Falstaff presents the best wine taverns in Austria in 2025 – here are the winners by state!
Throughout the year, the Falstaff online community votes for the best Heurigen and Buschenschanken in Austria, those beloved local wine taverns that server their own vintages. These guest ratings are used to compile an overall rating for each establishment, which is published once a year in this guide.
Four individual categories are judged:
The highest possible total score is 100 points.
Pulker's Heuriger, Rührsdorf – 98 Falstaff points
"Oops! ... He did it again", you could say, paraphrasing Britney Spears. Novices are most likely to get an idea of the new state winner in Austria's largest producer by imagining a circus. Like an impresario, Bernd Pulker provides inspiration in Rührsdorf with a sure hand: anyone who stops their bike to refresh themselves with house wine and a snack can't go wrong. But the tightrope act of presenting a mature top wine from, say, Burgundy is also something that this Heurigen has mastered. And since no report about Pulker is complete without mentioning his crispy roast pork, it should be noted that their “Bratl” is still exceptional – order number one from the number one on the Danube.
Edlmoser, Vienna - 97 Falstaff points
The enterprising Michael Edlmoser is in good company – a total of four of his cousins are wine tavern owners. Whether in Vienna or nearby Lower Austria, is irrelevant: The Edlmoser family are all hosts of distinction running successful businesses. But what “Michi” Edlmoser has done with his Buschenschank in Mauer cannot be explained by genetics alone. He simply knows what guests want. And if, in addition to his excellent wines, this also means beer, then the boss brews it himself. The fact that each wine is accompanied by its own music recommendation underlines the relaxed atmosphere that prevails in this traditional tavern on Maurerberg. You choose from the buffet as you always have, but afterwards, you can “chill out” with a glass of wine.
Gut Oggau, Oggau - 97 Falstaff points
What a lot of online hype there was at the start of the season! Even people who are unfamiliar with spirits asked about the “chartreuse slushie” that Matthias Pitra and Steve Breitzke are serving in Oggau this year. The fact that a Heuriger can rizz up social media is gratifying – and a benefit for wine culture as a whole. And Stephanie and Eduard Tscheppe have pulled off another coup: For the second summer in a row, some of the country's favorite chefs are making guest appearances at Gut Oggau. For regulars, there is something new to taste with their homegrown organic wines. And of course they still serve Grammelschmalz or sour Blunzen. Yes, a Heuriger can be that cool!
Winery Schauer, Kitzeck – 97 Falstaff points
Stefan and Bernhard Schauer have long been considered the overachievers of the Austrian the winegrowing scene. If you prefer your Riesling in a slightly less dry, quasi “German” style, you'll be happy with the single-vineyard wines from Sausal. But knowing the wines is different from experiencing the full hospitality package in Kitzeck created under the watchful eye of senior manager Elisabeth Schauer. The location is magnificent, the ambience solid – after all, this family business dates back to 1757 – and the cuisine is quintessentially Styrian. Here, you can find everything that makes a Heurigen a pleasure: roasts, a tiled stove, Sulzerl, wooden ceilings, a parapet, garden benches and, of course, their own wines. They also offer pleasant “light wines”. A visit to the “Schauer” unites all to a harmonious whole – generations and tastes alike.
Route