If there’s someone in Vienna who knows how to organize a great wine party, it’s Falstaff. In spring I attended the Weißweingala (and later I also took part in Oh, Bordeaux! and Rotweingala), where some of the best Austrian whites on the market were showcased. This time it was the turn of the bubbles, with Italian, German and French producers taking part, and particular attention paid to representatives of the Belpaese.
The venue also changed, from the majestic Hofburg (which also hosts VieVinum and is often the hub of Vienna’s major wine events) to the more compact Atelierhaus, still in the city center. They’re different places for different situations, but the Atelierhaus perhaps manages to engage attendees better: it’s a modern space inside an old building, with a non-imperial yet posh charm that pairs beautifully with sparkling wines. Speaking of what interests us most, I found Falstaff’s selection very strong and, judging by the number of attendees, I wasn’t the only one. The Atelierhaus would go on to host the Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Wien 2026, where the focus shifted from Italian sparklers to Austrian producers, with the Kamptal taking centre stage.
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Falstaff events manage to give participants a sense of exclusivity. It’s not just about having great bottles and tastefully dressing the rooms, but also about offering crowd-pulling food exhibitors, and in this case caviar and prosciutto certainly raised the level of the event. But we’ve got our sights set on the wines, so here’s a small roundup of the producers I chose to focus on.
The Wines of the Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Vienna 2025
A-Nobis
I was very curious about this Austrian winery with one foot in Champagne, and the wines turned out to be interesting and well-made, even if not all of them leave a deep mark. Norbert Deux-Coeurs Pinot Noir Brut Champagne 2020 is crisp and vibrant, with notes of almond and apricot, clean fruit and medium complexity supported by precise acidity. Grande Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2013 offers a very intense, almost “perfumey” nose that doesn’t entirely convince; the perlage is perfect but a bit coarse and soft, with a trail of candied orange. More balanced and charming is Cuvée 1217 Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2020, which smells of fresh lemon and a spring meadow, with medium body and a delicate lime-peel lift. Cuvée Rosé Extra Brut 2019 shows pastry tones—think croissant with strawberry jam—yet stays lively and savory.
Lantieri de Paratico
Very solid wines from this Franciacorta estate. Franciacorta Cuvèe Brut is light and pleasant, perfect as a summer sparkler, with white flowers, peach and persistent bubbles: an immediate, well-balanced wine. Franciacorta Satén N.V. is more complex, with custard and pastry-cream notes and good savoriness, but it lacks a bit of depth and intensity to carry it all the way. Arcadia Millesimato 2020 is outstanding: “very alpine,” with white flowers, rock and a deep, vertical tension. Franciacorta Rosé N.V. closes the range with a more complex, wood-tinged profile, nuances of wet copper and slightly weak bubbles, but overall it’s rich and complete.
Griesel & Compagnie
This German producer, brought by the always interesting German retailer Lobenbergs, mostly left me puzzled. I don’t love the style of German sparklers—even when well-made—and these wines are very German indeed. Extra Brut Rosé opens with chalk, red-apple skin and watermelon, but tastes sweetish and unconvincing on the palate. Chardonnay Brut Nature shows bready aromas and medium body, but again the sweetness in the mouth limits incisiveness and freshness. Réserve Perpetuelle Riesling impresses with an intense, typical nose—petrol and yellow flowers—with good length and complexity, though a touch of excess sweetness makes it a bit smudged. Grande Cuvée comes closer to a Champagne style, creamy and pleasant, but penalized by irregular bubbles.
Cantina della Volta
From Modena with a punch. Lambrusco is very fashionable—helped by its accessible price—and it’s hard to find versions more successful than those from this winery. Not my favorite type of bubbles, to be sure, but it excels in its niche. Christian Bellei Millesimato surprises: a white Lambrusco with baguette and pastry notes, good savoriness and residual sugar that rounds it out and makes it harmonious. Mattaglio Blanc de Noirs reaches for depth but ends up flat, with acidity that lacks edge. Much more on point is Trentasei, with wild strawberry, rosehip, smokiness and currant: elegant, juicy and persistent. Less balanced is Brutrosso—sweet on the nose, with candied cherries and little overall harmony.
Laurent-Perrier
Champagne was there too, of course; the grandes maisons don’t show up with a modest trestle table and good intentions, but with a dedicated stand and highly professional staff. After all, Champagne is Champagne. In this case, La Cuvée Brut Champagne N.V. represents the house style well: extremely fine and continuous perlage, an elegant nose with peanuts, yellow-fruit peel and dried apples. Medium body and freshness make it refreshing and balanced—soft yet present, with a discreet, clean finish.
La Tordera
These Proseccos didn’t really make me fall in love. A3 Asolo Prosecco Superiore Extra Brut is sweet, foamy and served too warm: the experience feels heavy and tiring. Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut is drier and more floral, but still unconvincing. Serrai Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry N.V. has a very pleasant nose of candied fruit and pineapple, but suffers in the mouth from overly heavy bubbles. A12 is soft but lacks drive, while Tittoni Rive di Vidor Valdobbiadene comes across foamy and heavy, without agility. Rounding out the set, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze N.V. smells of vine shoots and primary aromas, but disappoints overall.
