit organisation – was founded 20 years ago and in that short time has acquired the formidable status of being the largest wine educational institution in Continental Europe, with approximately 20 000 wine enthusiasts attending seminars annually. In addition to courses offered in Austria, there are also centres in Germany (Campus Geisenheim), Switzerland (Campus Wädenswil) and Südtirol/Alto Adige, but to date the language medium has been only German.

The Advanced Course – Wines and Spirits International is an internationally standardised qualification in the area of “global wines and spirits”. It covers the most important wine regions of the world, as well as all wine styles, including sparkling and fortified wines and incorporates a section on spirits. Students are taught to critically understand and evaluate international wines and spirits. The level of this qualification is internationally defined and is recommended for all professional areas of the wine business: wine trade, gastronomy, wine management and wine production. It has been designed as a residential course and late afternoons and evenings are designated to workshops, visits to vineyards and wineries and educational tastings.

Successful graduates of this course may then move on to the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits, also an international trade qualification and known in Austria and associated centres as Weinakademiker. Since 1993, the Austrian Wine Academy has been a partner of the British Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and has been offering Diploma courses in German language in Rust. The very first Diploma course in the English language will commence in Rust on May 10^th 2011.

Dr Josef Schuller MW, Managing Director of the Austrian Wine Academy and current Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine, comments: “This is an exciting new development which enables us to offer students from around the world the opportunity to study and progress from a solid professional level of wine, via the WSET Diploma, all the way to the Master of Wine Programme, here in this unique setting in Rust”.

Advanced Course Fee, including lunches and all visits: EUR 1290.-

Autumn Date: 11-15^th October and 11 – 14^th November 2010, a total of 9 days

Spring Date: 14-18^th March and 4-7^th April 2011, a total of 9 days

For further information, please contact: Mag (FH) Irene Bachkönig, Seehof, A 7071 Rust; phone: 0043 (0) 2685 6853-15; e-mail: i.bachkoenig@weinakademie.at

Wine on the Rocks Video : ON THE GO IN VIENNA - VIEVINUM - PART 003 - Interview with John Szabo on Knoll wines

2010-06-22T17:07:00.001-04:00

ON THE GO IN VIENNA - PART 003 - CANUCK GRAND CRÜE from Finkus Bripp on Vimeo.

EWBC Kickoff Event in NYC!

2010-06-22T10:11:00.007-04:00

The European Wine Blogger's Conference, hosted by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board in Vienna October 22-24, kicked off in NYC last night at the Austrian Cultural Center with special thanks to Gabriella and Ryan Opaz of Catavino.

The event showcased a variety of wines from a variety of grapes such as Austria's indigenous Blaufränkisch, Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt and Zierfandler, as well as international varietals such as Syrah. Another bonus was the array of Austria's field blend, Gemischter Satz, contributed by Darcy and Huber and poured by Paul Darcy.

Wines contributed and poured by Klaus Wittauer of KW Selections Mittelbach Zweigelt Rose 2009, Anton Bauer Gmörk Grüner Veltliner 2009, Tegernseerhof T 26 Grüner Veltliner Federspeiel 2009, Anton Bauer Rosenberg Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2008 , Tegernseerhof Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg 2008, Anton Bauer Wagram Pinot Noir 2006, Hillinger Zweigelt 2009, Hillinger Blaufrankisch 2008 and Hillinger Hillside 2007.

Wittauer, owner of KW Selections, has been importing Austrian wines for over ten years focusing on boutique wineries with a small about of press coverage, but also make top quality wines at an excellent price. Wittauer follows the philosophy that Austrian wines must be introduced to the general American wine drinker at a low price for every day drinking and by the glass selection. Three of KW Selections wines were recently reviewed by the Washington Post. Check it out here.

Wines were also contributed by Monika Caha Selections/Frederick Wildman and Sons, LTD Anne Micic Viducic of Aroma Wine Consulting and Monika Caha Selections poured Weninger Blaufraenkisch Hochaecker 2008, Neumeister Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Anita & Hans Nittnaus Comondor 2004, Stadlmann Zierfandler Mandelhoeh 2008, Graf Hardegg Riesling vom Schloss 2008, Fritsch Pinot Noir P 2004 and Forstreiter Gruener Veltliner Schiefer 2008. Monika Caha Selections focuses on small, family owned wineries that follow organic farming practices even though many are not certified.

An array of Gemischter Satz wines were contributed by Darcy and Huber Selections and Winebow Wines and poured by Paul Darcy. Darcy and Huber Selections focuses on the Vienna region of Austria spear heading their efforts with Austria's field blend, Gemischter Satz. From his portfolio Darcy poured Ambrositsch Gemischter Satz Sommeregg 2008, Christ Bisamberg Alte Reben 2008, Christ Wiener Gemischter Satz 2008, Cobenzl Wiener Satz Classic 2009, Edlmoser Gemischter Satz 2008, Edlmoser Maurerberg Gemischter Satz 2008, Hajszan Gemischter Satz Weissleiten 2008, Rotes Haus Gemischter Satz Nussberg Classic 2009, Rotes Haus Gemischter Satz Nussberg Reserve 2007, Zahel Gemischter Satz 2008, Zahel Nussberg Gemischter Satz Grand Reserve 2007, Zahel Sekt Gemischter Satz and Zahel Schonbrunn Gemischter Satz 2008. From Winebow's portfolio Darcy poured the Wieninger Gemischter Satz 2008 and Wieninger Nussberg Alte Reben 2008.

The event was well attended by bloggers, press and industry folk who enjoyed the walk-around cocktail party that ensued from 4-7.

Gabriella and Ryan Opaz are now headed to Seattle for the second round of the EWBC kick off event before the USWBC that is being held in Walla Walla later this week.

A short video highlighting Catavino's efforts with social media can be viewed here. This video was recorded and produced by Zev Robinson.

Guess that Grape Contest (6/17-7/21)

2010-06-17T16:14:00.009-04:00

Welcome to the Guess that Grape Contest!

How good are you at identifying Austrian wine varietals? Below you'll find the flavor profiles for four grapes grown in Austria - take a guess! (hint: two are international varieties!)

Think you got it? Leave a comment below with your answer - make sure you include your email address! Correctly identifying all four will earn you a chance to win the Austrian Wine Genesis book, retailed at $90.
The contest will run until July 21st. You will be alerted by email if you've won at that time.

**Special thanks to Weingut Fritsch for providing us with these photos.**

Brand Action Team employees are not allowed to enter.

Featured Food Pairing by Seasonal's Wolfgang Ban

2010-06-17T16:05:00.010-04:00

Wolfgang Ban, Chef and Owner from Seasonal Restaurant and Weinbar an Austrian restaurant in New York City, prepared this seasonal BBQ Pork Belly dish and pairs it with a Riesling 08 from Hoegl, in the Wachau region of Austria. Wolfgang has chosen the Hoegl Riesling as a pairing because the high acid of the wine cuts through the fat of the pork belly and the stone fruit character present in the wine is a delicious compliment.

Chef Wolfgang Ban seasons his pickled Heilroom Tomatoes with homegrown “Liebstoekl”, also known as Lovage. He also uses Austrian vinegar, Geenbauer, to give this pork belly dish the necessary acidity. This dish takes two days to prepare, but you still have plenty of time to prepare it for Fourth of July weekend and impress your family and friends with an outstanding dish from an award-winning chef.

Pork Belly

4lb Pork Belly

3g Caraway

1g Garlic

1lb Pork Fat

2 TSP fresh Thyme

For Brine:

4 Cups Water

1 Cup Salt

Put pork belly in oven dish and cover totally with brine for 24hrs in the refrigerator.

After 24hrs empty leftover water and cover pork belly entirely with pork fat and spices. Bake for 3-4 hrs in the oven at 225F till soft.

Cut soft pork belly in squares and grill on the BBQ till perfection.

Chanterelle

1/2 lb Small Chanterelle

2 TSP Butter

Salt

Wash, dry and cut Chanterelles thin slices. Put butter in a frying pan, add chanterelles and a little salt, and sauté till soft.

Baby Heirloom Tomato

1/2 lb Baby Heirloom Tomato

1 TSP Salt

1 TSP Sugar

1 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 cup of sliced Lovage

Fresh crushed Black Pepper

4 cups water

Wash and cut Heirloom Tomatoes in halves. Mix together spices, water and vinegar, combine with the tomatoes and refrigerate for 48 hrs.

Vinegar Gel

250 ml Gegenbauer P.X. Noble Sauer (available at specialty food shops or Food Emporium in NYC)

5 pieces of Gelatins

1 Cup Water

Put Gelatin in a pot with water and vinegar, stir and bring to boil. Set aside and let cool until it turns into a thick paste. Once cool mix paste until liquefied again and serve with tomatoes, chanterelles and pork belly on the side.

Part 002 of VieVinum Interviews via Wine on the Rocks

2010-06-17T15:17:00.002-04:00

ON THE GO IN VIENNA - PART 002 - CANUCK GRAND CRÜE from Finkus Bripp on Vimeo.

Interview with an Importer: Winemonger Imports Regional Manager, East Coast James Wright

2010-06-15T15:32:00.003-04:00

Austrian wines have exploded on to the wine scene in the past few years which can often leave unfamiliar consumers confused and overwhelmed by the plethora of Grüner Veltiner and Blaufränkisch wines - many organic, most from small, single vineyard plantings. One of the best resources Austrian wine consumers can turn to are those that import the wines - the ones that really know them inside and out, know the market and know the potential each has to become your new favorite wine.

In the Interview with an Importer series, I'll be sitting down with one or two importers of Austrian wine monthly in order to enhance the public's knowledge of each importer's portfolio, distribution, wine preferences and more.

Our first: James Wright of Winemonger Imports:

What makes Austrian wine so unique? What makes it stand out from other regions?

The first thing to say about this is that Austria is made up of more than a dozen distinct regions, many of which grow distinctive autochthonous grape varieties under different climate conditions. In fact there is likely great wine made from as many different grape varieties as is done in France, which has a vastly greater area under vines. And it's worth noting that Austria is very much a wine-culture like France.

What influenced your decision to work with Austrian wines?

Proximity and place of wine within the culture—I like going to the opera and symphony in Vienna, and since Vienna is part of the wine-country, I'm right there. I love Burgundy, but Paris is a bad hike away—same thing in Germany, both favorite playgrounds Berlin and Munich are equally inconvenient to the wine regions. And I'm okay with the language in Austria.

Which producers do you import? Highlights?

Stift Göttweig, Ebner-Ebenauer, Malat, Neumayer, Alphart, FJ Gritsch, J. Högl, J. Donabaum, Moric, Umathum, Wenzel, Feiler-Artinger, Etz, Rosi Schuster—highlights would be individual wines like the Neuburger from Alphart, the Moric Blaufränkisch 07, Weißburgunder Der Wein vom Stein 08 by Ludwig Neumayer, the Etz litre GV which is ridiculously delicious—and any St Laurent from Rosi Schuster; her son Hannes has become a master at working with this finicky grape.

Which states are you distributed in? NY NV NJ AZ WI CA DC VA MD PA MT WY IL

What’s your favorite Austrian varietal? Region? Why?

GV, Niederösterreich: great variety of expression within a small area—Blaufränkisch, Burgenland: which just sort of came out of nowhere and is now represented by a very rewarding stylistic variety of top-quality very expressive wines

What’s your favorite food & wine pairing for the season?

Stift Göttweig Pinot Noir Rosé 2009 with Wolfgang and Eddie's Soft-Poached Egg with Maitake, Porcini and Lobster at Restaurant Seasonal in West 58th St NYC

Where do you see the future of Austrian wine heading?

Here in the USA we shall see the fashion pass and the wine remain. The position of gastronomy within Austrian culture is so strong and the wines are customarily made with the realization that they're going to be consumed alongside other foods. This is very important, the affinity of wine for a culinary culture that remains very true to its heritage. So, we shall patiently await a bit of refinement and Sankt Laurent will take its place alongside Blaufränkisch as a premium red.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Within the past year I've done two blind jury tastings for the Viennese publication Österreichische Gastronomie Zeitung—more than 400 wines on each occasion—and even though there is still a fair amount of [low quality wines] being bottled, the general standard of wine in Austria is improving steadily. It is frequently more often the concept at fault than the execution—for example most Pinot Noir seems still to have more in common with Santa Barbara than they do with Europe…

**Winemonger is owned by Stephan Schindler and Emily Weissman, James Wright is the Regional Manager for the East Coast

Wine on the Rocks Video : ON THE GO IN VIENNA - VIEVINUM - PART 001 - INTERVIEW WITH DARREL JOSEPH

2010-06-14T11:04:00.001-04:00

ON THE GO IN VIENNA - VIEVINUM - PART 001 - INTERVIEW WITH DARREL JOSEPH from Finkus Bripp on Vimeo.

Thank you to Finkus Bripp of Winesontherocks.com for this fabulous interview.. part one of many :)

The Carnuntum Region

2010-06-09T13:49:00.003-04:00

Although Carnuntum is a lesser known wine region of Austria, there is a plethora of quality wine coming from the fine vineyards located there. Carnuntum is one of Austria's smallest wine regions, making up only 2% of the wine growing area with 1000 hectares under vine.

A short drive from Vienna, Carnuntum is a part of Austria with a unique Roman history and many ruins are still present throughout the region today. The region spans from east of Vienna to the border of Slovakia with vineyards spread along the famous Danube river among three sectors: the Leithagebirge, the Arbesthaler Hügelland and the Hainburger Berge.

The Leithagebirge: Rich in clay, gravel and chalk. Oriented toward the west, vines are shielded from the heat and humidity by the forests located here which account for the fresh and fruity wines produced in this area.
Arbesthaler Hügelland: The soils in this sector vary as the higher portions of the hill consist of gravel soils, while lower portions consist of clay soils. Very aromatic, well-ripened grapes, that ultimately turn in to fruit-intensive white wines and velvety reds, exist in this sector as the influence from Lake Neusiedl, the Danube and neighboring forests create an ideal climate.
Hainburger Berge: Soils consist of mica-slate and granite-gneiss, along with elements of chalk. This area is a nature reserve due to some rare plant life that live in the area. Vines are planted in the south and southeast oriented slopes and have a poor soil structure and low rainfall. As a result, this is a late-ripening area of Carnuntum.

Typical wines produced in Carnuntum are sexy red wines of a combination of fruit and elegance made from Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Sauvignon and structured examples of white wines made from Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.

History: Carnuntum was under Roman rule until roughly 430 A.D. Evidence shows that wine has been produced in the region for thousands of years, though it is impossible to say which varietals were originally produced.

Carnuntum's wine making culture has drastically changed in the past 100 years. Originally, most of the wine producers in the area were farmers that also grew a variety of other produce. The region was best known for it's white wines that dominated production at nearly 85% which now is closer to 60-40% predominantly whites. To grow the grapes, most vintners used a stake training method for the vines and most varietals were not kept separate from each other. This resulted in many Gemischter Satz wines in the region.

