Austria appears relatively well-positioned amid the global sales crisis. The domestic market also remains stable. Recent harvests have been on the smaller side, with Grüner Veltliner in particularly short supply. Vincent Meßmer reports.
Austria’s sweet wines are perennial favourites at prestigious wine competitions, consistently earning top ratings and winning coveted titles. But where, exactly, do they come from, and what makes them so special?
From velvety and juicy to fascinatingly complex: Thanks to a predominantly cool climate and many autochthonous grape varieties, red wines from Burgenland and Lower Austria are increasingly moving into the international spotlight.
Austria’s wine country holds its own on the international market by focusing on the strengths of its decentralised structure and by prioritising environmentally conscious viticulture.
Austria’s indigenous grape varieties, from renowned stars like Grüner Veltliner and Blaufränkisch to hidden gems like Roter Veltliner or Zierfandler, offer wine lovers unique, world-class flavors.
Over the past three years, the revenue from sparkling wine in Austria has increased by 15.6%, according to the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (ÖWM). The number of producers is also on the rise.
Recently-created resistant PIWI – ‘pioneering wine’ – grape varieties that take their name from the German term pilzwiderstandsfähig (fungus-resistant), are increasingly seen by viticulturists as a viable solution to emerging environmental and climatic challenges.
Austria’s sweet wines are perennial favourites at prestigious wine competitions, consistently earning top ratings and winning coveted titles. But where, exactly, do they come from, and what makes them so special?
