Europe
Austria
The quietly brilliant Alpine wine country - Grüner Veltliner, dry Riesling and some of Europe's most precise whites.
Austria is one of the world's most underappreciated wine countries. Its signature grape, Grüner Veltliner, produces dry whites with a unique savoury-herbal character and palate-cleansing acidity that have made it the darling of wine lists everywhere.
The northeast is the centre: the Danube region of Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal produces both great Grüner Veltliner and steely dry Riesling from terraced slopes above the river, while the Weinviertel and Burgenland to the east add volume and rich reds.
Austrian reds - particularly Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt - are excellent and affordable, and the country's sweet wines from Burgenland's Neusiedlersee are among the world's finest.
Wine Regions
All regions →Notable Wines
All wines →F. X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd
Wachau · 2024 (representative vintage)
F. X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd is an white wine from Austria, in the Wachau region (Lower Austria, along a dramatic 30km stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.), made principally from Riesling. The dry, powerful Smaragd-style Riesling of the Wachau — a benchmark of Austrian fine white wine.
$60–$100 est. retail
Alzinger Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd
Wachau · 2024 (representative vintage)
Alzinger Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd is an white wine from Austria, in the Wachau region (Lower Austria, along a dramatic 30km stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.), made principally from Riesling. A Wachau Smaragd of immense purity — vertical, transparent and gloriously mineral.
$55–$90 est. retail
Weingut Bründlmayer Riesling Heiligenstein
Wachau · 2024 (representative vintage)
Weingut Bründlmayer Riesling Heiligenstein is an white wine from Austria, in the Wachau region (Lower Austria, along a dramatic 30km stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.), made principally from Riesling. From Kamptal's great 'Stone of the Saints' vineyard — a Riesling with real smoky nerve and depth.
$40–$60 est. retail
Moric Blaufränkisch
Burgenland · 2024 (representative vintage)
Moric Blaufränkisch is an red wine from Austria, in the Burgenland region (Eastern Austria along the Hungarian border, from the Leithagebirge hills to Lake Neusiedl.), made principally from Blaufränkisch. Burgenland's natural-wine pioneer — pure Blaufränkisch from ungrafted old vines, sudden and serious.
$55–$95 est. retail
Wachau Grüner Veltliner
Wachau · 2024 (representative vintage)
Wachau Grüner Veltliner is an white wine from Austria, in the Wachau region (Lower Austria, along a dramatic 30km stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.), made principally from Grüner Veltliner. a house-style Wachau grüner veltliner that showcases the grape in this region.
$12–$28 est. retail
Wachau Riesling
Wachau · 2024 (representative vintage)
Wachau Riesling is an white wine from Austria, in the Wachau region (Lower Austria, along a dramatic 30km stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.), made principally from Riesling. a house-style Wachau riesling that showcases the grape in this region.
$12–$28 est. retail
Buying Austria Wine
- › Look for the Wachau's classification: Steinfeder (light), Federspiel (classic) and Smaragd (richest, ripest) - an excellent guide to weight and intensity.
- › Grüner Veltliner's peppery, citrusy character makes it a brilliant aperitif and a star with Asian and spicy food.
- › Austrian dry Riesling is a bargain compared with German Grand Cru; buy from good producers and drink young-ish for freshness.