Carnuntum's wine culture was all but destroyed by WWII which made a complete overhaul of the region necessary. Though the region generally stayed out the limelight through the restructuring of Austrian wine culture that took place in the 1990s, Carnuntum underwent and quality and image transformation when Austrian red varietal sales rose in 2000. A combination of fresh, young winemakers, ideal soils and unbeatable climate helped the region emerge among the larger wine producing areas.

To set itself apart from other wine making regions in Austria, Carnuntum created their own system of labeling.
Primus Carnuntum: White, kabinett wine produced mainly from the region's Grüner Veltliner grapes blended with other coveted varieties. The wine must be made from at least 200 kilos of grapes with a must weight of 16º KMW. These wines are labeled from all wineries with a uniform label featuring painter Gottfried Lav Wurm and are annually christened by notable personalities at a special ceremony before release.

Rubin Carnuntum: A red wine that can only be made of Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch that reflect the region's typical character. These wines must be of a single variety. The wines mininum must weight is 18º KMW and they must have an abv of 12.5% or higher in order to ensure aging potential. To ensure recognition, each Rubin Carnuntum wine is bottled with the same back label text and totes the Heidentor (Heather's gate, Roman archway) logo on its capsule.

Carnuntum Reserve: These wines follow the Austrian wine law for reserve wines. Wines labeled under this name must have a minimum of 13%abv, must be made of a registered grape variety and may not be bottled before November of the following year (min. 13 months of maturation.)

In short, though Carnuntum is a small wine producing area of Austria it has a very large character. From it's historical roots to modern day wine making, Carnuntum is a region not to be missed.

VieVinum Day 2: Dinner in Carnuntum

2010-06-09T10:41:00.007-04:00

After the master class, several VieVinum attendees headed over the VieVinum Cup and following dinner of Vienna Whites and Lower Austrian Reds, but a couple of my new found companions and I opted to take advantage of one of the separate programs taking place that evening: dinner in the Roman ruins of the Carnuntum wine region featuring traditional Roman cuisine and an array of Zweigelt. Truth be told, I wish it had been possible to attend both - but that just wasn't possible!

The event was hosted by Wine & Partners of Austria who picked up a small group of us, twelve or so, in the city center of Vienna and whisked us away to the vineyards of Carnuntum. Our first stop was the Glatzer winery which was set up to showcase the wines of the region. Present were:

Weingut Walter Glatzer - Zweigelt 2008; Grüner Veltliner 2009
Weingut Gerhard Markowitsch -Zwiegelt 2008; Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben 2009
Weingut Robert Payr - Zwiegelt 2008; Grüner Veltliner Rothenberg 2008
Weingut Gerhard Pimpel - Zwiegelt 2008; Chardonnay 2009
Weingut Franz & Christine Netzl - Zwiegelt 2008; Weissburgunder Selection Barnreiser 2009
Weingut Lukas Markowitsch -Zweigelt 2008; Savignon Blanc 2009
Weingut Johannes Trapl - Rubin Carnuntum Zweigelt 2009
Weingut Franz Taferner - Rubin Carnuntum Zweigelt 2009
Weingut Stefan Ott -Zweigelt 2008
Family Grassl, Nepomukhof - Zweigelt 2008
Family Artner - Zweigelt 2008

After tasting through and a brief introduction to the region we traveled to the town of Carnuntum which hosts the preserved sit of Roman ruins. Our tour guide explained to us that everything we saw there was as close to real as it possibly could be... the coolest part? We could touch everything! The other cool part? Our dinner was actually held in one of the houses that had been preserved and reconstructed. How many people can say they've wined & dined IN ancient ruins?

To begin the dinner, we met outside of the ruins and were served a traditional, mead style beverage of white wine infused with honey paired with a hearty oat bread. Once we shuffled inside to take our places, we found many of the winemakers waiting for us to join them at dinner. The dinner consisted for four courses and each course was paired with three wines.

Ham with a crust of honey served with a wax-creamy egg and a pine nut & lovage sauce
Grüner Veltliner Arbesthal 2009 - Stefan Ott
Grüner Veltliner Selection 2009 - Neopmukhof Grassl
Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben 2008 - Hannes Trapl

Carnuntum green asparagus with mint
Rubin Carnuntum 2008 Zweigelt - Walter Glatzer
Rubin Carnuntum 2008 Zweigelt - Gerhard Markowitsch
Spitzerber 2007 Blaufränkisch - Robert Payr

Braised lamb served with "Liquamen" and dried plums
Zweigelt Selection 2007 - Gerhard Pimpel
Cuvee Lukas 2007 - Lukas Markowitsch
Anna-Christina 2007 - Franz & Christine Netzl

"Globuli-Topfenknödel" served with strawberry salad
Sauvignon Blanc 2009 sample of the barrel - Family Artner
Gelber Muskateller 2009 - Franz Taferner

After the dinner we met back outside to taste through more wines and share a closing cigar before being carted off to Vienna again (which ultimately ended in a trip to the famous Wien & Co. there is a regular occurrence.)

It was really interesting to experience the wine region in such a manner - however touristy it may have actually been. Carnuntum is a lesser- known region of Austria, but is really producing some great wines with a focus on the reds. For more information on Carnuntum, check here.

Drinks Business: April 2010, AUSTRIA: Louder please

2010-06-07T10:00:00.001-04:00

It recently swept the board at an international wine competition, yet Austria remains characteristically quiet about its accolades. Gabriel Savage discovers that the country has much to offer global markets, but there is work to be done.

If any other country took nine out of the top 10 places in an international wine competition, you’d never hear the end of it.

Yet when Austria’s sweet wines claimed this sweeping victory in the Concorso Internazionale di Vini Passiti at the end of last year, the UK trade was alerted with little more than a polite press release.

For those who fell victim to this classic example of Austrian reserve, a panel of judges from the Italian Sommelier Association (ASPI), whittled down 535 entries to award the top prize to Burgenland producer Erwin Tinhof, who incidentally took third prize as well. Other Austrians on the podium included Franz Heiss, Elfenhof, Nittnaus and Martin Pasler.

Of course, such is the tiny output of Austrian sweet wine, that you can almost forgive the country for being reluctant to encourage a rush on its treasured reserves. That said, Susanne Staggl, marketing manager for the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, observes that, despite the superlative sweet examples being consistently produced in Austria, “there is almost no market or only a very limited one for sweet wines”.

With that level of recognition, Austria at least deserves to claim a more significant corner of this delicious niche.

What is more, this accolade surely ought to brighten by association the halos of Austria’s dry styles, whose quality is widely recognised in the trade at least, and whose quantity, albeit still small, is sufficient to make a greater impact on international markets.

Reassuringly, the export news from this country is rather more promising than the casual observer might imagine. Total exports of Austrian wine in 2009 “exceeded all expectations”, according to Staggl, with a volume increase of 16% on the previous year, thanks largely to significant uplift in Sweden and The Netherlands.

The UK and the US were the chief nations letting the side down: although volumes to these two countries barely slipped, value sales fell by 16.8% and 17.6% respectively.

This picture is backed up by Doris Maierhofer, export manager for Lenz Moser, who describes the UK as “very interesting, but difficult”. As with its other export markets, the producer focuses here on “the middle to premium segment”; however, despite agreeing that 2009 was a “good year” overall, Maierhofer notes that the notoriously tricky UK market “seems to suffer a bit compared to other countries”.

As with the US, exchange rates and the wider economic difficulties played a role in the UK’s performance last year. More specific to Austria, the country’s increased distribution within the UK off-trade played some part in the value decline here, although the Austrian Wine Marketing Board reports a still comparatively healthy average price of e6 (£5.40) per litre.

International markets

Given that Austria largely remains a nation of small, family producers, it bodes well for its future international progress that many of these businesses are working hard to understand and engage with the individual challenges attached to foreign markets.

“In recent years, Austrian producers have become more experienced in dealing with international markets on a professional basis,” comments Kerstin Klamm, export director for Domäne Wachau, a high-quality cooperative whose members represent around 30% of the Wachau region’s entire vineyard area.

Klamm elaborates on some of the key areas where successful producers have upped their game: “It took Austrian producers some time to understand that UK retail might require different products in terms of concept, design and labelling.” She adds a further important realisation: “Wines that have been successful in the UK on-trade for a long time might not always be suitable for the off-trade as well.”

Giles Cooke MW, marketing & buying director for Alliance Wine, the UK importer for Domäne Wachau, highlights in particular the success enjoyed by Austrian wines in Waitrose. He attributes this to the fact that the retailer is prepared to give both breadth and depth to its Austrian portfolio, praising the “strong presence of Austrian wines on the shelf to develop interest and engagement, as well as to provide a ladder of quality on which consumers can climb”.

Conversely, where Cooke identifies ongoing problems for Austria is where its wines seem to have little more than a token presence on the shelf. He explains: “Where Austria has been less successful in my eyes is in some of the grocers where Austria is one lone Grüner Veltliner under an own label, with little to draw in the consumer.”

On the back of this, Cooke believes there is “a huge area of opportunity” for Austria to develop further its presence in the UK’s independent retail sector, although as yet he feels “an awful lot more could be done to engage the category on a strategic basis”.

Niche product

This angle is certainly a key focus area for Austria’s generic level activity with its current campaign, “The Seven Elements of Uniqueness”, which seeks to highlight the country’s originality and suitably niche offer. Both factors make Austrian wines obviously attractive to both consumers and merchants looking for something different to the territory claimed by the majority of big multiple retailers.

In addition to these independent corners of the off-trade, Staggl pinpoints a further area where Austrian Wine’s work is beginning to pay off: “Austria is getting more and more attention not only in the top on-trade, but also more in gastropubs.”

The work that remains to be done in the UK becomes all the more evident when you consider Austria’s reputation in many of its other key export markets. Klamm points to Germany, Norway, The Netherlands and Switzerland when she says: “Austrian wines and especially Grüner Veltliner have reached a level of publicity and general popularity that goes beyond sommeliers, journalists and wine geeks.”

Nevertheless, she acknowledges that it has taken over 20 years’ hard work, as well as the help of some “very enthusiastic and influential individuals”, to get Austria into this position. As a notoriously tough market, with weaker cultural links to Austria than, say, Germany or Switzerland, it is no surprise that the UK is proving a tough nut to crack.

It’s not just the fierce retail price points here; Klamm acknowledges the relative sophistication of the UK wine market when she comments: “There are many wines that are doing well on the German market that would find no acceptance in the UK in terms of quality.”

Whoever you speak to, there’s no getting away from the consensus that Grüner Veltliner remains Austria’s chief calling card. At the annual Austrian UK trade tasting back in February, there was widespread acknowledgement from many agents that where they were selling other grape varieties into accounts, this was invariably an addition rather than a substitute for Grüner.

Cooke cites Austria as “the natural haven” for anyone looking for an alternative to international giants Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. While also placing great faith in Austria’s Pinot Blanc and Riesling, Cooke believes: “We still have a long way to go with Grüner Veltliner before we need to make the message more complex.”

Into the reds

Similarly, Lance Foyster MW finds his own strong Austrian portfolio is still slightly ahead of the UK market. “We represent as many red as white producers; it’s silly really as we don’t sell enough to justify it,” he comments.

Indeed, Foyster is one of the few UK importers to be making a concerted effort to balance Austria’s growing reputation for white wines by flagging up its capacity to produce no less original, high-quality reds. “Grüner’s thriving, but I do champion red wines and Blaufränkisch in particular,” he notes, maintaining that this is a variety which “reflects terroir, micro-climate and all the things that great wines should do”.

Further murmurs of support for this relatively undiscovered grape are brewing in other corners. Klamm believes: “For the red varieties, Blaufränkisch has probably the greatest potential to become successful on an international basis,” adding: “There is a certain hype for Blaufränkisch in the US right now.”

Austria was often compared with New Zealand not so long ago, as it sought to prove its ability to produce quality wines other than Sauvignon Blanc. Certainly Blaufränkisch lacks the advantage of familiarity, fashion appeal and Anglo-Saxon-friendly pronunciation as the Kiwis tapped into with Pinot Noir, but for those looking to move on from the Grüner Veltliner conversation, this variety appears to provide a very natural extension to Austria’s identity.

Let’s not get carried away. As explained above, Austria still has plenty more groundwork to do in the UK before it catches up with its profile and sales in many other key export markets. Nevertheless, it’s reassuring to know that this marketing effort is backed up
by a product which is capable of proving not only its consistent quality, but also significant stylistic breadth for converts to explore.

What Austria really needs now is for its growing army of enthusiasts to have the courage of their convictions and start banging the drum that bit louder.

Gabriel Savage, April 2010

Day Two VieVinum - The 7 Elements of Uniqueness

2010-06-04T12:23:00.006-04:00

Day two of VieVinum was filled with interesting seminars that covered a wide variety of Austrian wine topics from the 7 Elements of Uniqueness to the Future of Austrian Wines to an in-depth look as Austrian dessert wines. Here are some notes on the first:

The 7 Elements of Uniqueness are:

1. The climate: Austrian wines are grown in a unique geographical position which create hot days and cool nights which create crisp, aromatic wines with full body and refined character. Ask any lover of Grüner Veltliner and you will find a passionate explanation of the different characteristics that Grüner Veltliner can take on dependent upon the region - even if the regions are right next to each other.

2. The land: The diversity of Austria's wines is enhanced by the soils such as the rocky Danube terraces, massive layers of loess in Lower Austria and calcareous soils in Burgenland and southern Styria. In a word, although the same grapes are grown largely throughout Austria, their characteristics greatly vary regionally.

3. The grapes: Obviously! Austria is home to many indigenous varietals that are only just now finding their way into other regions. Although Grüner Veltiner and some red wines such as Blaufränkisch and Zwigelt have recently been attracting much attention, there are still lesser known gems of the Austrian wine family including Zierfandler, Rotgipfler and Welshriesling.

4. The culture: I can attest to this one! Although I have had a hearty appreciation for Austrian wine for a while now, there really is nothing like experiencing the culture. From travel to food to drinking wine on the streets of Vienna, the culture of Austrian wine is truly a unique experience that I can not speak highly enough about.

5. The people: Another one I have no problem standing up and shouting about! The people in the Austrian wine industry are some of the best I've ever met. They are incredibly well natured, fun loving individuals with a real passion for their trade. Why else would I find it so hard to return to the states last week?! With more than 9000 wineries in Austria and NO large commercial wineries as one might find in other parts of the world it's no wonder that instead of competing, these winemakers are collaborating. This is just another way the Austrian wine industry can ensure they are standing up to their own high expectations of quality.

