When you hear "Austria," your mind might drift to the soaring notes of The Sound of Music, or the snow-capped Alps glittering in the sun. But while those hills are indeed alive with music and beauty, they are not home to vineyards. The heart of Austrian wine lies not in the west, where the Alps dominate, but in the east, where the hills roll gently and the Danube River snakes its way through valleys steeped in history and vines.
San Luis, the person, not the place, had a rough start. It was 1284, and little San Luis was just 10 years old, he became a political prisoner, held hostage in Catalonia by the King of Aragon for nearly seven years. This wasn’t uncommon for the time, his father was Charles II of Anjou, King of Naples, and young Luis was the heir. In the late 13th century, royal families negotiated peace not with signatures but with sons. In this case, San Luis paid the price for dynastic diplomacy.
Grüner Veltliner is Austria's flagship white grape variety, renowned for its vibrant acidity, intriguing spice, and ability to express terroir. As one of the most widely planted grapes in Austria, accounting for 32 percent of the country's vineyards, it has captivated wine lovers with its complexity and versatility. From crisp, refreshing everyday wines, to age-worthy, premium bottles, Grüner Veltliner offers a thrilling tasting experience.
As the weather cools and the time for campfires and backyard grilling returns, choosing the right wine to pair with your outdoor feasts becomes essential. Consider key wine characteristics like acidity, flavor intensity, fruitiness, body weight, and alcohol content when making your selections. High-acid wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, can cleanse the palate, while fuller-bodied reds, like Zinfandel or Malbec, stand up to bold grilling rubs and sauces. Because wine can often play the dominant role in pairings, balance its flavors against the richness of grilled dishes. This way, each sip and bite enhances the other, making for a perfect evening around the fire.
In the most broad sense, a winery’s location determines the wine laws it may choose to follow. The question basically comes down to how a winery label their wines. Or how do they choose to label their wines? Why is this so important? A label can express a level of quality or the basic amount of production element done to that wine to achieve that level of quality. If done well, the customer can have a legitimate amount of confidence in what is purchased, be it a high-end bottle or an every day table wine. The level of quality expressed, like many other parts of economics, will translate to the amount of money a customer would be willing to pay.
