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: CHZ110
Domaine des Chazelles, Viré-Clessé, Vieilles Vignes, 2010
“From a very sunny, well-exposed site, this has become one of our benchmark wines: lightly (almost undiscernibly) oaked and with an ability to age...”
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Product Code: PRF112
Preignes Le Vieux, Syrah, IGP Pays d’Oc , 2012
“This refined and pure Syrah is new to our list - in style it’s worlds away from an inky Australian example, rather crafted in a light and fragrant...”
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Product Code: SUM213
Summer Staples
“A selection from our Summer list containing two bottles each of 3 whites and 3 reds, six different varieties, with a discount of 10%”
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Product Code: DEP111
Domaine Depeyre, Côtes du Roussillon Villages Rouge, 2011
“From about 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 25% Carignan, grown on black schist vineyards near the village. Youthful, opaque purple. This delivers a...”
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Product Code: PUT712
Château de Putille, Anjou Blanc Sec, 2012
“Ripe pears and a touch of lavender honey on the nose. Attractive weight and rich texture, with bright, pure flavours of pear and melon: a lovely...”
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Product Code: MUD211
Mud House, The Woolshed Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011
“Sourced from the Woolshed block of Mud House’s Marlborough vineyards in the upper Wairau Valley. The sheltered hillside site and clay soils shape...”
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Product Code: NAV210
Domaine Navarre, Saint-Chinian, Le Laouzil, 2010
“Deep ruby. Ripe and seductive scent of morello cherries. This combines great purity of red fruit with impressive concentration. Lushly textured....”
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Product Code: ESC111
Escarpment, The Edge Pinot Noir, Martinborough, 2011
“In 1998, after building a huge reputation at both Delegats and Martinborough Vineyards, Larry McKenna established Escarpment on 24 hectares of...”
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Product Code: CHL110
Chapin & Landais, Saumur Brut, Le Grand Saumur, 2010
“We continue with this excellent vintage fizz, made from Chenin Blanc (here known as Pineau de Loire) with 10% Chardonnay. Chenin Blanc has excellent...”
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Product Code: CL313
Chenin Styles
“A selection from our Loire list containing two bottles each of six whites; 1 sparkling, 2 dry, 1 medium and 2 sweet, at a discount of 10%.”
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Product Code: CEN210
Cennatoio, Innominato, Toscana Rosso, IGT, 2010
“The “nameless” wine is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 15% of each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Soft purple. Aromas of red fruit and cloves....”
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Product Code: APA410
Apaltagua, Envero, Gran Reserva Carmenère, Apalta Vineyard Selection, Colchagua, 2010
“The hillside slopes of the Apalta valley, a sub-region of Chile’s warm Colchagua Valley is a superb terroir for red grapes, notably Carmenère....”
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