6. The respect for nature: Although many of the wineries in Austria are not certified organic they are in fact, organic. Austria is the world record holder for organic vineyards at 10% certified. GMO use is completely forbidden throughout Austria as well and more than one third of Austrian vineyards participate in a minimum-intervention program.

7. The food pairing: Austrian wines are by far some of the most food friendly wines in the world. As was showcased throughout VieVinum these wines, focusing on Grüner Veltliner, are no stranger to hearty cuisine and/or light fare. Spicy dishes? No problem. Hard to pair veggies such as asparagus? Talk about a match made in heaven. Currently there is a large focus on pairing Grüner Veltliner with traditional Chinese Cuisine that may otherwise be without a partner. Definitely try it out.

So there you have it. Austrian wines are unique in a variety of ways that really allow them to stand out against other generic international varietals one may be used to - as if you needed more convincing.

For more information, check it out here.

With Gruner Veltliner, Anything is Possible

2010-06-02T09:48:00.011-04:00

There are those experiences in life which make you stop and think that this is truly one of the best in your life - the 2010 VieVinum was certainly one of those for me.

Upon arriving in Vienna, I quickly learned this was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and immediately set out on foot to explore. I was greeted by fantastic architecture and was filled with a feeling of romanticism that one can only find in Europe - I haven't been since 2006 and had truly forgotten the beauty of the continent in general.

Guests from all over the world and from all sectors of the industry gathered together for the meet-and-greet,VieVinum's first event, which held at Meierei im Stadtpark in Vienna which featured a presentation of the wines from Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkish and Austrian specialties as well as a carefully concocted and paired cuisine.

The restaurant is situated by the canal that runs through Vienna and offers spectacular views of some of the city's prettiest buildings (then again aren't they all?) The event began as a walk around tasting but switched to a sit-down affair with attendees were able to bring bottles of wine to their tables to enjoy at their leisure. Two of the crowd favorites were the Hirtzberger and the Weingut Breundlmayer Grüners.

Post party an entourage of folks headed down to the popular Wein and Co. in the first district on Stephansplatz which is, according to Bernhard from Stadlman Winery in the Thermenregion, THE place to go and be seen so it looks like we made a good choice - and we returned several times.

So much more to come! This was just the beginning.

Heading to Austria!

2010-05-25T12:40:00.002-04:00

I am a lucky girl this year! I'm heading to Austria tomorrow for the biannual Vie Vienum celebration in Vienna which showcases all of Austria's wine producers' finest wines. I will be joining the industry elite for a grouping of special seminars, tastings, dinners, meet-and-greets, parties and even a football game where the winemakers go head-to-head. I will also be fortunate enough to visit some of the wineries while I am there! I can't wait!

The weather isn't looking too cheery - low 60's and raining... but hopefully things will change. Besides, being in Austria will make me overlook the minor detail of inclement weather...

Having never been to Austria this is especially exciting for me - and having worked so closely with the wines for so many months it'll be great to finally fully understand what I've been talking about all this time!

Anyway, lots to do before I leave! I'll try to check in while I'm over there!

Austrian Food Weeks at the Food Emporium

2010-05-24T13:45:00.004-04:00

Thursday, May 20th, the Austrian Trade Association hosted a kick off event at the Ramscale South Loft in Manhattan to celebrate the commencement of the 2010 Taste the Nation Austrian Food Weeks at the city's Food Emporium stores. This year's Food Weeks come with much excitement after two successful years.

The kick off event featured four chefs from some of NYC's finest Austrian restaurants including:

Kurt Gutenbrunner from Wallsé

Wolfgang Ban & Frauneder from Seasonal

Andrew Chase and Erwin Schrottner from Café Katja

Andreas Goller from Café Kinski

The dishes featured the Austrian products that will be available at the Food Emporium through the next month. Of course, each was paired with traditional Austrian wines such as Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt.

So what are you waiting for? Get to your local Food Emporium, stock up on some Austrian foods, grab a bottle of Austrian wine and cheers!

National BBQ Month - Celebrate with Austrian Wine!

2010-05-14T15:27:00.005-04:00

Celebrate national BBQ month this month with some traditional cuisine and wines from Austria!

Instead of plopping some hot dogs on the grill this weekend, why not try am Austrian bratwurst? Sure you might think Oktoberfest when you think bratwurst, but really this is a delicacy that can be enjoyed all year round!

Ingredients for "Austrian Bratwurst"

1 cup fresh Breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground Marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground Cardamom
1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon White Pepper
3 lbs ground Pork, 35% fat
1 drop Lemon Oil
3/4 cup Milk
1 medium Sausage Casing, prepared

Method of cooking "Austrian Bratwurst"

Combine spices and bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly. Mix milk, beaten eggs and oil of lemon together. Thoroughly mix bread crumb mix with the ground pork being careful not to have any"hot spots" This can be done by hand but a heavy duty stand mixer makes it a lot easier. Pour liquid over the meat mix and let sit about 10 minutes. Then mix. Loosely stuff medium sausage casings and tie off in 5 inch lengths. Grill until thoroughly cooked.

But what is a grilling party without a little wine? In my opinion it just isn't the same.

For this venture we opted to try the Anita Hans Nittnaus Pannobil e 2006 a blend of 70% Zwigelt and 30% Blaufrankisch from the Burgenland. The deep earthy cherry flavors that come through on the nose were enough to alert us that this was going to be a delightful wine. On the palate the soft tannin and good fruit balance compliments the salty character of the bratwurst and brought out the natural charcoal flavors. Overall a great pairing - just as we expected.

Austria Uncorked - A Recap

2010-05-06T16:26:00.003-04:00

Yesterday marked the end of the Austria Uncorked tour that took North American by storm this past week. In the US the tour hit San Francisco on Monday, May 3rd that flew across the country to the Tribeca Rooftop in New York City. This is where I caught up with them.

This was the biggest Austrian tasting to ever come to the US featuring importers from across the country, winemakers flown in from Austria and hundreds of wines. The trade portion was help from 12-4pm to allow industry insiders to get a first rate view of the wines and ask as many questions as they could. This was a great event, but the real hustle and bustle didn't start until the consumer portion held from 6-9pm.

The show was sold out! At 5:45pm the 500+ consumers who were lucky enough to purchase tickets before they were sold out last week gathered at the doors of the venue eagerly awaiting the taste of Grüner Veltliner and the culinary stylings of some of New York City's most prestigious restaurants.

Inside winemakers, importers and organizers eagerly awaited with open bottles of Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Riesling, Welshriesling, Traminer Muskateller and many more from bone-dry style to sweet dessert wines.

There were several wines that I am incredibly familiar with and yet there seemed to be even more that I did not know. Four producers really stood out to me:

1. Neumayer (Winemonger) which are simply described as, "exceptional whites from the chalky soil of Traisental."

There were 5 wines to try from his portfolio; 3 Grüner Veltliner, 1 dry Riesling and 1 Weiβburgunder. It must be said that these wines really blew me away. I am an Austrian wine lover in general, but these really stood out amongst the crowd. All very well balanced, incredibly structure, nice minerality backed up by a rich fruity character and bit of traditional white pepper spice. Each I tasted was better than the last. The wines:

Grüner Veltliner Engelberg 2008 - Mineral with rich stone fruits
Grüner Veltliner Reserve Zwirch (single vineyard) 2008 - Mineral with a peppery finish, nice acid.
Grüner Veltliner Der Wein vom Stein 2008 - Quite structured on the palate. Pepper and minerality show through.
Riesling Reserve Rothenbart 2008 - Nice fruit and mineral balance, good acid.
Weiβburgunder Der Wein vom Stein 2008 - Floral and fruity with great minerality.

All remarkable - I definitely recommend these to anyone!

2. Ecker (Skurnik) - what was so remarkable about these wines is their genuine character and their increible price point. At $12-$14/liter, I think this just may be the best wine deal out there!

Grüner Veltliner Klassich 2008: Nice Grüner character. Intense white pepper spice, hint of lemon/lime citrus, good fruit incredible balancing acid.
Zweigelt Klassoch: Good nose of cherries that follows through on the palate, delicate tannins and excellent structure; a combination of fruit and earth.

3. Schlumberger Wein & Sektkellerei GmbH (Duggans Distillers) Austria's oldest sparkling wine cellar! (of course I found the bubbles) Each bottle is made in the traditional method and is aged for a minimum of four years. I've had sparkling wines from Austria before (and believe me I haven't met one I don't like yet!) but these being new, I found them particularly exciting. The last of the bunch really stood out.

Welschriesling White Secco NV - Slightly sweet on the palate, nice fruit and yeast balance, excellent acid and incredible finish of floral and stone fruits. I wanted to swallow this one instead of spit!

4. Juris (Blue Danube) situated in Gols which is located in Burgenland. I stuck with the reds here.

Pinot Noir Selection 2008: Complex red fruits, nice spice character a deeper style of Pinot Noir that I love.
Pinot Noir Reserve 2006: Definitely showed the grape's ability to age from this vineyard and the complexity that comes with it.
St. Laurent Selection 2008: Being a hybrid of sorts from Pinot Noir, the grape puts forth many of the same characteristics, but in a slightly spicier style. Nice tannin sturcture, an explosion of black cherries and red fruits.
St. Lauren Reserve 2008: As with the Pinot Noir, this wine was just like it's predecessor but with a much more complex, deep character that left a melt-in-your-mouth feel.

As it often happens at big tastings, there just wasn't enough time to try everything and I'm certain I missed out on some other gems. Some of my old favorites such as Kracher's dessert wines, Szigeti sparklers and a variety of Gemischter Satz, of course - which I also had the pleasure of retasting.

Some good news came along with this venture yesterday in an afternoon meeting which is going to enable me to try all of these (and more!) at the end of the May.. but more on that later!

Until then, grab a glass of something Austrian and relax... the possibilities are endless.

An Oldie but a Good One: Wine Library TV #181 Grüner Veltliner!

2010-05-04T14:44:00.002-04:00

Watch Gary V as he has his first taste of Grüner Veltliner way back when!

Winebow Portfolio Tasting

2010-04-22T02:05:00.002-04:00

On Monday, I attended the Winebow tasting of Austrian wines held at Hearth Restaurant at 1^st ave and E 12^th Street in NYC.

Lucky for me, I was familiar with most of the wines there having had the chance to attend a few of their tastings in the past (and after all working for Austrian wine brings me in contact with LOTS of Austrian wines… trust me, no complaints here.)

One producer I was not very familiar with, but was happily acquainted was Weingut Bernard Ott. The tasting featured a Grüner Veltliner and a Riesling by this producer and I must admit, I was a happy taster.

The Grüner Veltliner was nice and fruity, structured with a nice balance of acidity and spice to convince me to sneak back for a second taste after I’d gone through the rest (but shh, don’t tell anyone that!)

The Riesling was also a pleasant surprise. Instead of being the usual bone-dry Riesling with a lot of acid and more citrus than stone fruit, this wine was a bit fruitier up front and a nice variation of what I may otherwise expect from Austrian Riesling (not that I don’t love them still- just a different take on it!)

The packaging is also a bit eye catching and seems to be a nice balance of both a new-age and a traditional method (see picture.)

Unfortunately, I don’t have the price point or the distribution of this wine off hand (I’m actually 10,000 feet up in the air at the moment) but I’ll look it up when I’m back in the office!)

On that note, I’m headed to Australia for the rest of the month – to return May 1^st. That’s the one with the kangaroos. I’ll try to check in, but in case I don’t have a chance… cheers!

What we drank last night: Hajszan Gruner Veltliner 2008

2010-04-18T08:51:00.003-04:00

The other day we decided to crack a bottle of the Hajszan Gruner Veltliner 2008 Nussberg from Vienna. The aromatic grape varietal showed its colors here. Spicy white pepper and exotic fruits. Medium in bodied and structured with a lingering finish.

I happened to be eating a combination of steamed vegetables for lunch that day and the wine was a nice pairing for that... Gruner's always good for a little vegetable pairing.

The Hajszan winery follow a biodynamic approach focusing on quality over quantity. The winery says that this approach really helps to accentuate the terroir's influence on the wine. The soils are nourished with animal and plant matter as fertilizer.

The Viennese style of Gruner is always a crowd pleaser. Fruity with a bit of spice, nice and structured through and through - perfect for food.

Weingut Schwarzböck - Grüner Veltliner

2010-04-13T17:05:00.005-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Boston Wine Writer's Meet-up at the Boston Wine School in Allston, MA.

To my pleasant surprise, a fellow writer had brought along an Austrian Grüner I'd never had before from Weingut Schwarzböck located just outside of Vienna.

Of course this was one of the first wines I opted to try! The nose was distinctly Grüner Veltliner, but without the pungent citrus nose that can sometimes over power everything else. There was much more apple and stone fruit to the nose of this wine which I found a pleasant lead-in to the palate. The wine was medium bodied and had a persistent structure that really made me stop and think, "yum."

The wine was definitely a crowd-pleaser - but then again, isn't Grü-V always a crowd pleaser? ;)

Austria Uncorked May 3rd

2010-04-06T08:42:00.003-04:00

Recently, I posted about the Austria Uncorked taking place in NYC on May 5th, but did you know there's also a San Francisco tasting on May 3rd from 6pm-9pm?

Advanced tickets are only $45 and by using the code BLOGAUSTRIA you can get an additional $5 off.

This is the biggest Austrian wines tasting ever in the US and attendees will have the opportunity to sample a variety of producers from across the country's wine regions.

So don't delay! Buy you tickets today at bottlenotes.com today!

My Meeting with Leif Sundstrom of Michael Skurnik Wines

2010-03-31T14:55:00.004-04:00

Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Leif Sundstrom of Michael Skurnik wines who is the National Portfolio Manager for Terry Theise Selections.

Things have been crazy since October when I started with BAT so there hasn't been a lot of time to sit down with the importers and really get an in-depth education on each portfolio. Terry Theise wines were some of the first Austrian wines to be imported into the United States and hosts some of the most prominent and well known producers.

At the Winebow tasting in February, I attended a seminar that displayed the stylistic variation between Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the Wachau to the Kremstal, but haven't had the opportunity to taste all the regions against each other.

Leif explained to me that the green apple, green pea and white pepper flavors are very common in Grüner, but they certainly aren't the beginning and the end of what Grüner can be and is despite what a lot of Americans believe.

Austria is a break-out wine region so naturally the focus is on the most popular, versatile exported grape of the country. Unfortunately, we expect our grape's flavor profiles to be basically universal between regions. For anyone that knows anything about wine, it's obvious this can't be further from the truth for many grape varieties.

Anyway, Leif printed out sheets about each region and had me taste a wine from each of the main areas.

We started with a wine from Carnumtum, which is a region primarily known for red wines. We tasted the Weingut Glatzer Grüner Veltliner ($12-$13) which was a delightful value for its price point. The wine had a bit of fruity complexity to it, slightly creamy and with enough white pepper that you knew it was Grüner.

