Austria

Discover the wines from Austria

Austria has a rich wine heritage that dates back to the Roman era, or maybe even earlier (grape seeds dating back to 800 BC have actually been found in Lower Austria). Its viticultural history is closely linked to the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus (232-282 BC), as he advocated for agriculture and viticulture, allowing Gauls, Iberians, and Bretons to cultivate vineyards and produce their own wine. Centuries later, under the influence of Emperor Charlemagne (742-814), viticulture expanded on a larger scale, particularly thanks to Catholic monks.

Today, Austria is recognized as a country that produces high-quality wines, offering a wide diversity of grape varieties and styles. The Austrian vineyard extends over more than 58,000 hectares, primarily along the Danube River and its tributaries. It is divided into four main wine regions: Lower Austria, Styria, Burgenland, and Vienna. The vineyards are planted on steep slopes, benefiting from generous sunlight and a great variety of soils (including clay, loess, limestone, slate, sand, and volcanic rocks).

Austrian vineyards are dominated by 26 white grape varieties, including the Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Grüner Veltliner. The latter, in particular, is considered the country's emblematic grapevine, producing fresh and aromatic wines with vibrant acidity. Red grape varieties such as Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, and Saint-Laurent are also successfully cultivated but are less numerous (only 14 varieties in total exist in the region).

Austria has three designations called "DAC" (short for "Districtus Austriae Controllatus", the equivalent of the French AOC), which guarantee the origin and quality of wines: wine without indication of origin and wine with indicated grape variety (or vintage); country wine, known as "Landwein"; and quality wine / predicate wine, or "Qualitätswein / Prädikatswein" in German. Among the most renowned DACs are Kamptal, Kremstal, Wachau, and Burgenland. Each region has its own geographical and climatic characteristics.

Austrian winemakers attach great importance to producing high-quality wines, emphasizing environmentally friendly farming methods and traditional winemaking techniques. Many producers are family-owned wineries that pass down their expertise from generation to generation. They take pride in preserving winemaking traditions while also seeking innovation and experimenting with new approaches.

Check out our selection of Austrian wines.