Taste Summer - with Austrian Wine!

Food couldn't be fresher and more seasonal than now!  Fruits and vegetables are in high season and bringing pleasures to the palate from Summer until well into the Fall.  There is a wide range of crispy salads and fruity temptations like apricots, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries – all just waiting to be turned into light, refreshing dishes for hot Summer days. And there are optimal Summer drinks, too: light and fresh quality wines from Austria, meeting all the conditions for pure drinking pleasure. With their firm structure and crispy acidity, these wines make absolute ideal partners for delicious, uncomplicated Summer cooking.

Typical cool climate white wines are perfect for Summertime. They're optimal when light and fresh and without too much alcohol. Nearly all Austrian white varieties are ideal, especially renowned Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from Niederösterreich, racy Welschriesling from the Steiermark or Burgenland, and of course the elegant Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC from Vienna. But there's also flowery Weissburgunder, classic Chardonnay and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc and Muskateller from the Steiermark – just perfect for a Summer cool-down.

A G`Spritzter made from these grape shines as an easy yet satisfying – and cooling! - Summer drink. And rosé, whether still or sparkling, not only shows off a delicate pink tone in the glass, but also delivers that pure Summer feeling with aromas of fine, fresh berries.
Things can get even fruitier when red wine comes into play. During the Summer months, it can be chilled a bit so that it's refreshing and less heavy. Especially classic red wines that have been matured in steel tanks – such as Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Merlot, St. Laurent and Pinot Noir – pour plenty of pleasure on the palate.

When it comes to regional cooking, there are many treasured dishes just right for a cosy evening - along with a bottle of Austrian quality wine.
For just the right refreshment and flavours, creative salad variations are ideal. Roasted chanterelles over salad, for example, pairs beautifully with a fine, fruity Sankt Laurent or Pinot Noir that have been matured in stainless steel tanks. Such a Summer evening special !
Classic sweet & sour salads - like those offered in Austria's Heurigen and Buschenschank - include beef salad, sausage salad and marinated sausage, and require just the right dose of vinegar in order to be enjoyed with an appropriately matched wine. When the meat salads aren't too sour and the vinegar is harmoniously integrated, a medium-bodied Weissburgunder makes a perfect complement.
For Mediterranean flair on the terrace, a platter of vegetable antipasti, Prosciutto and mature Parmesan or beloved Caprese can be served up quickly. To jazz it up, what better than a Grüner Veltliner, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. And for grill lovers, a lightly chilled Blaufränkisch or an elegant cuvée blend partner perfectly to a grilled steak.

The hunger for sweet temptations like dumplings filled with seasonal fruits or perhaps Eispalatschinken - crepes with ice cream – can be satisfied completely with a glass of succulent Beerenauslese.

Enjoy those culinary Summer evenings with Austrian wine!