wine-info
Austria
Sadly, there isn’t enough Austrian wine! Austria is a country with a strong and historic wine-drinking culture, but it only produces as much wine as a middle-sized region of France, for example the Loire. Export isn’t necessarily a priority for many growers, but fortunately some of the top producers do want to see their wines on a world stage, where they have proved they can shine.
The vineyards all lie in the east of the country, around Vienna, downstream along the Danube to the west, and in a wide band south to Styria. Best known are white wines, particularly from Riesling - which here becomes a dry, high alcohol wine much more in the Alsace style than the German - and Gruner Veltliner, the latter grown in Austria since Roman times and now taking a third of the country’s vineyards. The top examples of both these varieties make very food-friendly wines, with the weight and structure to accompany rich or spicy dishes, and both can age superbly, with the best examples of the latter taking on the minerality and complexity of fine white Burgundy.
Austria is also the source of some of the greatest sweet wines in the world. Key to this is the Neuesiedlersee, an enormous shallow lake south-east of Vienna, which creates a perfect micro-climate for the development of noble rot in the surrounding vineyards through long, warm and dry autumns.
Our growers:
Note - as we do not carry large stocks of Austrian wine, we may not hold examples of all these growers' wines at all times.
Joseph Umathum, Frauenkirchen, Burgenland
On the north side of Lake Nieusiedl, this estate splits its production between reds and sweet whites.
Pittnauer, Gottesbrun, Carnuntum
The Carnuntum lies just east of Vienna. Hot, and with dry autumns, this region has great potential for red wines, now being realised by Gerhard Pittnauer. His reds exemplify all that is best in new Austrian
winemaking: as Giles Macdonogh wrote in The Wine and Food of Austria, they are ‘full and dense, especially his St. Laurents and Zweigelts’.
Wainer Wess, Unterloiben, Wachau
Using largely bought in fruit, Rainer Wess crafts tiny quantities of dry Wachau wines.
Schloss Gobelsburg, Gobelsburg, Kamptal
The historic vineyards of the Schloss Gobelsburg, which belong to the Cistercian monastery of Zwettl, were leased to Michael Moosbrugger in 1996. Since then this has become a model estate.
Weingut Stadt Krems, Kremstal
Fritz Miesbauer rhas revitalised this 35 hectare estate since 200.
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Our Favourite Selection
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Product Code: BAJ109
Château Barrejat, Madiran, Tradition, 2009
“From 60% Tannat, with 20% Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, lightly oaked, this is an honest, mildly rustic wine, a perfect foil for sausages or...”
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Product Code: FUR107
Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieille Vigne, 2007
“Scents of crushed red fruit. As ever with M. Fourrier’s wines, this is already open and approachable, with a very ripe core of mature red fruit...”
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Product Code: LFE911
Santa Luz, Sauvignon Blanc, Bin 955, Valle Central, 2011
“Chile is the best place in the world for good value Sauvignon Blanc: though one still has to hunt hard to seek true varietal character at a fair...”
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Product Code: MAT1NV
Serge Mathieu, Champagne Tradition, Brut, NV
““**** Seductive aromas of honeydew melon, pineapple, cream and apple. Classic Pinot-dominant wine of great richness - a real hedonist’s...”
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Product Code: PIG610
Domaine de la Pigeade,Ventoux Classique, 2010
“We have listed Thierry’s red Ventoux Classique (from Grenache, Carignan and Syrah), before but he has moved it onto a different level with the...”
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Product Code: MAD609
Mader, Gewurztraminer, Grand Cru Rosacker, 2009
“The Rosacker, east facing, with very pebbly soil over limestone, is one of the top vineyards in the whole of Alsace. Mid lemon. Delicate floral and...”
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Product Code: FON109
Domaine Fontanel, Côtes du Roussillon, 2009
“Aromas of black cherries with dark chocolate touches. Lively, plum and black cherry favours,. Good ripe tannins. Just slightly (and attractively)...”
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Product Code: TOK606
Royal Tokaji, Gold Label 6 Puttonyos, 2006
“Dramatically exciting Tokay from Furmint, Hárslevelü and Yellow Muscat, given 2½ years in old barrels before bottling, and with a stunning 203g/l....”
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Product Code: AMB307
Domaine des Amadieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Cairanne, Vieilles Vignes, 2007
“Retains a good deep colour. Attractive Kirsch aromas. Concentrated, old-viney fruit, redolent of red berries and mulberries, lightly spiced. This is...”
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Product Code: TDB109
Château Tour de Bellegarde, Bordeaux, 2009
“Crafted by the Janaud family at Villegouge near Fronsac, this 100% Merlot cuvée is all aged in barrel; and offers another example of how the superb...”
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Product Code: SOL610
Soldier’s Block, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2010
“Sourced from vines planted on land made available to soldiers returning to Australia after World War I. Sun-baked scents over berried fruit....”
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Product Code: BAD111
Badenhorst, Secateurs White, Chenin Blanc, Swartland, 2011
“In The Telegraph Saturday 17th December 2011: “Made from old-vine chenin blanc edged with grapefruit freshness and, bottled under screw cap, with a...”
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