Lower Austria is Austria's largest quality wine-growing region. It unites a rich potential of wine provenance and styles of domestic wine rarities, but also international grape varieties. The eight specific wine-growing regions located in Lower Austria: Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental, Wagram, Weinviertel, Thermenregion and Carnuntum, can be roughly divided into three climatic areas: the Weinviertel in the north, the Danube region west and the Pannonian Lower Austria in the south and east of Vienna.
The great Weinviertel made positive headlines in 2003 when it decided to market only its flagship wine, the peppery Grüner Veltliner, under the name Weinviertel. Since then, the "Weinviertel DAC" designation on the label has guaranteed peppery, spicy, fresh Veltliner in the glass.
The diverse range of fresh white wines, fruity red wines and even sweet wine specialties from the Weinviertel can be found under the "Lower Austria" designation of provenance. Along the Danube from Melk to Klosterneuburg and its tributaries Krems, Traisen and Kamp, one discovers magnificent wine villages, strung together like a string of pearls.
Here, in addition to Grüner Veltliner, Riesling has also positioned itself as a premium wine. These two grape varieties find their typical expressions in the Kremstal DAC, Kamptal DAC, Traisental DAC and now also in the Wachau DAC. In the eastern part of the neighbouring Krems Valley, the steep primary rock sites of the Wachau merge into loess terraces, which also shape the wine character on the Wagram.
South of Krems, so also in the Traisental, dominates conglomerate soil with numerous limestone islands. In the Kamptal, predominantly primary rock soils give the wines distinctive character. Specialties such as Roter Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, but also elegant red wines, from these parts of Lower Austria complete the picture.
Some of Austria's most outstanding red wines grow in Pannonian Lower Austria south and east of Vienna, with Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch setting the tone in Carnuntum, and Sankt Laurent and Blauer Burgunder in the Thermenregion. You will find specialties such as Zierfandler and Rotgipfler around Gumpoldskirchen, as well as noble sweet rarities and modern red cuvées.
Lower Austria; great diversity from a vast land of great wines.
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