The thing about wine writing is this: The more you travel the lesser you seem to feel sure about the things you knew earlier. There is in fact no better way to question the extent of your knowledge, or rather, your ignorance than by travelling. My recent visit to Austria did exactly just that.
It is very inconspicuous as a wine country so to say. People are only beginning to speak about Austria on the world wine scene. They have seen troubled times and have done much to revive their fallen angel image and, if I may add, successfully. Today, they make some of the most prolific of wines in the world and rate very high both between consumers and wine wankers (people who score wine instead of enjoying them). So, to keep you fellow readers up to date, here is a small read on the five wines you must try from Austria.
Gruner Veltliner: This is the indigenous grape variety and boy, it is tasty. The classic note is of white pepper but don?t worry if you don?t find it; the wine will also pack in plenty of floral and fruity aromas. The wine reminds me of Chardonnay and Viognier at the same time. It has a great sense of taste and balance. Best yet, it is an excellent match for Indian cuisines.
Sauvignon Blanc: Now I know you have the whole world making Savvies, as the people in the know call it, so why then bother with an Austrian version. Here?s why: It?ll be fruitier and friendlier. None of the austerity that wine wankers rave about in Southern hemisphere versions ? no cat?s pee and the likes. Just plain juicy fruitiness with a lovely soft yet crisp finish.
Schilcher: This is one ros? that can make you jump if you are not prepared for it. If a wine could ever play a prank on you then Schilcher would be the Tom Sawyer of wines. It is soft yet strong, light yet rich, crisp yet meaty ? it is hard to put a finger on it. In one line, it is not a wine that aims to impress, instead, you have to warm up to it.
Red Range: From the complex Blaufrankisch to the fruity Zweigelt to the soft Sanct Laurent, Austria has quite a range of grapes and you don?t need the more worldly Cabernets and Shiraz to appease the palate. Having said that, the reds don?t match up to the whites in equality of quality, so you must choose the brands wisely before investing in a bottle of red.
Sweet Wines: This is another category where the Austrians can simply take it away, entirely. Sure other countries make more noise about their sweet wines whereas the Austrians quietly make some of the best of it and then surreptitiously consume it. Little then is left to be exported. Recently when I tried a bevy of their sweet wines, some having sugar as high as 300 grams to a litre, the stickiness of the extreme sugar wasn?t even a problem as the wine also had teeth-cracking acidity, which made the sugar seem pleasant. Of course, they have the weather but they also obviously have some great winemakers.
Tempted? I hope so. If not, it isn?t that bad a thing: it only means that there is that much more Austrian wines for the rest of us to drink who know a good thing when we sip one.
The writer is a sommelier