From a non-Austrian perspective, most people think of the Weinviertel primarily as a source of uncomplicated Grüner Veltliner for everyday consumption. The actual diversity of the area's wines is just as rarely noticed as their sometimes extraordinary quality. The former is probably also due to the fact that only the DAC Weinviertel, which is exclusively valid for Grüner Veltliner, is still allowed to bear the name of the region of origin, while all other wines are labelled as coming from Lower Austria.
But the region has another problem: many of its top producers are well known, but are not associated with the Weinviertel at all. This in turn is certainly also due to the fact that many of these producers do not market their Veltliners as Weinviertel DAC, in part probably because their wines are quite far removed from what one imagines a classic Weinviertel Veltliner to be. Which brings us back to the beginning.
However, one is well advised not to be put off by the confusion. The Weinviertel has much more to offer than meets the eye, not least because of a rather dynamic development in recent years. One should not miss any of it.
The winners of the tasting
Weinviertel DAC
- 94WP 2016 Reserve "Hommage", Pfaffl
- 91WP 2016 Goldjoch Reserve, Pfaffl
- 90WP 2015 Outer Bergen Reserve, Zull
- 88+WP 2015 Tenn Reserve, Taubenschuss
- 88WP 2015 Green Hunter Reserve, Hagn
- 88WP 2016 Hundsleiten Reserve, Pfaffl
- 88WP 2016 Sätzen Reserve, Schwarzböck
- 88WP 2016 Reserve "8000", Setzer
- 88WP 2015 In der Schablau Reserve, Groiss
- 88WP 2016 Hermannschachern, Taubenschuss
- 88WP 2016 Reserve, Sutter
- 87WP 2016 Bürsting, Hirtl
- 87WP 2016 Eichholz Reserve, Setzer
- 87WP 2015 Reserve, Faber-Köchl
- 87WP 2016 Zull
- 87WP 2015 Reserve "Private", Schwarzböck
- 87WP 2016 Diermannsee "Old Vines", Norbert Bauer
- 87WP 2016 Weisser Berg, Taubenschuss
- 87WP 2016 "Braitenpuechtorff", Groiss
Grüner Veltliner
- 94WP 2016 "Radikal", Herbert Zillinger
- 92WP 2016 Vogelsang, Herbert Zillinger
- 92WP 2015 Sauberg Tradition, Groiss
- 91WP 2015 Reserve "Pankratz", Groiss
- 90WP 2016 Reserve "Alte Reben", Ebner-Ebenauer
- 90WP 2013 Grand Reserve "MX Alte Reben", Taubenschuss
- 90WP 2016 Sauberg Reserve, Ebner-Ebenauer
- 90WP 2016 Weintalried, Herbert Zillinger
- 89WP 2016 Bürsteg Reserve, Ebner-Ebenauer
- 89WP 2016 Reserve "Kirchengarten", Setzer
- 89WP 2015 "Black Edition", Ebner-Ebenauer
- 89WP 2016 "The Trainee", Rockabilly Weinkult
- 88WP 2016 Hermannschachern, Ebner-Ebenauer
- 88WP 2016 "Horizon", Herbert Zillinger
- 88WP 2015 Muschelberg Reserve, Scheit
- 88WP 2015 Wolfsthal "GE.ORG", Toifl
- 88WP 2016 Altenbergen, Sonnenhügel
- 88WP 2016 Himmelreich "MLM", Kellerstöckl Estate
- 87WP 2016 "Rochus", Minkowitsch
- 87WP 2016 "Stoanan", Rockabilly Weinkult
- 87WP 2016 "Youngster", Rücker
- 87WP 2015 "Old Vines", Sutter
Other varieties
- 93WP 2014 Traminer "Profund", Herbert Zillinger
- 90WP 2015 Riesling "Numen", Johannes Zillinger
- 89WP 2015 Fumé Blanc "Numen", Johannes Zillinger
- 88WP 2015 Chardonnay, Zull
- 88WP 2016 Welsdchriesling "Velue", Johannes Zillinger
- 88WP 2015 Riesling Reserve "Peregrin
- 88WP 2015 Pinot Gris Schatzberg "GE.ORG", Toifl
- 88WP 2016 Chardonnay Exclusive, Pfaffl
- 88WP 2015 Chardonnay Premium, Minkowitsch
- 88WP 2015 Riesling Inner Bergen, Zull
- 87WP 2016 Riesling Steinbergen, Schuckert
- 87WP 2015 Chardonnay Selection, Hirtl
- 87WP 2013 Pinot Blanc Selection, Taubenschuss
- 87WP 2015 Roter Veltliner "Old Vines", Sutter
- 87WP 2015 Gemischter Satz "GEO", Toifl
- 87WP 2015 Pinot Blanc Reserve, Martinshof
- 87WP 2016 Yellow Muscat "Velue", Johannes Zillinger
Noble sweet
- 93WP 2015 Welschriesling TBA, Minkowitsch
- 91WP 2014 Merlot TBA, Schwarzböck
- 89WP 2015 Riesling TBA, Schwarzböck
Red wine
- 91WP 2015 Reserve "Excellent", Pfaffl
- 89WP 2015 Sankt Laurent Altenberg, Pfaffl
- 89WP 2015 Zweigelt Reserve "Burggarten", Pfaffl
- 88WP 2013 Zweigelt Grande Reserve, Scheit
- 87WP 2015 St. Laurent Wolfsthal, Toifl
- 87WP 2015 "Schrattenthal 9", Zull
- 87WP 2013 "Cuvée Capreal", Schwarzböck
- 87WP 2013 "Cuvée Caro-Line", Scheit
- 87WP 2015 Pinot Noir "Hocheck", Dürnberg
- 87WP 2013 Pinot Noir, Zull
- 87WP 2015 Zweigelt Reserve, Eminger
We tasted a good 200 wines from the Weinviertel this year. As always, we also present the best of them n a handy PDF presentation. All recommended wines can be found in the wine guide under the respective producers.
Pictures: ÖWM
