Category Archives:  Wine

I love Vinaria magazine and more about Austrian sweet wine

Vinaria is an Austrian wine magazine, that I’ve never seen in the States. Of course, it’s written in German which somewhat limits its appeal here. A one-year subscription to the paper copy would cost me 49Euro, a hefty price, but at least for the time being, it is available free electronically on the iPad platform. […]

Win a trip to Austria!

Wine Enthusiast Magazine and the Austrian Wine Marketing Board are sponsoring a free giveaway to Austria. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the timeless history of Vienna, the romance of the Danube river, or the many exciting wines of Burgenland, Niederösterreich, Kremstal, Kamptal, or the Wachau, this may be your big chance. If I were […]

Tasting at Bründlmayer and Bründlmayer Heurigenhof

Heurigenhof Bründlmayer was, without a doubt, one of the top restaurants in which we ate during a two week tour of Austria. Definitely in the top three, a group which includes Restaurant Steirereck,  which is consistently rated as one of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. When we arrived, the kitchen crew was taking a break as […]

Visit to Weingut Bründlmayer: top-tier modern producer with tradition

Our visit to Weingut Bründlmayer got off to an awkward start. At least for me. We were coming from another appointment, and as these things go, we were running late. There are few things I hate more than being late to an appointment in Austria or Germany. It’s just rude and I know it, and […]

Understanding the vineyards and wines of Austria

It seems every wine region in the world feels the need to classify, and stratify, their vineyards. In the best wine regions of France, vineyards can be designated as premier cru or grand cru vineyards. In neighboring Germany, some very special vineyards may be labeled Erste Lage. But a great vineyard doesn’t necessarily mean a […]

Visit to Weingut Birgit Eichinger

  In America, even dedicated fans of Austrian wine have probably not heard of Birgit Eichinger. This is a pity, because in Austria she is consistently recognized as producing top quality Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines. Once the rest of the world catches on, these wines will be even harder to get, and right now […]

Catalog of Wines from Weingut Peter Schandl (German)

I forgot to post the complete list of wines, but I’ve included it here. This PDF file also contains descriptions of the wines as supplied by the winery (German/Deutsch). Catalog 2012

Visit to Weingut Peter Schandl

Weingut Peter Schandl is a family run business since 1741. It is currently run by Paul Schandl and his wife Elle Schandl. Our visit with Paul Schandl began with a quick stop at the tasting room. Unfortunately his wife, Elle Schandl, wasn’t feeling too well that day so we didn’t get to meet her as […]

Weinlaubenhof Kracher: 50+ dessert wines, plus a few dry wines you will never taste

  Not many producers these days have older wines that are still on offer directly from the source. Their wines are either too popular, (selling out quickly each year), or the winery simply cannot afford to warehouse their inventory for years on end. Often this means that you will either end up with wine that […]