Austria is a cool-climate wine nation known chiefly for dry, terroir-driven whites led by its flagship grape Grüner Veltliner, alongside increasingly respected reds such as Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. The country rebuilt its reputation around quality after a 1985 wine scandal.
Grapes grown here
Sub-regions
Burgenland
Burgenland, along Austria's border with Hungary and the shallow Neusiedlersee, is the country's most important region for red wine, especially Blaufränkisch. It's also known for botrytized sweet whites made possible by the lake's humid microclimate.
Kamptal
Kamptal is an Austrian wine region along the Kamp river in Lower Austria, where steep, thin-soiled sandstone slopes favor aromatic Riesling, while broader valley sections nearer the Danube support red grape growing.
Wachau
Wachau is a dramatic, terraced valley along the Danube producing some of Austria's most prized dry whites. Warm days and cool nights on stony, thin soils give its Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners exceptional concentration and aging potential.