Spectacular Presentation of Austrian Wine in New York

On October 25th, the Austrian National Tourist Office hosted 50 gourmet and travel journalists and VIPs at an exquisite “Salon”, with the theme “Modern Austrian Cuisine with Austrian Wine”. Setting the stage for the event was the critically acclaimed wine architecture exhibition in the Austrian Cultural Forum Tower, which itself was designed by star architect Raimund Abraham. AWMB director Willi Klinger presented culinary specialties prepared by Daniel Angerer, the Tyrolean chef who enjoys a cult-following at the Brasserie Klee in downtown Manhattan. Also, Katharina Tinnacher of the Tinnacher Family Winery, which is also part of the architecture exhibition, represented the dynamic new generation of Austrian winemakers and provided commentary on the wines.

No fewer than 1, 000 visitors attended the “Austrian Lunch” at the New York Wine Experience, an annual event put on by the world’s most influential wine magazine, Wine Spectator (www.winespectator.com). Willi Klinger was able to secure the participation of the most famous chef in the USA, Wolfgang Puck, for the culinary production. Events of this dimension are no problem for Puck´s Spago restaurant team from Los Angeles. After all, Chef Puck, originally from Austria´s Carinthia province, also cooks with bravura for 2, 000 people each year at the Academy Awards gala dinner. Numerous New York Wine Experience participants raved about the exceptional wines from ten of Austria’s best producers, with unanimous praise for Styrian Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the Danube River Valley, and red and sweet wines from Burgenland. For the finale, Wolfgang Puck selected a lucky winner from among the guests present to win a trip to Palais Coburg for the World Wine Festival in February.

Wolfgang Puck promoted Austrian wine again the following day, at the sold-out “Lunch with the Four Chefs”, where he paired a Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau and a Pinot Noir from Oregon with a braised duck ragout. “Both wines are excellent matches,” stated the enthusiastic Puck. After the audience chose the winning presentation from among the four celebrity chefs’ dishes, it was Puck who received a standing ovation. The other chefs, Charlie Trotter, Emeril Lagasse, and Mario Batali, also praised Austrian wines, confirming that they find themselves drinking Austrian wine more and more frequently.

There were still more accolades for Austria. Two international restaurants received the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the best wine lists in the world: California’s French Laundry, and Palais Coburg in Vienna. Celebrations began even before Palais Coburg owner Peter Pühringer, and his executive chef and gourmet manager, Christian Petz, accepted the prestigious Grand Award during the gala evening. A pre-award party took place in David Bouley’s stunning, Klimt-inspired restaurant, “Danube”, in New York. Thanks to the long list of illustrious guests, the evening turned into one of the week’s highlights. Influential journalists, including The New York Times icon Howard Goldberg, and the Wine Spectator´s senior editor, Kim Marcus, and its columnist, Matt Kramer, met with culinary artists such as Wolfgang Puck, and his charming patissière, Sherry Yard, as well as dynamo Kurt Gutenbrunner, and New York’s new rising star, Daniel Angerer.

At midnight, the numerous New York sommeliers in attendance enjoyed double magnums of Mouton 1986 and Palmer 1989, courtesy of Peter Pühringer. Also, a series of extraordinary Austrian magnums were tasted alongside great French growths, with the Austrian wines holding their own quite impressively. Also present were Aldo Sohm (Best Sommelier in the USA; and presently at the 3-star restaurant “Le Bernadin”), Christopher Ardu (who has recently transferred from the Geisel Vinothek in München to Kurt Gutenbrunner’s Wallsé Restaurant) and Danube’s head sommelier, Oliver Dufeu, who has long been an enthusiastic fan of Austrian wine. Angelo Gaja, who appeared with his gorgeous daughter Gaia, added to the splendor. Enjoying their pleasure-filled evening were several Austrian economy specialists invited by the trade delegate, Christian Kesberg, and his dynamic assistant, Michael Otter. Not even old-boy Peter Grünauer was left unimpressed. The host, Walter Krajnc, toasted the Austrian producers present: Elisabeth Krutzler-Pichler and Erich Krutzler, the Velich brothers, Franz Hirtzberger, Jr., and Gerhard Kracher. Compliments were also expressed by the importers of Austrian wine who, together with the winemakers, were the beneficiaries of the PR fireworks.

"Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck served up a three-course feast, including lobster salad with caviar, slow-braised short ribs, and an apricot and almond tart — accompanied by some of Austria's top wines, such as Hirtzberger, Pichler and Kracher. Several food-friendly bottlings were on each table, from racy Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings to berry- and fruit-driven Zweigelts, offering the guests a good introduction to the country's stylistically diverse wines." (Wine Spectator)

The USA is predicted to be the most important wine market globally in the next years. The US trade is increasing in importance for Austrian wine. Presently, the US ranks third (behind Germany and Switzerland) among Austria’s top wine export countries. 1.3 million liters and a turnover of 7.8 million Euros means only 3% of the wine export quantity, but 10% of wine export value. The AWMB expects a continuation of this trend, which began in 1999.