There is hardly another country in Europe that has changed its attitude towards winemaking so much and has so steeply increased the quality of its wines in the last thirty years as Austria.

Today, it occupies its rightful place in the wine Hall of Fame, and its wines are known for their consistent and uncompromising quality. Nevertheless, for many consumers around the world, it remains unknown. The most common prejudices about Austrian wines are that Austria is too cold a country to grow grapes, and that if it does grow them, its wines are sweet. Reality could not be more different, and curious wine enthusiasts around the world sooner or later have the pleasure of tasting the intense, mineral, and dry white, fruity and elegant red, or phenomenal dessert wines of the country. This is usually the beginning of a lifelong love affair.

Austrian vineyards are located almost entirely in the flat and hilly eastern regions of the country – in the areas of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich), Burgenland, and Styria (Steiermark). The climate is moderately continental, with four distinct seasons and various influences: continental, softening from the Atlantic, cold northern, and Mediterranean. The soils are extremely diverse: loess and gneiss, schist, volcanic, sandy, clayey, etc. Serious climatic regulators are the Danube and Lake Neusiedl on the border with Hungary, as well as the forest areas in northeastern Austria.

In terms of area, wine Austria is almost as large as Bulgaria – 46,500 hectares, with significantly more wineries – 4,000. Small family wineries are typical for winemaking in Austria, and this is crucial for the high quality of the wines. 67% of the wine is white, and although red wines are becoming increasingly better and sought after, Austria remains the Mecca of white wine. The flagship of local wine is called Grüner Veltliner and occupies over 1/3 of the total vineyard area in the country. It is said that this variety has a hundred faces, and indeed it produces wines in every possible style and quality level: from fresh and light to extractive and full-bodied, to dessert and sparkling wines. The aromatic palette is extremely wide: white stone fruit, citrus, spiciness (white pepper), nuts, minerality, flowers, spices, and many more.

Another variety that must be mentioned when it comes to Austria is Riesling. Although it occupies a small portion of the plantings (only 4.3%), Austrian Riesling, especially from the Danube valley, is considered the pearl in the Austrian wine crown: rare and of exceptional quality. The wines are always dry (unless they are dessert wines) and are distinguished by impressive aromas of peach, apricot, exotic fruits, and flint, as well as remarkable structure and length.

Sauvignon Blanc from Austria is another wine achievement of the country that will be talked about. The Styria region, on the border with Slovenia, is known for the top quality of its wines, as well as their significant aging potential. Blackcurrant, gooseberry, passion fruit, asparagus, and freshly cut grass are the distinctive aromas of wines from Styria.

Thanks to its diverse terroirs, Austria also hosts members of the most famous Burgundian family: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. Coming mainly from the flat and warm vineyards of the Burgenland region, on the border with Hungary, wines from these varieties can compete with world-renowned examples of wine art.

The Zierfandler and Rotgipfler varieties are a specialty of the Thermenregion, close to Vienna, and are considered one of the best-kept secrets of Austrian winemaking. They occupy a tiny part of the vineyards of a single region, and the wines made from them carry a beauty and depth that deserve to be known and loved.

And if that seems little to you, here are more white varieties with which you can continue your Austrian wine journey: Bouvier, Frühroter Veltliner, Furmint, Müller-Thurgau, Muskateller, Neuburger, Roter Veltliner, Scheurebe, Sylvaner, Traminer, and Welschriesling.