About Austrian Riesling & wines to try
Germany may get the lion's share of praise, but Austria is hot on its heels when it comes to producing world-class Riesling...
Riesling’s second most important habitat after the Rhine is the Danube, and in particular the Lower Austrian regions of Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal.
The terraced vineyards of the Wachau are pre-eminent, with 16% of Austria’s vineyard surface planted to Riesling. In its steep, thin, rocky soils and with cool temperatures, they are aromatic, distinguished, lean, dry and mineral.
Scroll down to see our top Austrian Riesling picks
The more loamy soils of neighbouring Kremstal are home to slightly gentler and plumper Rieslings, while the grands crus of Gaisberg and Heiligenstein in the Kamptal can produce elegant, complex dry wines.
‘Riesling expresses greater differences in microclimates and in soils than other grapes,’ says Willi Bründlmayer, one of Austria’s top exponents of the variety. ‘The average Austrian drinker prefers Riesling dry.’
Top growers of Austrian Riesling:
Bründlmayer
Emmerich Knoll
FX Pichler
Franz Hirtzberger
Franz Prager
Freie Weingärtner Wachau
Jurtschitsch
Loimer
Martin Nigl
Nikolaihof
Pichler-Krutzler
Rainer Wess
Salomon Undhof
Schloss Gobelsburg
Stadt Krems
From Anthony Rose’s Dry Riesling Guide in the September 2016 issue of Decanter magazine
Austrian Riesling to try:
Back to Austrian wine style guide
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Allram, Heiligenstein Riesling Reserve, Kamptal, 1ÖTW, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2016
Grown on 12 natural stone terraces, this is one of Austria's most famous sites for Riesling. The mix of volcanic sandstones, silts and some loess...
2016
AllramKamptal
Domäne Wachau, Terrassen Beerenauslese, Wachau, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2015
With 182.5 grams per litre of residual sugar, this wine is very sweet yet manages to pull out enough acidity to cleanse the palate and...
2015
Domäne WachauWachau
Bioweingut Diwald, Fuchsentanz Riesling, Wagram, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2015
92
Organic grapes grown in gravel and löss clay soils. At 9 grams per litre of sugar and a good acidity, this dry wine has a balanced character, with mouthwatering flavours of honey, pear and apple that linger after the inital mineral wave. Clean, crisp and refreshing on the finish.
2015
Bioweingut DiwaldWagram
Allram, Gaisberg Riesling Reserve, Kamptal, 1ÖTW, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2016
From a poor, south facing terraced vineyard site on schist and gneiss, planted in 1975. There is some lovely apple and lime on the nose,...
2016
AllramKamptal
Emmerich Knoll, Ried Schütt Riesling, Wachau, Smaragd, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2012
Noticeably different to the 2013, this wine trades power for beautiful aromatics. It opens with a citrus and honey nose, leading into a green apple...
2012
Emmerich KnollWachau
Bründlmayer, Klassik Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling, Kamptal, 1ÖTW, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2014
Tight but juicy lime and green apple flavours linger on an intense and long finish, joined by a touch of honey and stoniness. This 'premier...
2014
BründlmayerKamptal
Emmerich Knoll, Ried Schütt Riesling, Wachau, Smaragd, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2013
This Smaragd has a rich, evolved, kerosene drenched character to accompany the fresh lime fruit. There is some honeyed sweetness too, countered by a stoniness...
2013
Emmerich KnollWachau
Zull, Innere Bergen Riesling, Weinviertel, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2015
90
Old vines from a steep, rocky, south-facing slope. The grapes were partially whole-bunch pressed and aged in stainless steel, producing an expressive wine with an intense, fresh lime juice aroma and concentrated flavours of lime, apple and spice. The mineral background is magnified by the pure, glacial acidity.
2015
ZullWeinviertel
Steininger, Klassik Riesling, Kamptal, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2015
90
This Riesling has a delightful nose of pear, elderflower and green apple. Dry and steely, the mineral palate leads into a crisp and refreshing finish of citrus, with hints of stone fruit and tart lime. Precise and delicious.
2015
SteiningerKamptal
Domäne Wachau, Kellerberg Smaragd Riesling, Kellerberg, Smaragd, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2015
This single vineyard Riesling has a fragrant nose of lime juice, apple and citrus, which leads into an intense palate of juicy cooking apple, freshly...
2015
Domäne WachauKellerberg