Harkamp
Among them all, Harkamp is one of the wineries that made the biggest impression, with a range that goes from good to excellent. All the wines are unmistakably Styrian, with roots in the terroir that are deep and evident. They may or may not make you fall in love, but you feel the stylistic consistency and attention to origin, which makes the tasting experience rewarding. Sauvignon Blanc Extra Brut is typical of Styrian Sauvignon, with kumquat, savory herbs and a slight reductive touch. The acidity is excellently integrated, even if the bubbles are a bit coarse. Pinot Noir Sekt has an intense, complex nose of raspberry and strawberries—pleasant and resolute. Zero Dosage is linear and dry, pure in its simplicity. Brut Reserve stands out for its warm, nutty profile—roasted, sugared almonds—and an engaging roundness. Solera Reserve offers more complexity, with hazelnut and tertiary notes—soft and deep. Finally, Gelber Muskateller Sekt is the most surprising: tropical and aromatic, with pineapple, jasmine and melon—super-fresh and juicy, persistent and perfectly balanced.
Steininger
Steininger is a winery from Kamptal that produces wines of good quality, but compared to Harkamp’s, they struggle to convey the same expressive depth. The Riesling Sekt represents its DAC of origin well, with petrol aromas, great freshness and lively acidity. The Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Sekt is sweet and robust, but not very balanced. The Grüner Veltliner Grosse Reserve Sekt is rich and spicy, with white pepper but a body that’s too heavy. The Chardonnay Reserve Sekt stands out for structure and clarity, slightly smoky and direct. The Traminer Sekt is very perfumed, with jasmine and rose oil, but sweet and unbalanced. Much better is the Pinot Blanc Sekt, fresh and honest, with dulce de leche, butter and honey, a floral hint and excellent persistence. The rich house style shines when the grape variety already has verticality, as in the case of Riesling and Chardonnay; where acidity plays a smaller role, there’s a risk of imbalance.
Bründlmayer
Bründlmayer does both still and sparkling wines well and once again confirmed its high level of quality. The Extra Brut Reserve is round and rich, with apple, freshly cut grass and savoriness, supported by lively and dense bubbles. The Brut Reserve is juicy and characterful, almost Riesling-like in its freshness, with long persistence and excellent phenolic balance. The Brut Rosé N.V. offers wild strawberry and small red fruits, plenty of savoriness and marked phenolics, pleasant even if not overwhelming. The Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Reserve N.V. is complex and deep, with lemon, integrated wood and pastry notes; slightly alcoholic but with great substance and juice.
Villa Franciacorta
I had already encountered this winery in the past and it had convinced me then. This occasion confirmed that first impression. The Emozione Brut is soft and straightforward, showing how Franciacorta wines can combine balance and immediacy, qualities sometimes less present in Austrian traditional-method wines. The Mon Satèn Brut is round and balanced, with a medium-full body but less personality. The Bokè Rosé Brut is citrusy, serious and balanced, with plenty of body. The Extra Blu Extra Brut is direct and alpine, with marked verticality and glorious acidity. The Diamant Pas Dosé is deep and structured, with lots of apple and fruit, reminiscent of grilled apples on brioche bread with honey. The 40 Emozione Riserva Brut is very autolytic, with bread crust and grilled pineapple; the bubbles are less lively, but the body remains convincing and the aroma recalls Champagne.
Enrico Serafino
The winery that surprised me most at the event. I already had a good opinion of Alta Langa, but I had never fallen in love with it — before meeting this producer. The Alta Langa Oudeis Brut is saline and citrusy, with great drinkability. The Oudeis Alta Langa Rosé de Saignée is very serious, with great savoriness and structure. The Alta Langa Brut has verticality and precision, expanding in width and depth. The Zero Riserva Pas Dosé is balanced and direct, savory and harmonious. The M+M 18 Perpetuelle Sbagliato Alta Langa Extra Brut is exceptional: soft yet incisive, broad, savory and structured, with great depth. The Zero 140 Riserva confirms the very high level of the winery, intense, savory and substantial. What these wines share is a savoriness that seems to spread horizontally across the palate, almost umami-like, while the varietal characteristics give verticality to the sip. Wines that move on two axes, with endless charm and elegance.
Charles Heidsieck
What I said for Laurent-Perrier also applies here: in both presence and products, the Champagne houses made themselves noticed, and the excellent wines were on par with the care with which they were presented. The Brut Réserve N.V. is a classic, textbook Champagne: intense, creamy, medium-bodied, with notes of cake batter and bakery, pure elegance. The Blanc de Blancs N.V. is citrusy and electric, direct and tart, with bready touches and an almost razor-sharp finesse.
My Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Vienna 2025 Awards
- Best Wines: M+M 18 Perpetuelle Sbagliato Alta Langa Extra Brut by Enrico Serafino and Brut Réserve N.V. by Charles Heidsieck
- Other Exceptional Wines: La Cuvée Brut Champagne N.V. by Laurent-Perrier, Gelber Muskateller Sekt by Harkamp, Zero Riserva Pas Dosé and Zero 140 Riserva by Enrico Serafino, Blanc de Blancs N.V. by Charles Heidsieck
- Exceptional Producers: Charles Heidsieck and Laurent-Perrier
- Most Surprising Producer: Enrico Serafino
- Most Charming Producer: Harkamp
- Overall Wine Level: Very, very good
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The best wines, no boring scores