The next was from the Kremstal. We tried a very popular wine for the region: the Nigl Grüner Veltliner Freiheit. This particular wine comes from the lower lying slopes of the region that is full of loess soils and volcanic rock. Like others from the region, this wine is less spicy and much softer with rounded stone fruit character. I have a preference toward Grüner from the Kremstal because of its approachability. Although all Grüners are great food wines, I think the softer style does necessarily require it.

We then moved to the Kamptal where we tasted the Weingut Brundlmayer Grüner Veltliner "Kamptaler Terrassen." This wine was much spicier with less fruit and a bit of a smoke character. It was full of acid and minerality and was really an excellent academic example of what Grüner Veltliner has become known to be. Leif said this wine is grown at higher levels and on older vines and is fermented on its skins- all of which contribute to the structure of the wine.

The final wine was the Wachau from Nikolaihof-Wachau vineyard. This wine, the 2008 Grüner Veltliner "Hefeabzug," is the one I chose to take home with me to enjoy later despite my normal bias. Nikolaihof-Wachau was the first biodynamic vineyard in all of Austria and takes a very minimalistic approach to winemaking. The vines in the vineyard are very healthy and are given all the nutrients they need despite the common belief that a vine should suffer to produce better grapes. The winemakers also allow the wine to sit on it's lees without stirring in large neutral barrels that reflects the concept of the "wine grows together." At first sip it was evident this wine was unlike any other Grüner I've had before.

Leif and I met at Blaue Gans in NYC, part of the KG NY group, which is a great little Austrian restaurant located in Tribeca Duane Street. The menu is relatively small, but accurately reflects the cuisine options of the country. Leif snacked on a corned beef sandwich that looked and smelt delectable - I was disappointed I wasn't hungry!

This was a great learning experience and I'd forgotten how much I truly enjoy sitting and being taught about wine by someone I really trust as a valuable source of information. I can't wait to get these wines out to others!

Sun, Seafood and Prager Grüner Veltliner

2010-03-22T10:05:00.005-04:00

In the recent months, I've become a big fan or Sunday seafood dinners - mixing it up from my general routine and pairing them with some good company.

In celebration of the fabulous New England weather this past weekend (up to the 70s!) a couple of good friends, Dan and Casey, and I decided that yesterday was a perfect night for one of these dinners.

The three of us went to the local store and purchased a bag of steamer clams, two ahi tuna steaks, some jumbo shrimp and a bunch of asparagus for steaming. Because I always have wine handy, we opted for the Prager Ried Hinter der Burg Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2007 to both add to our cooking water for the steamers and enjoy alongside. In the pot we also added some lemon wedges and cracked pepper - nothing too fancy, just simple, good food.

We opted to grill the tuna and the shrimp, searing only the outside of the tuna lightly, leaving the center raw. The shrimp was marinated in a combination of Grüner, lemon and black pepper, just like the steamers. The asparagus was steamed plain.

The three of us gathered around the table and feasted. The Grüner really went well with our choices and definitely added some flavor to the shrimp and steamers that would not otherwise been there - we didn't even use butter to dip it in! Asparagus and Grüner has easily become my favorite food and wine pairing so this was a great choice!

The wine: I've really come to appreciate the stylistic differences of Grüner Veltliner, which was truly first introduced to me at the Boston tasting a few weeks back. The Wachau style is much more tart and peppery, which is what our meal needed. This wine stayed true to form and although my companions are not regular wine drinkers, they opted for the wine over the beers they had been sipping on prior.

Pale lemon in coloring, citrus nose and palate with white pepper spice and a hint of lemon-lime flavor.

Truly was the best meal I've had in a long time.

And the Winner Is.... The Grü V Olympics!

2010-03-16T10:59:00.007-04:00

The winner of the Grü V Olympics has been announced!

The Contestants:

Pffafl Austrian Pepper 2008: Self described as an aromatic wine, lively and fruit-forward on the palate with a hint of black pepper and a spicy finish

Lois Grüner Veltliner 2008: Considers herself to have lovely aromas of fresh apples, and surprises the drinker on the palate with great spice components as well as exotic fruit and a refreshing
acidity.

Wieninger Vienna Hills 2008: Believes herself to be fresh and lively fruit driven nose with plenty of apricot and green apple aromas; the palate displays an appealing acidity with refreshing citrus fruit flavors - quite easy drinking!

Stadt Krems Kremstal 2007: Says she is fresh and fruity with an aroma of white currant, citrus fruits and a typical Veltiner profile. Her aromas are stay true on the palate time and again.

The Judges:

Joe Herrig, CSW of Suburban Wino: "A wine nerd who resides in Woodstock, GA, a lovely little corner of the world just outside Atlanta."

Ed Thralls, CSW of Wine Tonite: "Livin’ la vino loco in Atlanta, GA sharing [his] wine experiences from a personal perspective."

Jason Petuck of Corked Wineblog: A wordly wine traveler residing in Southern, CT who has enjoyed many trips to Italy, Austria and Switzerland. "A trip is never complete without trying new wines."

Sonadora of Wannabe Wino: Living in DC, she chronicles her wine tasting adventures a she drinks her way through our ever growing collection of wine.

Kori Vorhees, CSW of Wine Peeps: Where she collaborates to share with her readers the most important things she have learned about selecting, tasting, and enjoying wine.

Robert Dwyer of the Wellesley Wine Press: Awine enthusiast living in the western suburbs of Boston who writes his blog to help people enjoy wine more while spending less money.

Jill & Andy Freeman of Wined & Dined: A Manhattan based couple who are passionate about all things food and wine (scored separately.)

Josh Wade of Drink Nectar: Who believes, "Life is meant to be shared together. There is no better way than to share a cup of perfectly brewed coffee and carefully crafted wine."

Joe Roberts, CSW of 1 Wine Dude: A wine consultant in the greater Philadelphia area who writes his blog to help others get to know wine better inside and out.

Randy Watson of The Wine Whore: Who resides in Tampa, FL who has a thirsty palate for great wine and chronicles his adventures for his readers daily (scores not included.)

The Results:

It was a tough call - reviewing the judge's scores, there was some definite variation in opinion which is to be expected. Gruner Veltliner is an incredibly versatile grape that can show it's "true colors" in several different expressions. While some believed a given wine deserved an 8, others believed the same wine deserved a 17.5. This is one of the beauty's of wine!

Some judges, such as Wade, Herrig and Thralls paired the wines with food, others did not. Just another example of how personal rating styles can differ.

Anyway here's how it all panned out:

HONORABLE MENTION: Lois Grüner Veltliner

BRONZE: Pffafl Austrian Pepper

SILVER: Stadt Krems

And the winner is...
GOLD: Wieninger Vienna Hills

We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate that Wieninger Vienna Hills Grü V and thank our esteemed panel of judges for their help in deliberating this difficult matter!

SO what are YOU waiting for? go out and grab yourself a glass of Grü V and let us know your favorites!

Every one's Irish on St. Patrick's Day - Austrian Wines & Irish Cuisine

2010-03-15T15:08:00.004-04:00

Sommelliers agree, Grüner Veltliner is a wonderfully versatile grape that pairs perfectly with a variety of hard-to-match foods - even corned beef and cabbage!

Okay, okay I know you probably have already stocked up on Guiness, Irish whiskey and Baileys and have your green attire all picked out by now, but just hear me out.

For the past few months you've seen me rave about the array of food pairing possibilities Grüner has to offer - why should this holiday be any different?

I'm not Irish, but my mother brought us up celebrating every other culture's holiday through the dinners she cooked (Chinese New Year = Chinese food, St. Patrick's Day = Irish food) so, naturally, I grew up eating corned beef and cabbage at least once a year.

Corned beef is traditionally a very stringy, fatty meat with a lot of salty flavoring and a delectable (if I do say so myself) greasy flavoring and interesting texture. The potatoes and cabbage on the side often take on a similar character as they're generally prepared in the same pot- this combination needs something acidic and spicy enough to cut through these intense flavors.

White's not your thing? Why not try Blaufrankisch? It's spicy notes and earth tones can also compliment a meal like this quite delectably!

Vegetarian or just not in to the whole stringy meat thing? Try out the soda bread (another favorite thing for my mother to buy us at this time.) This simple bread is a mixture of flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt - the kind we had also was dotted with raisins. For this pairing, try something a little weightier such as Riesling or even the floral Traminer. For red, I recommend the robust, velvety texture of St. Laurent.

So try it out and let us know your thoughts! Personally, I'll be testing out the corned beef and cabbage pairings ... saving the Irish Coffee for dessert!

Save the Date: May 5th Austria Uncorked

2010-03-11T10:22:00.003-05:00

EVENT DETAILS:

NYC’s best restaurants are teaming up to benefit GrowNYC’s “Learn It, Grow It, Eat It” with an upcoming event, Austria Uncorked - A Date with the Wines of Austria and the Foods of the World.

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board is sponsoring Austria Uncorked, featuring top Austrian wines paired with cuisine from some of NYC’s most famous restaurants including Kurt Gutenbrunner's Wallsé; Gordon Ramsey's Maze; Wolfgang Ban and Eduard Frauneder's Seasonal Restaurant; George Mendes's Aldea Restaurant; Daniel Angerer's KLEE; Laurent Tourondel's BLT Prime; Jason Neroni's 10 Downing Food & Wine; Cesare Casella's Salumeria Rosi, and Bill Telepan's Telepan NY.

Proceeds from the event will benefit GrowNYC’s “Learn It, Grow It, Eat It” program, a local education program which empowers teens to take control of their health through hands-on gardening, nutrition education, outreach, and managing a community farm-stand.

Austria Uncorked will take place on the Tribeca Rooftop, a spectacular 15,000 square foot penthouse featuring panoramic views of the Hudson, Empire State Building, SOHO and Tribeca.

EVENT: Austria Uncorked

WHO: Hosted by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board

WHEN: Wednesday, May 5th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Tribeca Roof Top, 2 Desbrosses Street, New York, NY 10013

WHY: Try Austrian Wine paired with NYC cuisine. Proceeds to benefit GrowNYC’s “Learn It, Grow It, Eat It” program

COST: $55 in advance; $70 at the door.

MORE INFORMATION: www.austriauncorked.com

PURCHASE TICKETS: http://www.bottlenotes.com/event/austria-uncorked

Circo Vino: Jumping in to the Austrian Wine Scene

2010-03-10T14:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, both IPO Wine and Clo Wine Bar in Manhattan hosted one of Austrian wines newest importers, Circo Wino, and their cast of winemakers. Currently, the Circo Vino portfolio containts six Austrian wine makers and one Hungarian. The importers are, Emmerich Knoll, Fred Loimer's Schell Mann line (though his estate wines are hosted by Winebow), Peter Malberg, Michael Reinisch, Claus Prelsinger and Franz Reinhard Weninger.

Circo Vino is run by two women who are veterans of the Austrian wine industry having originally worked for Vin Divino imports. It is evident they both have a passion for the industry and the winemakers they represent. Monday marked their first portfolio tasting in Chicago.

Each wine in the portfolio was hand selected to represent some of the best Austria has to offer. National distribution varies by distributor, but if you can find 'em, they're definitely worth a taste!

Hirsh Veltliner #1

2010-03-04T09:09:00.005-05:00

After Gary V's less-than-raving review of this wine last week on Wine Library TV, we decided to give the Hirsch Veltliner #1 GruV a try.

We went into this tasting knowing the wine retails about about $18/bottle which elevates it from the inexpensive liter category and at 11.5%abv we were certain it would not be offensive. However, our description was, "very much an every day Grüner, while packed with flavo and eminent complexities it is still very much a wine intended to be drunk young and on that's easy drinking." We were also told the wine is made from a combination of biodynamic estate grown and sourced fruit.

So from there we took a swirl, a sniff and a sip and we came to just that conclusion: it's an every day Gruner. Bright nose of white pepper, apple and green peas, balanced acidity and a decent finish on the palate with the same characteristic Grüner qualities. To us, it was a good value wine, definitely what we paid (or would have paid for) and good company to light food or just good conversation.

Austrian Wine Tasting in Boston

2010-03-02T14:04:00.006-05:00

Wednesday of last week was spent at another Austrian wines tasting, this time in Boston for Winebow featuring all of the Austrian wines in their portfolio with special guests, Paul Achs (Gols), Rudi Pichler (Wachau), both of their namesake wineries, and Fritz Miesbauer of the Stadt Krems winery (Kremtal.)

The tasting began with a seminar for interested wine buyers to help explain the indigenous grapes of Austria, Grüner Veltliner & Blaufränkisch and also the stylistic difference of Riesling.

Each producer brought out what they called a "classic" example of the varietals and introduced each respective region by its soil type, climate and wine making style. Pichler and Miesbauer presented the Riesling and Grüner Veltliner grapes while Achs represented the Blaufränkisch.

It was interesting to taste the stylistic differences against one another - usually we only taste one or two bottles, usually from the Wachau, at a time in the office. I have a personal preference toward the Kremstal wines as they were more fruit forward with a heavier aroma and slightly less tart on the palate.

After the seminar, we gathered in the main room where the entire Austrian portfolio was avaliable for tasting. As usual, I like to note the sparkling wines (not pictured) from Szigeti. While I have had the sparkling Gruner several times, I had never had the opportunity to taste the Rose, made from Zwigelt, or the Cuvee Prestige, a blend of other uncommon white grapes which I, regrettably, did not mark down.

I also must note Weingut Heinrich, which focused on red varietals. While I adore white wine, my first, true love is always with the red. St Laurent is my favorite red grape of Austria and it was showing beautifully. Deep fruits, a hint of spice and a good balance of tannin.

Paul Achs Pinot Noir was also a treat and, to be fair, presented some of the first Blaufränkisch grapes I would purchase on my own.

I had the fortunate opportunity to spend time talking with each winemaker which is what really drives the message of a wine home for me. I can not wait to reconnect with each at Vie Vienum in May in Vienna!

David Bowler Austrian Wine Tasting

2010-03-01T10:18:00.003-05:00

Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend a tasting of wines from Vienna hosted by David Bowler and Darcy and Huber Selections.

The wine tasting featured a sampling of wines from producers Weingut Martinshof, Weingut Edlmoser, Weingut Zahel, Weinbau H.P. Goebel, Weingut Christ, Weingut Cobenzel, Weingut Hajszan, Weingut Mayer am Pfarrplatz, Weingut Rotes Haus and Jutta Ambrositsch.

The youngest winemaker of the Zahel winery, Alexander Scoff, nephew of the wineries head winemaker, Richard Zahel, and marketing manager Wolfgang Krininger were there to talk with attendees about the Zahel wines which was a real treat.

