Help, I'm a beer man.
April 9, 2008 11:58 PM Subscribe
I need recommendations and suggestions for Austrian wines.
Recommendations for any wine category would do, but if you are a serious oenologist and feel overwhelmed by the choices I am mostly looking for white wines. I'd prefer recommendations for Austrian wines, but Hungarian or other regional wines are also appreciated. Somewhere in the USD $25 per bottle range would be good. What grape varieties, vintages and estates would you recommend? If you could recommend wine shops in Vienna that would also be appreciated.
Recommendations for any wine category would do, but if you are a serious oenologist and feel overwhelmed by the choices I am mostly looking for white wines. I'd prefer recommendations for Austrian wines, but Hungarian or other regional wines are also appreciated. Somewhere in the USD $25 per bottle range would be good. What grape varieties, vintages and estates would you recommend? If you could recommend wine shops in Vienna that would also be appreciated.
Best answer: Try a bottle of Gruner Veltliner. More info here. Failing that look for a Riesling.
Loads more interesting info on Austrian wine here.
posted by brautigan at 3:14 AM on April 10, 2008
Loads more interesting info on Austrian wine here.
posted by brautigan at 3:14 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: My specific recommendations would be Grüner Veltliner 'Obere Steigen' Huber & Grüner Veltliner 'Groovey' Salomon but also look for wines by X Pichler, Emmerich Knoll and Hirtzberger.
Go shopping in the massive Wein & Co on Jasomirgottstrasse 3-5, Vienna.
posted by brautigan at 3:23 AM on April 10, 2008
Go shopping in the massive Wein & Co on Jasomirgottstrasse 3-5, Vienna.
posted by brautigan at 3:23 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: For shops, Wein & Co. will help you out. You should be able to taste the wines at their bar before buying the bottles. They have numerous shops around Vienna, most if not all of which have wine bars attached.
If you want to have a little more fun and can get outside of Vienna, you could visit the Wachau region, the village of Gumpoldskirchen or the Marchfeld region (all in Niederösterriech, not too far outside Wien). Wachau is particularly picturesque - I believe you can take a boat ride down the Danube from Vienna to the Wachau region. Many of the wine-growers in these regions set up small areas where they serve their wines by the glass, and sell them by the bottle.
If you need to stay in Vienna, there are a multitude of Heurigen where you can try the wine before you buy, but many of them are pretty touristy. Perchtoldsdorf has some less-touristy/more traditional Heurigen. It's not too far from Schönbrunn.
Most of the Austrian whites are sold young, and many have a hint of a metallic taste. I guess the large majority of white wine consumed in Austria (almost certainly in Vienna) is served G'spritzt - mixed with mineral or soda water. The whites tend to be pretty simple in character. You won't have to pay $25 per bottle to get a reasonable quality wine. The prices here tend to be much more reasonable than one might think.
posted by syzygy at 3:39 AM on April 10, 2008
If you want to have a little more fun and can get outside of Vienna, you could visit the Wachau region, the village of Gumpoldskirchen or the Marchfeld region (all in Niederösterriech, not too far outside Wien). Wachau is particularly picturesque - I believe you can take a boat ride down the Danube from Vienna to the Wachau region. Many of the wine-growers in these regions set up small areas where they serve their wines by the glass, and sell them by the bottle.
If you need to stay in Vienna, there are a multitude of Heurigen where you can try the wine before you buy, but many of them are pretty touristy. Perchtoldsdorf has some less-touristy/more traditional Heurigen. It's not too far from Schönbrunn.
Most of the Austrian whites are sold young, and many have a hint of a metallic taste. I guess the large majority of white wine consumed in Austria (almost certainly in Vienna) is served G'spritzt - mixed with mineral or soda water. The whites tend to be pretty simple in character. You won't have to pay $25 per bottle to get a reasonable quality wine. The prices here tend to be much more reasonable than one might think.
posted by syzygy at 3:39 AM on April 10, 2008
I really like most of the Yellow Tail wines. http://www.yellowtailwineusa.com/wines/
posted by CFMartin at 5:48 AM on April 10, 2008
posted by CFMartin at 5:48 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: Austria. Not Australia.
I drank a bottle of Zweigelt last summer. It was yummy. Also, the beer I really liked was Ottakringer. They were all good.... Good times, good times.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 6:19 AM on April 10, 2008
I drank a bottle of Zweigelt last summer. It was yummy. Also, the beer I really liked was Ottakringer. They were all good.... Good times, good times.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 6:19 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: Hillinger Pinot Grigio is quite tasty. It comes from the Borgenland, and is pretty big for Pinot Grigio.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 9:03 AM on April 10, 2008
posted by solipsophistocracy at 9:03 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: Check Ewald out--he has some fantastic stuff. The Thomas Leithner Grüner Veltliner is fantastic. The Mosel Valley is not in Austria, but they produce some really wonderful Rieslings there.
posted by everichon at 10:24 AM on April 10, 2008
posted by everichon at 10:24 AM on April 10, 2008
Best answer: For reds, the Umathum Zweigelt is very good. For whites, look for a Grüner Veltliner (I'm not much of a white wine drinker, so I don't have a specific one to recommend).
posted by klausness at 4:41 PM on April 10, 2008
posted by klausness at 4:41 PM on April 10, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Since you're buying in Vienna, it may not be that big of a deal. Why not find a shop that appears to take pride in their wines, and ask their opinion? (Even if there is a language barrier that you only overcome with pointing and grunting...)
posted by suckerpunch at 12:46 AM on April 10, 2008