Austria - Weinviertel

The Weinviertel wine region is the largest wine region in Austria. The special region lies between the Danube and the Czech border in the extreme Northeast of Austria. The most common grape variety is the Grüner Veltliner. Weinviertel was the 1st area with a DAC for the Riesling and Grüner Veltliner wines and since 2009 also a Weinviertel DAC Reserve. For the connoisseurs: the Grüner Veltliner from this area is distinguished by the recognizable white pepper in the taste.

The Weinviertel is located in the state of Niederösterreich which is located on the north bank of the Danube, north, but also east and northwest of Vienna, so as a kind of large crescent around the capital, to the south of the city .

Niederösterreich, located from the Danube to the border with the Czech Republic to the north and Slovakia with the east, is Austria's largest wine region. Because of its size and location, it has always been a bit shaded by the big names, famous regions such as Wachau and Kamptal.

The terrain in this part of Lower Austria is different from that in the Wachau and the hills are much less steep. Where the Wachau mainly has a surface with a lot of granite, Donauland mainly has a soil with loess, and is therefore somewhat richer and clay-like in character. In the Ice Ages, this deep loess layer was formed on the shores of a primeval sea, which now forms the perfect soil for the vine. This special loess layer is the largest in central Europe. Only in the United States, in Iowa, are such large loess formations found, and in China, where the 'yellow' river owes its color to yellow loess washed away by erosion. The special feature of the loess is its high lime content. This ensures wines with a strong aromatic power, which are therefore very characterful.