As I become more familiar with Austrian wines, it is interesting to see the stylistics variation between regions. Vienna's specialty is a field blend called Gemischter Satz which can contain several white grapes under no specific regulation.

The Zahel winery had a particularly interesting sparkling Gemischter Satz which was a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay - the only sparkling Gemischter Satz in production. Another wine of note from the Zahel table was the Nussberg Gemischter Satz Grand Reserve 2007 which is made up of 9 varietals and changes from year to year. There was a slight hint of botrytis in the nose along with intense integrated white fruits, definitely a great wine to pair with food.

Another table that stoof out was the Weingut Rotes Haus. Though they did not have a winery representative present, they did have my favorite white grape: Traminer (Gewurztraminer in other parts of the world) and they had it in two forms! One in a dry style and one in a dessert wine style. Both were quite elegant the Traminer 2008 was dry filled with elderflower aroma with light peach undertones. The Traminer Edellage 2005 is the dessert wine and was filled with the same nose but with a slight honeyed characteristic, but followed with enough acidity to balance out the sweet flavor.

Overall a great showing.

(pictures to come)

The Biggest Bottle of Wine in the World

2010-02-22T14:06:00.004-05:00

Well it looks like the Chinese vintners of Wang Chen Wines did it - they beat the world record as the biggest bottle of wine ever created... and they beat it three times over, the bottle holding a whopping 1,850 liters of wine.

Prior to this bottling, the largest bottle of wine in the world belonged to Austrian winemakers Kracher, whose bottle held 490 litres of Grande Cuvee TBA NV No.7 2005.

While I can not attest to the quality of Wang Chen Wines, I can tell you that Kracher's dessert wines are some of the best I've ever tasted.

According to sources, the Wang Chen Wines team each sampled a glass from the gigantic bottle attesting to the quality of the wine. They plan to rebottle it for collector distribution in the future.

When that day comes, we will be sure to do a taste test!

Laurenz V - Gold Medal Gruners!

2010-02-17T08:44:00.003-05:00

A while back, I posted on two Gruner Veltliners of exceptional quality produced by LAURENZ V. - the only Austrian wines producer to focus solely on the expression of Gruner Veltliner.

Winemaker Lenz Moser V is incredibly enthusiastic about the awareness of this indigenous grape and actively promotes it every chance he gets. One of his most recent ventures was to Whistler in Vancouver, Canada where the Olympics are currently being held. Austria has had a great presence in the Winter Olympics in the past, winning the fourth most gold medals overall.

The Canadians have coined Lenz the "Gruner ambassador" as he has taken their world by storm with the both the Singing Gruner Veltliner, dedicated to daughter Sophie, and the more elegant and complex Charming Gruner Veltliner, the flagship for the LAURENZ V line.

The LAURENZ V collection is titled as such because Lenz is the fifth generation winemaker, following the principles his grandfather, Lorenz Moser III instilled in the 1950s.

Ultimately, Lenz aims to boost the popular of Gruner Veltliner so greatly that it is as familiar as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are to us today.

The wines are currently avaliable in over 40 countries and are designed to be for sheer drinking pleasure. So grab a glass today and watch the Austrians in the Olympics!

EWBC Announced!

2010-02-11T09:17:00.003-05:00

The verdict is in: the 2010 European Wine Bloggers Conference will be held in Vienna, Austria October 22-24. The conference will be sponsored by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board and Wineblogger.info and hosted by Catavino Marketing, Ryan and Gabriella Opaz of Catavino.net and Robert McIntosh of The Wine Conversation.

The conference is designed for social media innovators, wine bloggers and wine industry leaders worldwide and will cover a vast array of topics. Last years attendance increased greatly from the first year in 2008 and this year is supposed to be even more well attended.

As Austria is incredibly focused on wine as a culture, attendants will have the opportunity to visit several key wineries within easy reach of Vienna and also enjoy the best of Austrian cuisine and

"The European Wine Bloggers Conference has announced its 2010 venue in Vienna, Austria, on October 22-24. The EWBC is the only international event dedicated to the convergence of wine on the web, providing a platform for the global wine community to openly address today's new wine media."

Visit the registration page today to reserve your spot! Definitely worth going to!

"Solace"

2010-02-02T15:46:00.002-05:00

On February 3rd, tomorrow night from 6-8pm, the Austrian Wine Cultural Forum kicks off their newest art exhibit, "Solace" which is dedicated to demonstrating the intoxicating effects of both beauty and alcohol.

Coincidentally, the exhibit kick off will be accompanied by a tasting of Austrian wines.

"The exhibition shows art in a very mundane sense as a source of solace, committed both to the mildly intoxicating character of beauty and the inebriating quality of alcohol, aligning itself with the baser genres of still-life and decoration. 

The show consists of two perspectives. One that addresses the topic of solace in a contemplative movement revolving around objects, video and painting on view at the Austrian Cultural Forum. The other focuses on the aspect of inebriation and intoxication, and assembles art works in different venues. In the course of the exhibition, these other venues will become the focal points of various, to some extent participative, projects."

If you've never been to the Austrian Wine Cultural Forum, believe me when I say they have some of the most interesting artwork I have ever seen; very classy with a keen twist of contemporary.

Even if tomorrow doesn't work you, definitely make it a point to stop by this wonderful exhibit running until May 15.

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Wienviertel DAC Haidviertel

2010-01-25T16:20:00.003-05:00

Today my coworker and I embarked on a delicious Grüner Veltliner from Austria to lift our spirits and distract us from the miserable, rainy afternoon outside. We decided upon the Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Wienviertel DAC Haidviertel.

Our style preferences differ from one another, he prefers a much lighter, fruity style and the tanginess of Grüner is what really gets me. On that note, this Grüner was made for me.

A heavier weight than some Grüner's in the mouth, there are intricate flavors of minerals, light floral and green apple as well as unripe pear and even a hint of orange. The characteristic white pepper is present giving the wine an extra, spicy bite at the finish.

Considering I was already having Halibut, steamed asparagus and brown rice for dinner, I figure it was only fair I'm the one who gets to take this wine home as a Monday evening treat. I trust my roommate will be pleased as well.

Blaufränkisch like you've never seen it!

2010-01-20T10:38:00.002-05:00

Friday afternoon, Austrian insiders, wine bloggers, media and friends gathered at the Austrian Wine Cultural Forum in NYC for an intimate tasting of the effects of terroir on Blaufränkisch, an Austrian red grape known for dark berries, herbal spices and medium tannins.

The event was very informal but featured wines of: Dorli Muhr, Sylvia Prieler, Paul Achs, Uwe Schiefer, Josef Umathum, Roland Velich from Moric & David Scildknecht. Several of the winemakers were in attendance so it was an incredible learning experience.

The majority of the grapes had been grown in two soil types: clay soil, which we found to be tannic and sturdy and limestone that was lighter, fruitier and more refreshing. It was hard to choose which style we liked better!

The event was hosted by James Wright and Stephan Sciendler of Winemonger but the intent Friday afternoon was not to sell wine. Instead wines from several different importers were gathered for the greater good of increasing the knowledge of indigenous, Austrian grapes that are just now reaching the attention level they deserve.

As a reference point, Blaufränkisch follows an old world style of wine making, very much drawing off of the terroir of their respected regions and taking on earthy notes of the soil. While good in their youth, some age will help meld the complex flavors of the wine together that create a softer mouth feel but with the same structure.

Blaufränkisch is a force to be reckoned with. Do not be surprised to see it at a local retailer near you soon!

Grüner Veltliner: From Austria to Oregon

2010-01-18T14:05:00.004-05:00

Thursday afternoon was a typical afternoon in the office except for the arrival of a much anticipated bottle of Grüner Veltliner. What made this Grüner Veltliner particularly interesting was the fact that it was not from the expected country of Austria, but instead was from somewhere much more domestic: Willamette Valley, Oregon.

The wine: Daedalus Cellars Grüner Veltliner 2008 versus the Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner 2007 from the Wachau, Austria.

It must be said that both wines were incredibly tasty, but as this was a taste-test comparison, one must be deemed better than the other. We began with the Austrian Grüner Veltliner to use as a reference point for those less familiar with the varietal in the office.

The Rudi Pichler, Grüner Veltliner was a very elegant wine, with intense fruit aromas and incredibly balance. The wine has impressive length and proper integration of fruit, spiced white pepper and green apple notes. For more reference, there was a heated discussion with regard to who would be allowed to bring the wine home for further consumption that evening. This wine ranges between $20-$40/ bottle according to online retail sites, but we declared that this was a fair price point for a wine of such quality.

Next, we tasted the Daedalus Cellars GrüVee. I had neither reservations nor expectations for the wine as I have never had a Gruner Veltliner from any place other than Austria. At first nose, we found the wine to be fairly aromatic, but compared with the Pichler, we determined the nose was light for a Grüner Veltliner. On the palate, we discovered the same. While the characteristic citrus and green apple were present, the spicy white pepper also common to Grüner Veltliner did not seem to jump out at us as it has in other Grüner Veltliner wines. We found the Daedalus Cellars Grüner to be pleasant and light, perfect for drinking on its own. This wine retails for $21/bottle (I purchased it off of the winery website.)

All in all, we unanimously decided we liked the Pichler more than the Daedalus Cellars. Perhaps our palates are skewed from drinking so many Austrian Grüner Veltliners or perhaps we are biased because we know what Grüner Veltliner is supposed to taste like (think the French with Cabernet Sauvignon...) On the other hand, that's the beauty of Grüner: it is entirely versatile.

I'm happy to see Grüner Veltliner is becoming avaliable from other parts of the world - after all, that's a sign it's making it in the wine world, right?... every varietal has the potential to be the next Chardonnay.

LOIS Grüner Veltliner

2010-01-14T14:52:00.002-05:00

The LOIS Grüner Veltliner is a perfect example of the native Austrian grape: Grüner Veltliner.
A spicy, white pepper nose with intense green apple fruit and citrus backbone. Incredible length and balance with fresh acidity that can be enjoyed on its own or with food.

We tasted this wine in the office, but it is evident it would have gone well with the spicy Asian cuisine and asparagus sushi rolls we had for lunch earlier in the day.

Absolutely perfect for drinking on a sunny day, no matter what the temperature!

Wine Review: Pffaffl St. Laurent Altenberg

2010-01-13T15:17:00.004-05:00

St. Laurent may be my favorite Austrian red varietal. It's in the same family as Pinot Noir and as a result, has many of the same characteristics that dazzle my palate time after time.

The Pfaffl Altenberg St. Laurent was a perfect example of this. Light vanilla flavors with deep blackberries & black cherries. On the palate, a hint of smoke layered with the black fruits, soft tannins and an excellent finish that leaves you aching for another sip.

The Pfaffl Altenberg St. Laurent is great for simply sipping by the fire, as I did on Saturday night (while watching the Cowboys beat the Eagles...) or can be paired with roasted duck and hard cheeses.

Definitely an A+ wine!

My Attempt at Being Austrian

2009-12-30T10:09:00.006-05:00

As I mentioned in my post on an Austrian Christmas, I attempted to make Gluehwine and Austrian Christmas cookies. The Austrian cookies came out decent, the Gluehwine, not so much.

Given the Gluehwine recipe was so simple I thought it'd be easy.

1 Bottle of quality red win
1 Cup of water
1 Lemon
1 Orange cubed and placed in the pot
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Cloves

Bring all to a boil and serve.

I'm not sure what I did wrong, but something just wasn't right. Neither myself nor my boss found this to be drinkable, let alone enjoyable... it tasted as if it needed some sugar, perhaps, to counteract the lemon juice.

Then on to the cookies, Vanilla Crescents:

1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (115 grams) vanilla sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (170 grams) ground almonds
2 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Add the ground almonds and flour. Beat until soft and smooth.

Roll dough into a large ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400F (200 C) and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove dough from fridge. Cut dough into 1 cm wide pieces, roll and form crescents.

Bake cookies for about 10 -12 minutes or until light brown on the bottom. Immediately remove to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.

While cookies are still warm, sprinkle vanilla sugar on top. Cool cookies completely on a rack.

The one issue I ran in to was the fact the sugar was labeled "vanilla sugar." What in the world is vanilla sugar? I've heard of table sugar and granulated sugar and confectionery sugar and BROWN sugar... but no vanilla sugar. So I guessed. I picked up a bag or confectionery sugar and hoped for the best.

I must admit that I don't think that's what the recipe was talking about because the cookies resembled that of donuts as they were sizzling in the oven (or perhaps that was the two sticks of butter.) In the end, they did come out pretty well, no complaints from the several people that tried them.

Overall I think this proved one thing: I am not a master chef. However, while I did not get the opportunity to participate in a real Austrian Christmas, it was nice to try the traditional wine and food of the country with which I've become so involved recently.

An Austrian Christmas

2009-12-23T10:44:00.004-05:00

Working so closely with the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, I'm extremely interested in their culture and traditions. Given the season, I contacted a friend of mine at the Austrian Trade Commission and asked about her traditions.

In Austria, Christmas Eve is the biggest day of the holiday. The tree is decorated on this day, not weeks ahead like it tends to be here and the majority of people attend a religious mass in the afternoon.

Once the families return home, the children eagerly await Chirstkind (baby Jesus,) not Santa Claus, who brings the presents to the children. [There has recently been a lot of debate around the Austrian acceptance of Santa Claus as this concept is believed to have been created by Coca-Cola in the 1950's, but that's a story for another day.]

Once the children have been alerted Christkind has come and gone, everyone gathers around a tree adorned with lit red candles and sparkling ornaments. The family usually will then sing a few carols, read from the bible, pray and THEN open their presents. Quite different from the children of the US who wake their parents up at 4am to open their presents (or at least that's how we did it in my house.)

After all of the presents have been opened, the adults and children gather around the table, share some Austrian Sekt and then they feast! Their meals consists of Foie Gras, a light Italian salad of chopped potatoes, carrots, peas and pickles with mayo, ham & garlic bread dipped in horseradish, Gebackener Karpfen (Fried Carp), turkey, goose and/or fresh fish from the river.

For dessert, weinhachtsbackerei which are Austrian Christmas cookies and they drink Gleuhwine which is Austria's version of spiced wine. Both of which I made last night to share with the office today. The cookies came out okay, the Gleuhwine, not so much.

Overall, a traditional Austrian Christmas sounds absolutely delightful. Reading the story, I could not help but smile. Special thanks to miss Stephanie Artner for sharing this with me :)

Win a 7 day, 6 night trip to Austria's Wine & Food Country!

2009-12-22T09:39:00.002-05:00

The Austrian Travel Office is hosting a contest from now until January 15th for a 7 day, 6 night trip to Austria focusing on Wine & Food; Art, Architecture & Design; Nature, Outdoors & the Alps; or Classical Music & History - you can choose your adventure!

To enter, just log on to Facebook and become a fan of the Austria. Official Travel Info page. From there, click the contest link on the Facebook page, fill out a short questionnaire and you're on your way!

