The Cellar: Wine Finds from Austria

The Cellar: Wine Finds from Austria

For years Austria was the primary source of mass-manufactured, cheap, bulk wine for the German wine market. Scandal rocked the Austrian wine industry in 1985 when it was revealed that a group of corrupt wine brokers had added diethylene glycol (a compound of antifreeze) to cheap bulk wine to add sweetness and body and had attempted to sell it as higher-end wine. The scandal destroyed the bulk wine industry and paved the way for fine wines.

Today, Austria makes the most exciting wines in Central Europe, and with wine laws that are the strictest in Europe, their reputation has been thoroughly re-established. While international varietals such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon make great wines in Austria, the country is becoming increasingly better known for the wines made from its indigenous varietals. If you have yet to try an Austrian wine, this is the weekend to get tasting.  

2010 Berger Grüner Veltliner

If you are a white wine drinker and haven’t discovered the wines from Austria, you don’t know what you are missing. A whopping 80% of all the wines produced in Austria are white. The most widely planted white grape,

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a grape whose popularity is exploding internationally, is Grüner Veltliner; a lively, peppery, sometimes floral varietal that is available at very reasonable prices. While some Grüner Veltliners are notoriously good candidates for aging, most Grüners in the US marked are meant to be consumed in their youth like this week’s first wine.

A considerable portion of Austria’s cool continental climate vineyards are dedicated to growing Grüner Veltliner. The Estate bottled 2010 from Weingut Berger is very non-offensive and a great entry-level ‘Grüner’. It is light and fresh, feels slightly fizzy on the tongue. There is a lovely balance between acidity, citrus fruit and minerality in this wine with subtle hints of apricot and peaches on the finishes. If you have never tasted a Grüner Veltliner this $12 wine is a great introduction that will not hurt your feelings or your budget.

2008 Glatzer Blaufränkisch

The true origins of Blaufränkisch are not known with certainty, however it is said to have been growing in the area that is now Austria since the 10th century. Blaufränkisch, more commonly known as Lemberger in the

rest of the world, is a late-ripening dark-skinned grape that makes big, bold and spicy wines usually filled with dark fruits. The varietal is becoming increasingly popular with Americans wine drinkers, especially among those seeking alternatives to Merlots. The vast majority of Walter Glatzer’s 40-acre vineyard is dedicated to growing the area’s traditional grape varietals Zweigelt, St. Laurent, Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, and of course Blaufränkisch.

Small-production winemakers who only produce around 10,000 cases of wine per year tend to charge a pretty penny for their wines. But not Glatzer. You should be able to find his 2008 Blaufränkisch for around $15. Pair it with your favorite pizza and you are good to go. This is a great everyday wine. It is soft and medium-bodied like a similarly priced merlot, but has a cherry and herbal/spicy thing going that makes me think of a warm-climate Pinot Noir. It is well balanced and finishes long – signs of a well made wine.

Enjoy!

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