Wine Country

Did you know that Vienna is the only city in the world that has vineyards in its city limits? The city boasts of some 700 hectares of vineyards, which are largely used to produce the typical Viennese wine, Gemischter Satz. This is a unique blended wine made from several varieties of grapes that are planted in the same vineyard, harvested and pressed together. Most vineyards offer a cellar tour, by prior appointment. You can sample the Gemischter Satz in one of the many heurige or wine taverns dotting the city and its outskirts. Austria has a long history of wine production, and there is evidence of grape growing some 4,000 years ago. Amongst the well-known Austrian wines is Riesling, especially the one from the tiny Wachau valley in Lower Austria. Wachau is a picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with vineyards, castles and ancient monasteries (visit the massive baroque Melk Abbey and the Göttweig Abbey near Krems). The most widely produced wine in Austria is a dry white wine called Grüner Veltliner, the perfect drink to accompany your lunch of traditional Austrian delicacies. If you’d like to bring back any of these excellent Austrian wines, visit Wein & Co Bar at Naschmarkt or Stephansplatz in Vienna.