The trip includes round trip airfare for two from JFK to Austria and hotel accommodations for 7 days, 6 nights.

For additional entries, fans simply have to Tweet about Austria using the hashtag: #itsgottobeaustria.

The winner will be selected via a random drawing in the middle of February. The winner will be notified by February 17th through Facebook messaging.

For more information on Austrian travel, visit their official website.

Nine Cheers for Austrian Dessert Wines!

2009-12-15T14:09:00.004-05:00

Recently, Austria was awarded 9 of the ten top spots in the International Sweet Wine Competition, Concorso Internazional di vin Passiti organized by the Academia Della Muffa Nobile a.k.a. the Italian "Botrytis Academy" all of whose board members are part of the Italian Sommelier Society.

Although the Austrian wine were part of the 585 pool of contestants from every wine-making region of the world, their superior quality shown through.

Five different wine makers were honored in this competition: Erwin Tinhof, Franz Heiss (Winemonger), Weingut Elfenhof (Schlossadler), Hans & Christine Nittnaus (Wine Bauer) and Martin Pasler (Winemonger).

It's no wonder the Austrians did so well in the competition - after all, they've been making wine for thousands of years. Although the US market is still just beginning to become familiar with Austrian wines, there is no doubt that these dessert wines are of high quality.

Truth be told, I love a good, sticky dessert wine from just about anywhere, but the Austrians seem to have a knack for it unlike anyone else. These wines aren't overly sweet. Instead, they are perfectly balanced and delightful.

Tasting Away with Emerald Wines

2009-12-04T16:30:00.005-05:00

Friday afternoons are Austrian Wine tasting days around these parts and the past two weeks have been quite a treat!
(sorry for the delayed posting, it's been quite busy around here lately!)

First, the Szigeti Gruner Veltliner. Although we had the chance to taste this at the Spit & Twit event on Nov. 8th at City Winery, we felt it deserved a second tasting where we were able to devote our full attention to the wine. Pale lemon in color with fine bubbles the yeasty bouquet of the wine also had subtle hints of apple. On the palate, the light fizz enhanced the interesting touch of golden honey and sweet golden apple not necessarily expected from a Gruner Veltliner. This wine is made in the traditional method but totes a much more modest price. At $17-$24 retail, this is quite a value!

Later in the evening, I paired the Szigeti with baked lemon-cod, a light salad, ovened red potato wedges, some good company and Christmas decorating and it was truly delightful!

That same day, we also tasted the Fred Loimer Riesling Langenlois Terrassen, 2008. Pale lemon color with a bouquet of green apple and stone fruits. Hints of melon and lemon also come through on the nose. On the palate, this wine shows incredible acidity with notes of apricot and green apple enhanced by lemon citrus. Quite delicious! The remaining contents of this wine were enjoyed by my car floor, unfortunately, so I wasn't able to pair it with anything!

Both these wines are imported by Emerald Wines, a division of Winebow.

The Second Glass - Austrian Wine Reviews

2009-11-25T09:25:00.008-05:00

You've probably seen a lot of recommendations to pair Austrian wines with Thanksgiving feasts, but according to The Second Glass of Boston, MA, these wines are also good for everything from impressive gifts to panty removers (yes, you read that right.)

So who made the cut? First, the 2007 Berger Grüner Veltliner ($13), imported by Micahel Skurnik Wines. From Niederösterrich (lower,) Austria, Berger is recommended as a beach and party wine, as well as good company to fish. What makes this wine unique is the enclosure method - instead of a traditional cork, the Berger is sealed with what looks like a beer cap.

Definitely made for drinking young, the description reads, "Since this super sipper comes in a 1-liter bottles, it's even less expensive than it looks. Light, crisp and refreshing this might as be Austria's version of lemonade. It rocks flavors of grapefruit and wet stone with a strong, but no overpowering acidity. Grüner goes down easy on hot summer night, you'll be screaming its fun-to-say name on your walk home. Drink liberally with tomato salads, corn on the cob and seafood dishes."

Also on the list is the 2008 Weingut Huber Hugo Grüner Veltliner, also from lower Austria and imported by Boutique Wine Collection ($12.) This wine is recommended as a panty remover and party wine and is also suggested for Asian food pairings such as sushi. The Hugo Grüner has a screw cap enclosure and is described as, "A simple, but addictive wine, the "Huber Hugo" is soft, luscious and refreshing just like the hot little spring fling or holiday hook-up you'll be drinking this with."

Moving on to the 2008 Punky Genau Sparkling Grüner Veltliner imported by Haus Alpenz ($20.) This sparkling wine is labeled as a beach wine, a new years wine and a gift wine -- by far the classiest categories yet. "What's more fun than Grüner Veltliner? Sparkling Grüner Veltliner!..." "...Soft flavors of apple and pear emanate from this light Austrian sparkler. Don't be scared off by the screw cap."

Next on the list is the 2006 Steininger Zweigelt from Kamtal, Austria, the first Zweigelt on the list, and imported by Prescott Wines ($18.) This wine is approved as a beach wine, a barbeque wine and pizza/tomato sauce wine...sign me up! "In 1922, Frits Zweigelt developed a hybrid red supergrape to withstand the harsh climate of Austria. Über dark in color, this is juicy with firm tannins and just a little spicy."

Despite the fact Zweigelt did begin as a hybrid fairly recently, it is now the most widely grown grape in Austria today.

Last, but certainly not least is the 2005 Steininger Grand Crü Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal, Austria, imported by Prescott Wines ($26.) This wine was classified as good company for oysters, the beach and/or good to impress your guests. "The best Grüners are harvested very late in the season. Straw-colored with flavors of peach and pears, this full-bodied wine has a ton of depth and character. Drink with high-end seafood."

If there's one thing to say about late-harvested and dessert wines from Austria it's their incredible balance. Although their honeyed characteristics are sweet on the front of the palate, the acidity counteracts the sugar making these wines a euphoric experience.

Overall, Austria made a great showing, but was it ever a question that they would?

Wine Spectator top 100 #45 and #93 belong to Austria

2009-11-20T13:47:00.003-05:00

Wine Spectators Top 100 List of 2009 was officially released, in its entirety, today.

Among the top wines were Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal Langenloiser Berg-Vogelsang 2007 at #93 and at #45 Allram Grüner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal Strassertaler 2007.

Both these wines are excellent examples of the quality of wines Austria producers year after year. Although Grüner Veltliner is only now becomming popular in the US, it has taken the market by storm.

Grüner Veltliner is typically characterized as having a racy acidity to it with characteristic aromas and palate stimulation of white pepper and citrus fruit. What really attracts most to Grüner Veltliner is it's uncanny ability to pair with food. Though other grapes may try, Grüner Veltliner is by far one of the most food friendly wines out there, pairing well with seemingly impossible foods such as artichokes and asparagus.

The Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal Langenloiser Berg-Voge lsang 2007 belongs to Weingut Bründlmayer of the Kamptal which, recently, has received an overwhelming about of rewards including Wine & Spirits 'Import Winery of the Year' for 2009. This wine differentiates itself from an average Grüner Veltliner with the inclusion of slight floral and yeast aromas in addition to the typical peppery spice and citrus. This wine is imported by Michael Skurnik Wines and is part of the Terry Theise portfolio.

The Allram Gr üner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal Strassertaler 2007 comes from the Weingut Allram, also of the Kamptal. This wine is full of pepper, citrus, snap pea and grapefruit and is an excellent example of textbook Grüner Veltliner. This wine is distributed widely through K & L Wine Merchants, Viaswine and Ibesc Wine Group.

Gaining two of the 100 spots on the list is proof that this growing wine region has made it's place here in the US... truly, we are the lucky ones.

Gemischter Satz Glasses

2009-11-19T09:47:00.004-05:00

We've all heard of Chardonnay glasses and Merlot glasses, Burgundy glasses and glasses for Rose, but here's a new one: Gemischter Satz glasses. These aren't made by the esteemed Riedel company, instead these are produced by POLKA, self described as a, "young and successful design company from Austria."

Roughly translated, Gemischter Satz means "mixed matter" which describes the many grapes that are blended together to create these wines. These glasses were designed for elegant, every day drinking experiences.

Each glass is made of mouth-blown, Lebmyer crystal and has a genuine story behind it. Retailing for $109, this may be something you want to add to your Christmas list.

Sipping Pretty with Vin Divino

2009-11-17T14:05:00.011-05:00

Friday was a good afternoon. Just as we were finishing up our tasting of Laurenz V. Grüner Veltliner, the FedEx Delivery Person brought me another box of goodies. This one was from Vin Divino, Ltd. and consisted of: Domaine Wachau Federspiel 'Terrasen' Grüner Veltliner 2008, Domaine Wachau Federspiel 'Terrasen' Riesling 2007, Franz Hirtzberger Federspiel 'Spitzer Steinterassen' Riesling 2008, Franz Hirtzberger Federspiel 'Rotes Tor' Grüner Veltliner 2007 and Kracher Burgenland Cuvee BA 2007. (To review the Wachau Classification System, click here)

I gathered up my coworkers and headed to the conference room.

First the Domaine Wachau Federspiel 'Terrasen' Grün er Veltliner 2008 which showed distinct Grüner characteristics of tart green apple, citrus and white pepper. The Franz Hirtzberger Federspiel 'Rotes Tor' Grüner Veltliner 2007 was similar, but also has an accentuated flavor of under ripe pineapples and was much crisper on the nose.

Onto the Rieslings, the Domaine Wachau Federspiel 'Terrasen' Riesling 2007 showed a nose of unripe stone fruits with lemon undertones, followed by citrus and tart peaches on the palate. Contrastingly, the Franz Hirtzberger Federspiel 'Spitzer Steinterassen' Riesling 2008 was much fuller in body and was filled with ripe flavors of peach and nectarine. Though completely different, I found both flavor profiles to be quite enjoyable.

Then we got to the afternoon's real prize (it was so good that after a couple sips, we decided to close the office early.) The Kracher Burgenland Cuvee BA 2007 was full of honeyed, ripe stone fruits, but with a balanced acidity that led to a delightful, lingering finish. Austrian sweet and dessert wines are some of the best I've come across. Quite often, sweet wines can be overpowering in their sugar content and sickeningly sweet after only a very small portion. However, I have found that these Austrian gems are sweet up front but then lead into an intensely pleasurable experience.

Before October 1st, I had very little experience with Austrian wines other than the signature Grüner Veltliner, and even then, hadn't had the opportunity to experience its full range of potential. However, in the past month and a half I've tasted so many delightful wines that I'm sorry I didn't discover this country sooner. In short, this has been a fantastic month and half and I can't wait to see what else comes along.

My Love Affair with Grüner Veltliner continues with Laurenz V Singing and Charming

2009-11-16T15:25:00.011-05:00

GrünerVeltliner is synonymous with the Austrian Wine market. Just as Argentina has adopted Malbec and for Rioja: Tempranillo, Austria is famous for this incredibly versatile, crisp grape that is currently at the top of my list.

As a sushi and asparagus lover, I am incredibly pleased to see Grüner Veltliner as the wine of choice for these foods. What's even better? Despite the cooler weather GrünerVeltliner isn't out of style. The crisp acidity and light body of the wine enhances the natural flavors in Thanksgiving turkey and vegetable sides.

I had the opportunity to taste two Grüner Veltliner from the Laurenz V winery produced by Lenz Moser III on Friday afternoon: Singing 2008 and Charming 2006 (Folio Fine Wine Partners)on Friday afternoon, which turn out to be a perfect start to the weekend and a perfect pick-me-up for such a rainy and unpleasant day. Laurenz V winery focuses solely on white wines and is backed by six generations of wine makers.

Despite being the same grape, these wines showed significant variation in flavor profile and each have a story all their own.

Singing is a collaboration between Laurenz V. and his daughter, now 6th generation wine maker, Sophie. The wine was packaged to appeal to a younger generation - and that is does. The fun white and orange label alludes to a young, vibrant wine that fills the bottle. The wine is light in body and is full of young citrus fruits, pineapple and spicy white pepper.

On the other hand, the older and more sophisticated Charming, from the Kamptal region expresses defined wine personality and is packaged to appeal to women. The wines aroma is definitively light and airy, but the palate shows a rich, pleasurable quality that has incredible length. Defined, ripe pineapple and green apple fruits add to this wines "charm" as Laurenz V.'s signature wine.

Appropriately named, Singing and Charming, Laurenz V. believes wine is made for enjoyment and stands behind their motto, "Hunting for White Wine Lovers."

Luckily I have two bottles of each, so I can't wait to indulge again!

Spit and Twit at City Winery - Highlighting Austrian Wines

2009-11-10T15:47:00.007-05:00

Sunday's Spit & Twit held at the City Winery, hosted by Wine Twits, was a great success- great wines, great people, great atmosphere- what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

In case you haven't heard Spit & Twit was based upon a unique platform. A special portion of the Twitterverse was set aside for attendees to tweet their thoughts on the given wines tasted that day. Monitors were set up throughout the venue to show the posts and comments participants were tweeting in real time.

Overall the crowd was full of budding wine enthusiasts, most attendees had little to no wine experience at all. A few industry insiders filtrated the crowd, but the majority of the audience was simply there to learn something about wine and have a great time - it's amazing how social media can bring every thing together!

Austrian Wines were well represented by Darcy and Huber Selections and Emerald Wines offering a variety of wines from a variety of regions in Austria: Mittelburgland, Vienna, Neusiedlersee and Kamptal.

Darcy & Huber featured their infamous Viennese Gemischter Satz from Weingut Christ and Rotes Haus as well as Christ 'Der Vollmondwein' Weissbrungunder (Pinot Blanc), Rotes Haus 'Nussberg' Traminer, Weinbau Jutta Ambrositsch 'Reisenberg' Gruner Veltliner and two other wines not listed in the program from Weinbau Jutta Ambrositch 'Rosengartel' Riesling and 'Oberer' Riesling. It's safe to say these wines were a crowd favorite, the table was constantly swarming with people.

On the other side of the venue, Emerald Wines also found themselves inundated with tasters and questions. Emerald Wines poured a Gemischter Satz, theirs from Weingut Wieninger. In it's company was the Szigeti NV Brut (perfect for holiday entertainment!), Fred Loimer 'LOIS' Gruner Veltliner, and finally two reds; the Heinrich Zweigelt and the Neckenmarkt Frank Blaufrankisch.

Austrian wines are especially popular this month in New York City, as it is Austrian Wine Month until Nov. 22. Besides that, it's no wonder that both the Austrian wine tables were a tremendous hit. These quality wines are the perfect company for holiday entertainment and meals, not to mention the wines themselves are simply spectacular!

