The Lower Austrian Wine-Growing Areas

Wachau
Austria’s most famous winegrowing area is known for its exceptionally refined and elegant white wines. The expertise of the area’s winemakers is matched by ideal natural conditions: cool winds from the highlands of the Waldviertel, the temperature-regulating effect of the Danube, and Pannonian streams from the South combine to produce wines of great spice, elegance, force and fullness.

Visitors to the Wachau can expect not only world-class wines, but one of the most enchanting landscapes on the continent. The Wachau’s vineyard terraces are centuries old and laid out in a spectacular manner, moving Wine Spectator magazine to say, “It would be hard to imagine a more beautiful wine district… only the Middle Mosel in Germany and the Douro Valley in Portugal can offer vineyard landscapes as spectacular as the soaring, terraced slopes of the Wachau.�

The Wachau was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000.

Area Wines: Wachau Rieslings are world-famous and the main source of the area’s reputation. However, don’t miss the local Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay (Feinburgunder), and Gelber Muskateller.