The history of Austrian viticulture dates back to 3000 BC, as evidenced by the discovery of grape seeds in Krems. For a long time, viticulture in the country was rather quiet, until the wine scandal of 1985 brought a positive break from today's point of view, because in the following period, a large-scale quality revolution began in the country, also supported by upcoming generational changes in the wineries, when younger, excellently trained winemakers joined their parents' businesses.
Today, Austria has approximately 45,000 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located in the eastern part of the country, from north to south. However, almost 20 hectares are also distributed in the west among vineyards in Vorarlberg and Tyrol.
Approximately 65% of the vineyard area is planted with white wine varieties, lying mostly in the northeast of the country with such famous regions as Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal and Weinviertel. Red wine accounts for 35%, produced in Burgenland in the south around Lake Neusiedl. In the deep south, in Styria, in turn, white wine is predominantly grown; first and foremost Sauvignon Blanc, which experts and enthusiasts count among the best of its kind in the world. With the hearty, acidic rosé-colored Schilcher, Western Styria also has a very special wine speciality to offer.
Lower Austria can boast a grape variety in the form of Grüner Veltliner, which can produce white wines that are among the great and incomparable white wines of the world. But also the Rieslings here offer their own and very original style. With the local white wine varieties Rotgipfler, Zierfandler and Neuburger, the still young region Thermenregion, southwest of Vienna, also has excellent and original wines to offer.
The counterpart to the great white wines are the red wine varieties Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch, some of which produce red wines that need not fear international comparison. This also applies to the Pinot Noirs produced here. A special feature is the capital Vienna, because this is the only city in the world that is home to a wine-growing region within the city limits. With the "Gemischter Satz" - which means that different grape varieties grow in one vineyard and are harvested and processed together - there is also a very original and sought-after white wine.
Austria's gastronomic scene has a lot to offer; Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz and Kaiserschmarrn have long been international classics. Vienna and Salzburg can boast star restaurants, with the "Steirer Eck" in the metropolis of Vienna regularly making it onto the Pellegrini list of the 100 best restaurants in the world.
