Austria makes some of Europe's most precise, food-friendly wines. A cool climate and steep vineyards along the Danube give bright acidity, ripe but restrained fruit and a clean, stony character that runs through almost everything. These are dry wines built for the table, with a clarity that has won them a serious following well beyond Vienna.
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling along the Danube
Grüner Veltliner is the country's flagship white, a grape that runs light and peppery in some hands, rich and textured in others. Look for green apple and citrus, a twist of white pepper and that savoury note growers call lentil or green pea, and know that the best examples age beautifully. Alongside it, Austrian Riesling turns racy and mineral in the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal. Wachau growers grade ripeness on their own scale, from light Steinfeder through Federspiel to concentrated, age-worthy Smaragd. Explore the range in our white wine and Riesling collections, and if you love the grape, compare it with the Rieslings of neighbouring Germany.
Burgenland reds and world-class sweet wines
Austria's reds come mainly from Burgenland in the warm east. Zweigelt is the everyday charmer, all bright cherry and plum with soft tannins, while Blaufränkisch is the serious one, dark-fruited, peppery and firmly structured for the cellar. Around the shallow Lake Neusiedl, autumn mists bring the noble rot behind some of the world's greatest sweet wines, from late-harvest bottlings to the honeyed Ruster Ausbruch.
Austrian wine FAQ
What food pairs with Grüner Veltliner?
It is one of the most versatile whites at the table. Try it with schnitzel, roast chicken, asparagus and other tricky green vegetables, or with sushi and lightly spiced Asian dishes.
Should I drink Austrian Riesling young or cellar it?
Everyday Federspiel is lovely young and fresh. A Smaragd Riesling or a top Grüner from a good site can gain honey and depth over ten years or more, so buy a few and wait.
Which Austrian red should I start with?
Begin with Zweigelt for its juicy, approachable fruit. When you want more grip and ageing potential, move on to a Blaufränkisch from Burgenland.