Viticulture in Austria is millenary. It has flourished since ancient times and has truly left its mark on the landscapes and the culture.
Since the 1980s, Austrian governmental measures have gradually established strict regulations on wine production. This has led Austria to be among the most restrictive countries in Europe, in order to prevent the effects of globalization that could spoil the quality of Austrian production.
The Austrian vineyard in 2020 extends over 46,500 hectares, under a cool and continental climate.
The wine regions are mainly established in the east of the country, along the Danube on the borders of Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.
Lower Austria is the largest region.
It includes the famous Wachau Valley where the majority of Gruner Veltliner wines are produced.
Burgenland is the warmest region. This is where the best Blaufränkisch and sweet white wines are vinified, with late harvests such as Ruster Ausbruch.
Styria is the highest region in Europe. This is where some of the best Sauvignon Blancs are vinified.
The region around Vienne, where 700 hectares of vines are cultivated.
The white grape varieties alone represent 80% of the grape varieties.
The emblematic grape varieties are Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.
Müller-Thurgau, Welshriesling (also used for sweet wines), Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Neuburger, and Sauvignon blanc are also produced in a smaller amount.
For red wines, indigenous varieties such as Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and Saint-Laurent prevail and are of great finesse. But international varieties such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are also cultivated under the Austrian latitudes.