Austrian Wine Fact of the Day: The Wachau Classification System

2009-11-06T14:30:00.007-05:00

The Wachau classification system is as follows:

1. Steinfeder (maximum of 11.5% abv)
2. Federspiel (11.5% abv-12.5% abv)
3. Smaragd (Min 12.5% abv, max 9g/litre of residual sugars)

All wines produced in the Wachau fall under one of these categories in addition to the National Austrian Classification System.

Austrian Wine Fact of the Day: Kremstal

2009-11-05T11:53:00.007-05:00

Today's Austrian wine fact is Kremstal, particularly noted for Gruner Veltliner and Riesling and full bodied reds. The Kremstal's terroir is "soft loess" (half stone, half soil) of clay and limestone as the region spans a significant portion of the Danube.

The region is located in between Kamptal and the Wachau. Noted producers are: Salomon-Undhof (Michael Skurnik Wines), Weingut Malat (Winemonger), Weingut Martin Nigl (Michael Skurnik Wines), the Weingut Stadt Krems (Emerald Wines of Winebow) and the biggest producer, Weinkellier Lenz Moser (Folio Fine Wine Partners)

You can find many or all of these great wines at local shops near you!

Austrian Wine Fact of the Day - Blaufränkisch

2009-11-02T15:16:00.009-05:00

In honor of Austrian Wine Month in NYC (Oct. 25th-Nov. 22nd,) I'm starting a series called "Austrian Wine Fact of the Day." This series will include one varietal, region or wine making style per post in reference to Austrian wine.

Let's start out with something simple: The Varietal Blaufränkisch.

Blaufränkisch is characterized as having notes of blackberry, cherry and cinnamon spice with great acidity and medium tannins.

Blaufränkisch is deep in fruit in youth, but develops more complex aromas and texture with aging; often vinified in small oak barrels.

This grape takes on distinct characteristics from the terroir. For example, in Mittelburgenland DAC, located in the Burgenland region next to Hungary, Blaufränkisch tastes of wild berries. In Eisenberg, located in Südburgenland of the Burgenland region, Blaufränkisch taste of mineral-based, spicy flavoring. Both Mittelburgenland and Südburgenland are known as the “Blaufränkischland,” but this grape can also be found in lower parts of Austria.

Blaufränkisch is the perfect grape for the fall weather. The spicy, fruity characteristics of the grape are great company for roast turkey – just in time for Thanksgiving!

Austrian Wines Magnum Party

2009-10-28T11:53:00.003-04:00

As promised, here's the recap on the Austrian Wines Magnum party.

Friday night the Austrian Trade Commission and Austrian Wine Marketing Board hosted an Austrian Wines Magnum party held at the Hearth Restaurant in the East Village in New York City at 11pm. Friends of Austrian Wine and the top Sommeliers in Manhattan gathered to taste and impressive array of wines that consisted of 41+ magnums and super magnums of a variety of Austrian wines supplied by key importers: Winemonger, Frederick Wildman, Select Wines, Vin Divino, Michael Skurnik, Domaine Selec t, Folio Fine Wine, Winebow, Darcy & Huber Selections, Circo Vino, Blue Danube Wine and Weygandt-Metzler Wine Importing.

The room was quite crowded when we arrived. The wines were lined up on tables in ice buckets that encompassed the room; each was tagged with its respective number, origin, grape variety, name/style, vineyard and vintage. The oldest wine we could find was from 1990, a Riesling from the Wachau, Vinothek imported by Michael Skurnik wines. Quite developed, the wine was rich with honey, but with a great balance of acidity.

Next we found our way to number 28: a Gemischter Satz from the Wien region, Bisamberg Alte Reben, , 2002, imported by Darcy & Huber Selections. Darcy & Huber import a great deal of impressive Germischter Satz and this was no exception.

The reds were brought out later and placed on a single table. Blaufrankisch was the dominant variety, but we managed to try a Neusiedlersee Reserve Sankt Laurent, 2006 imported by Blue Danube that was to our liking as well.

Only two desert wines were served and they were placed toward the back of the room, theoretically to be sipped on last. However, these went faster than any other wine. A 2005 Edellage Traminer from the Wien region, imported by Darcy and Huber and 2004 Grade Cuvee TBA Chardonnay/Welschriesling imported by Vin Divino wowed the group as both portrayed deep honeyed fruit, but accompanied by enough acid to bit through the sweetness and make it feasible to return to tasting dry white wine.

Throughout the night, various Austrian dishes were served. An array of cheeses and smoked sausage, freshly cooked salmon with a variety of toppings, a whole fried pig, carved on the center table and various condiments were enjoyed by all. A few desserts and Austrian cookies were also located on the dessert table.

By 2am, most of the wine was gone and host, Willi Klinger brought up reserves from the Hearth Restaurant Wine Cellar to be enjoyed by the crowd and the party continued on. By 4:30am, we called it a night, but there was still a significant crowd socializing and talking about the impressive collection the Austrians had shown that night.

Austrian Wine Month Kicks Off

2009-10-27T16:11:00.006-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Austrian Wine Month in NYC is from October 25th until November 22nd. However, for Austrians and Sommeliers of New York alike, the month kicked off late last week.

Willi Klinger, head of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, was in town and with that brought a few key tastings and a fabulous Austrian Wines Magnum party.

I had the pleasure of attending a tasting led by Willi Klinger held on Thursday afternoon at the Blaue Gans restaurant in Tribeca, NYC. The tasting began as a casual cocktail hour (at the hour of 11am) with a typical rose SEKT, which we sipped on while hors d'oeuvres were passed amongst the crowd. The tasting was primarily for the press and as a result, attracted some great writers that it was an honor to talk with.

Once we sat down Willi Klinger led us through an informative PowerPoint presentation that explained the different regions of Austria, the grapes, specifically what the Austrian Wine Marketing Board is involved in and many other key factors about the Austrian Wine Industry.

The tasting consisted of 21 wines, chosen not because of their producer or importer, but because of their characteristically accurate nature per their region. I found all to be a great pleasure, using Willi Klinger's comments to guide me through the new sensations my palate was finding.

First the whites. I learned that Gemischter Satz is a blend of several grapes, most prominent in Vienna, I tasted through a range of Gruner Veltliners, Pinot Blanc, Rotgipfler, Sauvignon Blanc and, of course, Riesling. The Rieslings really took my breath away, specifically an example from the Kremstal, DAC region and one from the Wachau.

Then the reds. We tasted through six; two Blaufrankisch, one Pinot Noir, One Saint Lauren and two Red Cuvee blends. I found each to be an interesting expression of Austrian wines and am hard pressed to pick a favorite.

At this point we took a break for the luncheon portion. Traditional Austrian food was served that accompanied by the red wine left in our glasses. Once the dessert arrived, the dessert wines were also served. All three, a Traminer and two White Cuvee, were delicious and really stood up to the berries berry sorbet I had opted for. Not too sweet, perfectly balanced and a perfect end to a great event.

The next event was held the next evening at Hearlth Restaurant in the East Village: Austrian Wine Magnum Party... but they'll be more on that later.

Turkish Wines

2009-10-16T09:23:00.006-04:00

Turkish wines...? Did anyone really know such a thing existed? Yes, the country of Turkey is in close proximity to Greece, but Turkey just isn't a country you'd expect wine to come from. Neither the Professional Wine Atlas by Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson nor the WSET Advanced course study book have any information about the varietals, the terroir, the history... NOTHING.

I had the opportunity to attend the US Drinks Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 14th (more about that later) where I met several international wine, spirits and beer producers looking to enter the US market. As you may of guessed, one of the wine producers there was from Turkey, representing Vinkara wines and guess what, they brought samples! One white wine, a 2008 Vinkara Doruk Narince and one red, a 2008 Vinkara Doruk Kalecik Karasi (try saying those ten times fast!)

Unfortunately the white was less than chilled by the time it made it into my tasting glass yesterday afternoon, but the nose was still full of tropical fruits, ripe bananas and citrus. The color was a clean, very pale lemon. On the palate I tasted a great deal if minerality with tropical fruits and citrus, the acid was incredibly high leaving my mouth salivating for many minutes after I'd swallowed the delicious elixir.

Though lighter in body, the flavour profile of the Narince grape seems to mirror that of a young, unoaked chardonnay.

Update: 12:10pm - I have now tasted the white (chilled) and the red. Both outstanding, pleasantly surprised by what I found. The warm climate of Turkey has made both of these wines incredibly light in body but has not sacrificed the flavor. I can imagine sipping these while eating hummus on a hot dessert day. The red is full of cherries in the front of the mouth with incredible acid, light tannin. Very pale garnet coloring despite it's young age, similar to that of a Pinot Noir.
The Narince is 100% better when chilled. Tropical, sweet fruits meet the nose and on the palate continue with a distinct taste of Guava enhancing the image of laying in the sipping on this delicate wine.

**photos courtesy of Vinkara.com

Austrian Food & Wine Pairings

2009-10-08T11:58:00.010-04:00

Austrian wines have been getting quite a lot of attention lately in the way of food pairings. A large push has been set forward by the AWMB for Asian inspired cuisine. Publications like the Chicago Tribune have highlighted this fact stating, "The crisp stylings of Austrian wines do make them useful for the growing roster of fiery Asian foods we enjoy."

But Asian fusion is not the only pairing suggestion.

The New Jersey Monthly posted an article on Oct. 7th highlighting the fact they paired Fried Green Tomatoes with Gruner Veltliner. Who would have thought?

The Herald Tribune out of Sarasota, FL suggested pairing Gruner Veltliner with Shrimp Mousse with Dill Pistachio Pesto for your holiday parties.

The Washington Post suggested pairing Anton Bauer 2008 with a dinner of Pork and Plums over spaetzle.

Food and Wine posted an article about pairing Gruner Veltliner with Zucchini Linguine with Herbs. Sounds delicious!

Purple Liquid: a wine and food diary blog recommended pairing Gruner Veltliner with Redwood Hill Goat Cheese.

Last month Dr. Vino requested suggestions for a wine to pair with cucumber soup. Austrian wines were in high suggestion.

Gruner Veltliner has also been widely suggested for pairings with salads and other vegetables that can be overpowered by some other white grapes. (That's great news for me! I love salad!)

Now that I am have decided a delicious pairing of sushi and Gruner will be on tonight's dinner menu, I leave you to go experiment with your own foods!

For even more pairing suggestions check out the AWMB website.

Greetings

2009-10-07T13:24:00.003-04:00

Hello all. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Constance Chamberlain and I have just joined The Brand Action Team here in Avon, CT. You may have seen my own blog: http://wineconnoisseur.blogspot.com or noticed me on Twitter as VinoCC in the past. I have a deep passion for wine and am excited to begin my work as the new Social Media Marketing Manager for the Austrian Wine Marketing Board.

I'm still familiarizing myself with the grapes, but I've had Gruner in my past on more than one occasion, and let me tell you -- I LOVE it.

We've also got some new projects in the works so stay tuned to find out all the exciting things that are coming up :).

Gerhard Kracher Named “Sweet Winemaker of the Year”

2009-09-11T11:06:00.010-04:00

Hello!

To start with here is a piece of good news....

A true triumph for Gerhard Kracher at this year´s International Wine Challenge in London: the 28-year-old winemaker from Illmitz, Austria, captured the wine world´s most coveted sweet wine trophy when he was named “Sweet Winemaker of the Year”.

The award. presented to Kracher at the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner at London´s Grosvenor Hotel on Wednesday, 2 September, reflects the young winemaker´s continuation on the successful path begun by his father, the late sweet wine legend, Alois Kracher, who himself was awarded the “Sweet Winemaker of the Year” title seven times, with the last given posthumously in 2008.

“This truly is a wonderful achievement, and not just for me, but for the entire team,” said the jubilant Gerhard Kracher. “It is great that all of our hard work has been recognized with such an honour.”

The International Wine Challenge in London is one of the most important annual events of the international wine and gourmet world. Its high point is the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner, at which all of the competition winners are announced. Competition at the IWC is tough: every year, nearly 1000 wineries submit more than 9500 wines for judging – making it even more significant that Gerhard Kracher received not only the most important of the IWC awards, but that all of the Kracher wines entered into the competition were awarded with a medal.

Goodbye and Hello

2009-08-27T09:52:00.003-04:00

Dear Reader,

My tenure here at Petite Terroir and Brand Action Team is coming to an end as of Friday, Aug. 28th. I am moving on to pursue a long-time education goal. It's been a real pleasure working at Brand Action Team and my co-workers here, learning so much about wine, traveling to noted wine regions, meeting interesting people, and interacting with the wine blogosphere.

Petite Terroir will continue under the reins of my very capable Brand Action Team colleague.

Thank you very much for stopping by and I wish you all well.

Cheers!

Laurie

2009 Wine Bloggers' Conference

2009-07-09T19:13:00.009-04:00

I’m in San Francisco, California on an Airport Shuttle Express en route to Santa Rosa, CA, a.k.a. Napa and Sonoma Counties, to attend the 2009 Wine Bloggers’ Conference, scheduled for July 24-26, 2009.

I’m here as a representative for the company I work for, Brand Action Team, and as a newbie wine blogger for my blog Petite Terroir. This is the second annual WBC and over 250 people are participating, which represents a commendable 50% increase over last year's conference.

The 2009 WBC conference is partnering with Napa Valley Vintners, who are providing attendees with a full day in Napa Valley on Saturday. There are also three keynote speakers this year and two after-hours parties each night sponsored by the Russian River Valley Winegrowers and ViniPortugal.

The local hosts of the conference are Sonoma Vintners, Sonoma Winegrape Commission, Sonoma Tourism and Napa Valley Vintners. Thanks to all the hosts, sponsors, and organizers for making this conference feasible.

Unfortunately due to a long delay at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT on Friday morning I arrived an hour late at Washington-Dulles Airport and missed my connecting flight to San Francisco International Airport. My Connecticut flight was scheduled to leave at 6 am, but because of a problem with the airplane’s computers, it did not depart until 7:15 am. Needless to say I and many others missed connecting flights to our respective destinations. The scene at the United Airways customer service desk was not pretty.

United Airways put me on a 9:30 am flight to Los Angeles, which landed at 11:15 am and from there I took a 1:10 pm flight to San Francisco. We got in around 2:30 pm. Once in San Francisco I boarded an Airport Express Shuttle for a two-hour drive to Santa Rosa, which is where I’m writing from now.

In Santa Rosa I have to take a cab from a local Day’s Inn to the Flamingo Hotel and Resort, which is where I am staying and where the conference is being held, because this shuttle bus does not go to the Flamingo. I should check into the hotel by 6: 00 pm or so. Whew!

Since I’m arriving late to the conference I’m missing many of the day’s events, which included a lunch with Sonoma Vintners & Sonoma Winegrape Commission, a Welcome and Bloggers Conference Overview, Live Wine Blogging, the 2009 American Wine Blog Awards, and a grand tasting of Sonoma Wines.

