Austrian Wine Marketing Board Welcomes 830 International Top Wine Players to VieVinum

Every two years, Austria's winemakers, sommeliers, wine merchants - and wine lovers, of course -  look forward with pure excitement to this great event, which puts Austrian wines in the spotlight. And this  past weekend, June 2nd – 4th, it finally arrived: VieVinum, Austria's most magnificent wine fair, was held at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. 14,500 guests were welcomed to the event.

For the AWMB, VieVinum is the perfect opportunity for inviting the most important international wine dealers and importers, sommeliers and wine journalists to Austria and turn this 3-day
fair into a stage for Austrian wines. About 830 guests from 40 countries accepted the Austrian Wine Marketing Board's invitation to taste new wines and vintages, to network and build new business relationships, and even add individual wine trips to visit Austrian wine regions or winemakers to their schedule. The striking increase in value of Austrian wine exports in recent years indeed reflects the successful strategy of the AWMB.

The varied and interesting framework programme at VieVinum, which was organized by MAC Hoffmann & Co, as well as a series of special events for AWMB guests were the highlights of this brilliant and perfectly planned fair.

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board held its first ever tasting of 182 best Austrian red wines from the 2009 vintage as part of the VieVinum wine fair. All wines were tasted in specific flights within quiet and professional surroundings inside the imperial rooms in theHofburg Vienna. This is a form of tasting that could be staged abroad in 2013.

Paul Grieco and Stephen Solomon, owners of the New York restaurant Hearth and Austrian “Summer of Riesling” fans (first and third from left), are delighted with the massive success of the VieVinum, here with Austrian National President Heinz Fischer (second from left) and Austrian Wine Boss Willi Klinger.

The VieVinum’s festive highlight was - like last time - the grand Austrian Wine Party. For a second time running, the "Winzer" winemaker band took to the stage. Far left is John Nittnaus (Weingut Hans & Anita Nittnaus) on the keyboard, with Wolfgang Mang (Weingut Mang ) to his right on the trumpet. Slightly hidden as third from left on the drums is Michael Moosbrugger (Schloss Gobelsburg). Schorschi Grohs (wine merchant inVienna) plays the guitar with Andreas Nittnaus (Weingut Hans & Anita Nittnaus) on bass, rounded off with singer Wilfrid Schilhan (Weingut Schilhan) for the vocals.

One favourite part of the extensive VieVinum side event programme was the Sweet Wine tasting held by the Institute of Masters of Wine. A top panel of wine experts avidly discussed the styles of sweet wine, distribution opportunities and the marketing of this sweet liquid gold from around the world with the public.

A welcome picture behind the table: The entire Austrian Wine team were overjoyed with the 830 international guests from 40 countries, and guided them through the five day VieVinum Austrian Wine programme.