Burgenland

Burgenland wine: The best wines from Austria's sunshine region

Burgenland, located in eastern Austria, is one of the country's most renowned wine regions. This region is characterised by its unique geographical and climatic conditions, which are influenced by the Pannonian climate. With its variety of grape varieties and a long tradition of winegrowing, it offers an impressive selection of wines for every taste.

Burgenland wine: A region with character

Burgenland stretches along the Hungarian border and is known for its rolling hills, Lake Neusiedl and diverse soils. This combination creates ideal conditions for viticulture. With a wine-growing area of 11,538 hectares, Burgenland is Austria's second largest wine-growing region after Lower Austria. The region around Lake Neusiedl is characterised by its terroir-dependent qualities, which favour the production of high-quality wines, including full-bodied red wines such as Zweigelt and fruit-intensive sweet wines.

Grape variety diversity in Burgenland

Grüner Veltliner: Freshness and spice

Grüner Veltliner is one of Austria's best-known white wine varieties. In Burgenland, it produces wines that impress with their freshness, delicate spice and lively acidity. This variety thrives particularly well in the cooler locations around the Leithaberg. Other white wine varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc also thrive in Burgenland and are characterised by their dryness, structure and aromas.

Blaufränkisch: The queen of red wines

Blaufränkisch is the dominant red wine variety in Burgenland. It produces powerful, structured wines with dark fruit and spicy notes. Especially in Central Burgenland, also known as ‘Blaufränkischland’, the clay soils produce outstanding qualities, as these soils, together with the warm climatic conditions, result in wines with great fruit intensity and length.

Cabernet Sauvignon: international class

Cabernet Sauvignon finds ideal conditions in Burgenland. The wines are characterised by depth, complexity and enormous ageing potential. In cuvées, it brings structure and elegance.

St. Laurent: elegance and finesse

St. Laurent, an indigenous Austrian grape variety, produces elegant, velvety red wines with fine fruit and harmonious acidity in Burgenland. It shows its full potential especially in the cooler locations.

Some vintages, such as 2005, are particularly noteworthy as they produce wines of exceptional quality that are typical of their origin.

Pinot Noir: Burgundian sophistication

Pinot Noir, also known as Blauburgunder, produces refined, elegant wines in Burgenland. The combination of a cool climate and calcareous soils provides ideal conditions for this demanding variety.

Pinot Blanc: Freshness and versatility

White wines, especially Pinot Blanc or Weißburgunder, produce fresh, fruity wines with a fine acidity structure in Burgenland. They are excellent accompaniments to light dishes and are also a delight on their own.

Wine and cuisine: perfect combinations

The wines of Burgenland are versatile accompaniments to a wide variety of dishes. A Grüner Veltliner goes well with light starters, fish dishes or Asian cuisine. Blaufränkisch harmonises with strong meat dishes such as beef or game. Cabernet Sauvignon complements grilled dishes and mature cheeses. St. Laurent and Pinot Noir are ideal partners for poultry, mushroom dishes or fine pâtés. Pinot Blanc accompanies salads, seafood or light pasta dishes.

Burgenland is also a popular destination for wine lovers from all over the world who want to discover the region's various wine specialities.

DAC areas: quality with provenance

Burgenland has several DAC areas (Districtus Austriae Controllatus), which stand for quality wines typical of their region of origin. These include:

• Leithaberg DAC: known for mineral white wines and elegant red wines.
• Mittelburgenland DAC: Focus on Blaufränkisch with a strong character.
• Eisenberg DAC: Exciting red wines with a mineral note.
• Neusiedlersee DAC: Variety of white, red and sweet wines.
• Ruster Ausbruch DAC: Famous noble sweet wines with great ageing potential.

Sustainability and innovation

Many winemakers in Burgenland are committed to sustainable viticulture and organic and biodynamic methods. Innovative approaches and respect for nature characterise the work in the vineyards and cellars.

Despite these modern developments, the long tradition of winegrowing in Burgenland plays a decisive role and underlines the diversity and quality of the wines.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Burgenland wine

Which grape varieties are typical for Burgenland?

Typical grape varieties grown in Burgenland are Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Grüner Veltliner, St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

What does DAC mean in relation to wine?

DAC stands for ‘Districtus Austriae Controllatus’ and refers to quality wines typical of their origin from specific regions with clearly defined criteria. In the case of Burgenland, these are specific DAC areas such as Neusiedlersee, Leithaberg and Eisenberg, which are known for their unique soil conditions and microclimates.

What foods go well with Blaufränkisch?

Red wines from Burgenland, such as the powerful Blaufränkisch, go well with strong meat dishes such as beef, game or lamb, as well as with spicy cheeses.

Are there also sweet wines from Burgenland?

Yes, sweet wines from Burgenland, such as the famous Ruster Ausbruch, are particularly well known for their great ageing potential and benefit from the special microclimate and high humidity, which create ideal conditions for the formation of noble rot.

Where can you buy Burgenland wines?

Burgenland wines are available as a diverse range of products in well-stocked wine shops, online shops and directly from the wineries. Here you will find a wide selection of different wines from the region, which impress with their special characteristics and awards.