I will however arrive fashionably late for a dinner with Sonoma County Tourism and Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers, which features a keynote address on Blogging: Past, Present, & Future by Chris Alden of Six Apart. I may also be able to catch the end of the grand tasting. Following dinner there is an after-hours party from 9 - 11 pm hosted by Russian River Valley Winegrowers.

So while I am disappointed to miss many of Friday’s events I am grateful to at least make the first night’s dinner and after-hours party, and arrive here safely and well.

I’m looking forward to meeting in person wine bloggers whose blogs I read regularly, like Joe Roberts of 1 Wine Dude and Jeff Lefevre of The Good Grape. This conference should be an educational and fun event, which I’ll be spending with some of the blog world's most noted wine bloggers.

Hey, we just drove over the Golden Gate Bridge! Awesome.

See you at the 2009 Wine Bloggers' Conference. More details to come so please check back.

Cheers!

Day 4: Austrian Wine Summit 2009

2009-07-09T09:14:00.063-04:00

Our fabulous fourth day in Austria began with a sparkling wine reception at and a short visit to the Loisium Wine Museum, located at the start of the Kamptal Valley in the village of Langenlois, which is Lower Austria's largest wine growing community. The museum is amazing and provides visitors with highly unique ways to explore the world of wine. We enjoyed an eye-popping tour of the cellar, which displayed the past histories, present days, and future plans of Lower Austrian viniculture. It was a surprising departure from a traditional museum experience and more on the wavelength of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

The sparkling wine we drank during the reception was a Sauvignon Blanc from the family-run Weingut Steininger, also of Langenlois. The strength of this winery is Grüner Veltliner, but they are also well know for their tasty sparkling wines, which are produced according to the traditional bottle fermenting method.

The visually-dazzling Loisium Wine Museum

Another view of the superbly-designed Loisium Wine Museum

After our museum visit we took a trip to the winery Domäne Wachau located in Dürnstein in the heart of the Wachau Valley. It is the biggest winery in the Wachau, an area where wine has been cultivated for centures. The Wachau has also been named a World Cultural Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Once at the winery we enjoyed a seminar and wine tasting entitled "Great Single Vineyards of the Wachau," presented by the winery's Managing Director, Roman Horvath. I especially enjoyed the sweet-tasting 2007 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd by Weingut F.X. Pichler, which per Roman sold-out immediately, and the green-apple-esque 2008 Riesling by Weingut Tegernseerhof.

In the Wachau, the wine categories of Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd are used respectively for light, medium and full-bodied wines with natural alcohol.

I'm getting ready to taste a white wine

That's a bouquet of Steinfeder in bloom, with Roman Horvath in the background

After the seminar we split into two groups and I went with the group headed for a short walk through the single vineyard Singerriedel, which provided us with quite likely the best views of the entire trip. This vineyard is located on the steep side of a mountain. I imagine working in that environment is challenging, but the rewards are obviously great in terms of views and of course, the end-product of a good wine.

Vineyard views

Smiling at Austria's natural beauty as the Danube flows by quietly

After the vineyard walk we took a charming and picturesque boat ride along the Danube, from Spitz to Dürnstein. Along the way we tasted Federspiel wines from Weingut Sigl, Weingut Lagler, Weingut Knoll, and Weingut Jäger.

My favorite wine on the ride was the 2008 Riesling Loibenberg Federspiel by Weingut Knoll. It is light and delicious, with a cotton, velvet feel; a very fine, straight white wine.

One of the pretty views from the Danube

The wines tasted during the trip

After the boat ride many of us thought the trip couldn't get any better, but we were pleasantly proven wrong. We stopped for lunch at the Restaurant Jamek, of the Weingut Jamek, which is located in Joching. Lunch featured more delightful wines from the Wachau, with my number one pick being Weingut Jamek's own 2008 Gelber Muskateller Federspiel. Peaches, roses, images of elegant ladies decorated in lace. I love this wine and I love this grape! My table even tried to get our server to leave the bottle with us!

Wines tasted at Restaurant Jamek

Enjoying our lunch at Restaurant Jamek

Immediately after lunch, we took a group picture. I traveled with a great group of people.

After lunch we boarded the buses for our trip back to where it all began, Vienna. After checking into the Hotel Falkensteiner Palace we had about an hour to rest, then prepare and primp for the "Party in the Park - Baroque Meets Jazz" at the Schönbrunn Palace's Gloriette, which is a monument on the grounds of the palace. We arrived around 7 pm and left when the clock struck midnight.

The party featured food by Chef Karl Malafa, wines from the Danube regions & Burgenland, classic strings by "Wiener Melange Quartet" and live Jazz with Jazzklusiv. My personal highlights of the evening including dancing a Viennese Waltz in Vienna, the overall beauty and magnificance of the grounds, and singing Beatles songs with Willi Klinger of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, who surprised and delighted us all by entertaining us on piano.

The Gloriette

The palace as seen from the Gloriette

Willi Klinger, Piano Man

Day 5 of the Austrian Wine Summit 2009 was for me simply a long day of travel back to my hometown in Connecticut. It took no less than one subway, one train, one plane, another train, another subway, a bus, and a car to get home. Not that I'm complaining. This trip was well worth any exhaustion incurred.

I know some in the group we able to stay later on Sunday and enjoy a "Brunch in the Sky" at the Restaurant Ellipse in Kahlenberg. The picture below leads me to believe they had a lovely time there as well.

I would like to sincerely thank the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, which includes their entire staff, the participating wineries and facilities, and all those involved in Wine Summit 2009 for a truly spectacular, fun, and educational trip. You were all the best hosts any guest could ask for. You spoiled us rotten. Thank you, again.

Cheers!

Day 3: Austrian Wine Summit 2009

2009-06-23T14:16:00.047-04:00

Day 3: Friday, June 12, 2009

Our day began at 8:30 am with a trip to Schloss Hof, an Austrian Baroque castle built in the early 18th century for Prince Eugene of Savoy. It was later owned by Empress Maria Theresa. The castle grounds were gorgeous, leaving many of us unable to stop taking photographs. But there would be time later for photographs. Now we had a lecture and tasting to attend, "The Many Faces of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)," presented by Susanne Staggl of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board.

Arriving at the Schloss Hof:

The wines tasted were from the Wienviertal region in lower Austria, which is Austria's largest wine-growing area. The region's leading grape variety is Grüner Veltliner, which is most recognized for its peppery taste, or "Pfefferl." These peppery notes, along with a fruity bouquet and fresh acidity, characterized the 2003 definition of "Weinviertel DAC." DAC stands for "Districtus Austriae Controllatus," Austria's first controlled appellation of origin, which set the example for all of the country's wine-growing areas.

The beautiful room in which we tasted Weinviertal DAC wines:

Of the wines tasted I enjoyed best the 2005 Eiswein Grüner Veltliner by Weingut Kolkmann, which had a light honey-sweet, golden flavor and the 2006 Spitzerberg Blaufrankisch by Weingut Trapl, which reminded me of freshly baked bread and dark cherries.

Listening carefully to Susanne Staggl discuss the wines of lower Austria:

Following the lecture and tasting we toured the Schloss Hof and marveled at its royal splendor. This after all was once home to an Empress.

Inside the Schloss Hof:

When the tour ended we engaged in an open wine tasting entitled, "Weinviertal DAC and the Diversity of Wines from the Weinviertel." At the tasting, I thought the 2006 Pinot Noir by Weingut Zull was particularly lovely with its classic aroma of currants.

Waiting my turn for a sip of an Austrian white wine:

This building was a beautiful space for a wine tasting:

After the tasting, we attended a casual, fun cooking course on making Wiener Schnitzel. Did you know that Wiener Schnitzel, the authentic kind, is deep-fried in LARD? I guess that's why it's so delicious. The cooking class was taught by Ulli Hager and Susanne Staggl, both of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. They kept the class laughing, entertained, and taught each of us how to make a good plate of Wiener Schnitzel. We all sat for lunch and enjoyed our results with a few glasses of good, Austrian wine.

Learning to cook Wiener Schnitzel:

Planning out my veal-pounding technique:

After lunch there was some time to relax so myself and other tour members visited a nearby garden and an area filled with roosters, hens, llamas, and goats. I got to eat fresh rasberries and strawberries off the vine and laughed my head off when one of my tour mates picked up and carried a baby goat. All this adventure on the grounds of a beyond-gorgeous palatial estate. Just beautiful.

A beautiful garden:

Look out, baby goat!

Once our time was up we hopped on the bus, where most of us napped, and drove to Krems, where we checked in at the Hotel Arte, with some tour members staying at the Hotel Steigenberger. Before leaving for our next destination, I took a short walk and stopped for coffee with a small group from the tour through the amazing, charming, and picturesque village in Krems. We passed buildings of lavender and pink. Doors of ancient beauty. Danube river views. Families at ease, drinking refreshing white wines. Now that's a great walk!

Scenes from the village:

After our stroll we boarded the buses again to visit Stift Gottweig, which is an ancient Abbey given to the Benedictine Order in 1094. The facades of the buildings are impressive, but the views are breathtaking and leave you wondering if you're actually dreaming.

On the grounds of the Abbey:

That incredible view:

With a great group of people from the wine summit:

Inside the Abbey:

At the Abbey, we enjoyed another wine tasting entitled, "The Diversity of Danube Terroirs," featuring Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the appellations Kremstal DAC, Kamptal DAC, and Traisental DAC. Willi Klinger also attended this tasting and many of us approached him with compliments about the wine summit thus far. At the tasting I had the pleasure of meeting Nikolaus Moser of Sepp Moser. Nikolaus is the grandson of the renowned viticulture pioneer Dr. Lenz Moser, who in the 1950s developed the high training system of the vine - or the “Lenz Moser system.” Dr. Moser's system made work in the vineyards easier in Austria and around the world. My favorite wine of the tasting, however, belonged to Weingut Hirsch. Their 2oo7 Heiligenstein Riesling was a favorite among many of the attendees.

With Steve Raye, of Brand Action Team, and Willi Klinger, of the AWMB:

With Nikolaus Moser of Sepp Moser:

Our day ended with a truly fabulous gourmet dinner with matured wines from Niederösterreich, presented by Willi Klinger, at the elegant and two-Michelin star rated Landhaus Bacher in Mautern, Wachau. All I can say about this dinner, the restaurant, and the ambiance is BRAVO. We were genuinely all blown-away by the service, the style, the food, the wine and the company. It was an especially enjoyable night.

At the sophisticated Landhaus Bacher:

Our bellies full, our sides sore from laughing, our feet satisfyingly sore, we headed "home" to our respective hotels for a well-deserved good night's sleep. Even though I got to bed late that night I wouldn't have traded the richness of that day for an extra hour or two of sleep. Once again, well done Austrian Wine Marketing Board! Stay tuned for Day 4 of the Austran Wine Summit 2009 during which we visited the Loisium, took a boat ride along the Danube, partied at the Schönbrunn Palace and much, much (yes, it's true) more.

My unique room at Hotel Arte:

Cheers!

Day 2: Austrian Wine Summit 2009

2009-06-23T11:32:00.038-04:00

Day 2: Thursday, June 11, 2009

On day two of the Austrian Wine Summit 2009 we awoke in Vienna, ate a quick, but hearty breakfast at the hotel, and boarded our buses @ 8:15 am for an event-filled trip to Burgenland. We arrived about an hour later at Wine Academy Austria in beautiful Rust for an introduction to "Wine Wonderland Austria" presented by Willi Klinger, director of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board.

Our group arriving at Wine Academy Austria:

Willi Klinger presents, "Wine Wonderland Austria:"

Learning all about Burgenland and its wines:

At my table about to begin tasting wines:

Following this introduction were lectures and tastings entitled, "The Diversity of the Wines from Steiermark (Styria)" and "An Overview of the Wines from Burgenland," which were both conducted by Christian Zechmeister, Managing Director of Wein Burgenland.

I enjoyed the 2008 Steibauch Grauburgunder Steibauch by the Lackner-Tinnachler winery in Gamlitz. It was creamy with a touch of vanilla and caramel, but still maintained a crisp acidity on the palate. What I took away from these lectures and tastings is that many Austrians like their wines young and with high acidity.

After visiting the Wine Academy, we traveled by bus to Eisenstadt for lunch at the Esterházy Palace featuring regional specialities from Burgenland. Lunch was delicious and I especially enjoyed the 2006 Beerenauslese by Esterházy Weingut that was served with dessert. Only wines from Esterházy Weingut were served during lunch. I actually bought a bottle of the 2007 Estoras in the airport on the way home. Following lunch was a tour of the amazing Esterházy Palace where Joseph Haydn worked as the conductor for the Esterházy court. After the tour there was an open wine tasting with a variety of Sauvignon Blanc wines from Steiermark (Styria) and Blaufrankish wines from Mittelburgenland.

Our group at lunch:

The gorgeous building where we had lunch:

The Palace!

Next up was a trip to Donnerskirchen for a tasting of wines from the special terroirs of the Leithaberg area at the Hans & Anita Nittnaus winery. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain we were unable to tour the vineyard, but the building itself was quite striking with massive picture windows overlooking lush green forest.

Tasting the many different wines:

Still tasting:

After this tasting we took a lovely boat ride across Lake Neusiedel featuring Austrian sparkling wines by Szigeti, coffee, and cakes. Peter Szigeti was on hand to open one of his wine bottles with a sabre! Lake Neusiedel is beautiful and even shallow enough that most people could walk across it. Lining the lake are small, charming fishing houses. We also caught someone taking a leisurely swim in the rain.

I'm having fun on the boat:

Peter Szigeti brings out the sabre!

I'm always near the food!

Charming fishing houses along the lake:

We arrived the the Nationalparkzentrum Neusiedlersee in Illmitz for a comparative tasting of noble sweet wines grown at either side of the lake. It was here that I finally tasted a Kracher dessert wine and it was well worth the wait. I tasted the 2006 Grand Cuvee Trockenbeerenauslese, which was sweet, raisin perfection.

About to taste some amazing dessert wines!

Following this tasting we headed to the Restaurant Nyikospark in Neusiedl am See for an amazing "Pannonian Dinner" with wines from Burgenland. Sitting with my new friends, eating sumptuous Austrian fare, and sipping wine was a lovely way to end a day full of fun, education, and beauty.

This restaurant was great! I had a nice group to sit with as well:

Leaving the restaurant. Full!

We arrived at Hotel Pasler-Back, part winery-part seminar hotel, in Jois late at night and the majority of us headed straight to our rooms for a good night's sleep.

The wine shop inside Hotel Pasler-Back:

When my head hit the pillow it immediately began to fill with images of the Schloss Hof, where Empress Maria Theresa once lived, which was to be our first stop on Day 3 of Austrian Wine Summit 2009. Until then, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more.