–  There is hardly any way that a wine harvest in Austria could have more variation to it than this year’s vintage. While in the Steiermark and Burgenland, harvest shortfalls from 50 to 80 per cent due to late frost at the end of April can be lamented, in large parts of Niederösterreich the yields were good, even above average. The combination of factors caused grape and bulk wine prices, especially Grüner Veltliner, to soar to unforeseen heights. This prompted the Ministry of Agriculture to raise the maximum yield per hectare by 20 per cent for the entire country, in order to bring a degree of stability to the market. The outstanding quality of the wines, characterised by particularly delicate fruit-driven aromatics and fresh acidity, is extremely gratifying. Read more


 –  The highest farmer’s market in the Alps, in Ski amadé, is expanding its product range. With its 760 kilometres of slopes, Ski amadé is not only the largest ski organisation in Austria, but also nothing can compare to its vast range of culinary options which it has on offer. 260 mountain huts and restaurants situated in the middle of the ski resorts serve everything which the skier’s heart desires from bread with bacon lard spread to trout fillets or roast beef. This is also always of the highest quality and now is not only available in the mountain huts, but also from the market stands in the ski resorts: the highest farmer’s market in the Alps is heading for its second season this winter – expanded and extended for a longer period of time. Read more


 –  Bordeaux will soon be wearing red, white & red. Why is this? From 16–18 December, Austrian wine will be paying a visit to the brand-new Bordelais wine museum and culture centre ‘Cité du Vin’, presenting its many diverse shimmering facets. Wine tastings under the tutelage of two of the world’s best sommeliers, concerts on the theme of wine, and a talk about the unique nature of Austrian wine – together these provide a most attractive invitation for an exciting voyage to Austria’s wine country – in the middle of France! Read more


 –  On 3rd November, the Esterházy baroque castle in Eisenstadt was the magnificent setting for the Austrian Wine Blessing to celebrate this year’s vintage, and it was officially blessed by Eisenstadt diocesan Bishop Ägidius J. Zsifkovics. The consecrational wine was a Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland, which was baptised “Xuntos”. As part of the ceremony, the coveted Bacchus Prize was awarded in both national and international categories. The 30 year anniversary of the founding of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board was a further special occasion for celebration. Read more

 –  The 22nd of October, the Day of Austrian Sekt, brought elegant sparkling wines out for a curtain call once more this year. The introduction of the three-tier quality pyramid for Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin (Sekt g.U.) manifests the effort of Austrian Sekt producers to communicate clear information to consumers purchasing Austrian Sekt g.U., concerning point of origin as well as a style of certified quality to be anticipated. Klassik, Reserve & Grosse Reserve (Grand Reserve) – among other aspects, these three categories indicate varying lengths of time spent maturing on the less but never come into competition with one another. The diversity of high-quality Sekt classified in the three categories can be, according to taste, served to perfectly match the most widely varied of occasions. Read more

 –  Due to devastating frost damage last spring, a small crop is expected. Read more


 –  Following eight years of uninterrupted growth, Austria’s wine export revenues declined slightly for the first time in 2015. According to Statistik Austria, the wine exports 2015 amount to 48 million liters and 143 million €. This comes as no surprise to professionals, because the problematic 2014 vintage – and its reduced volume – did affect export statistics, even if the decrease in sales of 1.1% compared with 2014 turned out to be less than had been feared. Read more

 –  The special issue postage stamp series of the Austrian federal mail service has already established a tradition: every year, a different Austrian wine-producing region is brought into focus. This year, the “Post” is presenting the Mittelburgenland, the region in the heart of Burgenland which is also known as “Blaufränkischland”. Read more

 –  There’s something going on in Austria. In the first six months of 2016, resolutions were passed providing for numerous new developments in the Austrian wine law. On the 14th of June, these reforms came into effect in the form of an amendment to the Wine Law of 2009, encompassing – among other matters – modifications to the existing appellatives of wineproducing regions and vineyards. Austria uses the term “Ried”, plural “Rieden”, to indicate single vineyard sites, the word is unique to Austria and not used in Germany. The amendment also includes a redefinition of Ruster Ausbruch, a noble sweet wine. One true milestone for the Austrian wine sector was set with the regulations for Austrian Sekt. Along with the “normal” Austrian Quality Sparkling Wine, Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin (Sekt g.U.) is now defined by law. Read more

 –  The tenth presentation of VieVinum was held this year from 4 – 6 June in the magnificent halls of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, once more drawing the attention of the international wine community to Austria’s capital city: more than 15,000 visitors were recorded, coming to sample the wines of some 620 exhibitors. The orchestration of this masterpiece was carried off by MAC Hoffman with their customary resourcefulness, in close collaboration with the Austria Wine Marketing Board (AWMB), who had invited 800 wine-trade and press visitors from all over the world to come to Vienna. For three days, exhibitors and visitors to this (very likely) most stylish of the world’s great wine trade fairs wove themselves into a fine mesh of internationally iridescent threads. A living network that now, afterwards, has spanned the globe to connect wine producers, wine merchants, sommeliers and winelovers, to further develop the dynamic export of Austrian wines. Read more

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