A Glass of Burgenland in Vienna 2024

Burgenland Wines in Vienna

“Auf ein Glas Burgenland” is an event that falls into the category of those that Austrians excel at, namely internal self-promotion (another good example is the Steirische Riedenweinverkostung). This event, held on March 4, 2024, saw the participation of over a hundred wine producers from Burgenland, an Austrian wine region renowned for its production of high-quality wines bordering Hungary. More renowned areas (such as Wachau or Kamptal) are not represented in Vienna and await the arrival of enthusiasts and wine tourists. However, less-known denominations (DAC – Districtus Austriae Controllatus) find a prestigious showcase to share their excellences right in the Hofburg, the Viennese imperial palace.

Of course, with such a wide offering, one must choose, so I focused on some producers that I had already heard of and had marked in my “must-try” list. Burgenland is renowned especially for its reds, particularly Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt, but there is also production of still whites, such as Chardonnay, and sweet wines.

Overall, I had a very good impression of the level offered, although the excellences remain few and some exploit the name of the area to bottle wines of little value, but let’s delve into the details.

Feiler-Artinger

Feiler-Artinger, a producer from Rust in the Leithaberg region, turned out to be an excellent ambassador for Burgenland. Their Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Franc both seemed very solid to me. The Blaufränkisch, represented by the Ried Rust Oberer Wald 2020, had notes of cherry pit and incense, supported by a spicy note on the palate, while the Cabernet Franc 2019 highlighted a bouquet of cherry and menthol, with decisive tannins and great freshness. However, the Solitaire 2019 cuvée, although round and fresh with notes of violets and pomegranate, was less impressive. Overall, Feiler-Artinger proved to be an excellent winery, with precise and distinctive wines that embody the authentic essence of Burgenland’s terroir.

Gager

Gager, a winery in Deutschkreutz (Mittelburgenland), was disappointing. Their Cablot blend, previously appreciated, had caught my attention despite Stephen Brook’s criticism of the winery’s tendency to produce overly extracted wines distant from the terroir. However, their Blaufränkisch Ried Mitterberg 2021 turned out to be disappointing, with a light body and a dusty and powerful tannin that seemed too unbalanced.

Toni Hartl

Toni Hartl (winery in Reisenberg, in Leithaberg), although highly regarded by the aforementioned Stephen Brook, turned out to be only a decent experience during my visit. If it hadn’t been for his van clearly visible at the entrance of the event, I might have risked not noticing it. The Chardonnay 2021, although presenting lively acidity and a silky body, disappointed due to the lack of aromas. The Pinot Noir Goldberg 2019, on the other hand, offered a more satisfying experience, with notes of small red fruits, leather, and spices, accompanied by a silky tannin and a tasty finish. The Inkognito 2020 cuvée, although characterized by a nice dense body, showed a poor finish not up to expectations.

IBY

IBY (Mittelburgenland) seemed like a solid but not particularly distinctive producer. Their reds, although well made, seem to blend in among the many wines present. These bottles are likely more suitable for enjoying at the table, where they don’t have to compete for the drinker’s attention. The Big Blend Cuvée 2021, characterized by notes of bell pepper and pepper, offers appreciable freshness. The Chevalier Blaufränkisch 2021 stands out for its concentration and complexity, with notes of incense, dried herbs, and a powerful tannin that gives the wine an intense body and a spicy finish. The Merlot Reserve 2021, with characteristics like wood and spiciness, seems to lack originality, resulting in a standardized product.

Iby Lehrner

Visited stand due to confusion with the other IBY mentioned above. The Cuvée Prelude 2019 reveals a bouquet of tobacco, pepper, and bell pepper, giving the palate a crispy and lively note. The mouth is enveloped by an exciting spiciness that persists until the finish. The pleasures of homonymy (again, a winery from Mittelburgenland).

Jalits

The Jalits winery, from the southern part of Burgenland, had on its side the Blaufränkisch Diabas 2019 (then tasted again at VieVinum 2024), which was certainly one of the top three wines of the day. Also, the quality-price ratio is very interesting: around €30 per bottle. The Diabas 2019 stands out for its intense notes of pepper, smoke, chocolate, and black currant, which also persist in the mouth, offering an extraordinary structure and body. The spicy and smoky finish is very long, while the dusty tannin gives a pleasant sensation on the tongue and gums.

The rest of the range offered by Jalits is at a medium-high quality level. The Weissburgunder Kalk-Und Schiefer 2022 offers a pleasant combination of wet stone, white pepper, and white peach, with a nice body supported by well-considered wood. The Blaufränkisch Eisenberg Reserve Ried Fasching 2021 presents notes of stable, wood, black currant, and smoke, with good tension and a silky but decisive tannin. Finally, the Cuvée Kontur 2019, with its aromatic profile of pepper, stable, herbs, and wood, stands out for its power and granular tannin.

K+K Kirnbauer

The K+K Kirnbauer winery in Deutschkreutz was the best among those encountered, and its Cabernet Franc Das Konquest was one of the top three wines. It’s always a pleasant surprise when the base line wines, such as the 7301 Blaufränkisch 2021, are excellent and offer exceptional value for money (around €10 per bottle). This wine stands out for its notes of incense, stable, and herbs, with a freshness that makes it irresistible.

The Zweigelt Girmer Reserve 2021, with its notes of cherry, wood, sloe, and stable, offers density and decisive tannin, making it a solid choice. The Blaufränkisch Gold Reserve 2021 is a perfect example of Blaufränkisch, with notes of pepper, incense, and small berry fruits, a round body, and a spicy finish that leaves a lasting impression.

The Das Phantom 2021, with notes of cherry, blueberry, and wood, stands out for its freshness, although it retains a tannic and spicy character. Finally, the Cabernet Franc Das Konquest 2020 has a balsamic aromatic profile, with notes of green pepper and blackberry. This wine offers excellent body and a persistent closure, with extreme tannins that leave a dusty sensation on the gums and inner lips. Wow.

Kopfensteiner

The Kopfensteiner winery, located in Südburgenland, presented a selection of wines that falls into the medium-high range, with one of their wines, the Cuvée Border 2021, in the top 3 of the day. This cuvée, composed of 60% Blaufränkisch, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, stands out for its vegetal profile and tones of blueberry. It offers a nice fresh body and on the palate, it is vanilla-flavored, with an engaging and powerful tannin that leaves a chalky sensation on the inner lips and a finish that pleasantly persists.

The Saybritz Weiss 2022 presents notes of apple, honey, and flowers but is slightly mute despite its density. The Blaufränkisch Deutsch Schützen Eisenberg Reserve 2019 is fresh and fruity but lacks intensity. The Ried Szapary Eisenberg Reserve Blaufränkisch 2021 stands out for its power, with notes of wild berries and bell pepper. Finally, the Merlot 2019 offers aromas of wood, cherry, and blueberry, presenting itself as a full but predictable wine.

Weingut Helmut Lang

The Weingut Helmut Lang winery in Neusiedlersee is renowned for its sweet wines, and expectations were high. However, there was also a dry white: the Ried Neufeld Goldmuskateller 2022, with its notes of lemon sorbet and orange peel, offers a smooth drink and a fresh finish.

Moving on to the sweet wines, the Goldmuskateller Eiswein 2019 showed notes of orange peel, sorbet, and a delicate hint of hazelnut. Its dense and unctuous texture is accompanied by excellent acidity that arrives late, after the sip, ensuring a truly enjoyable drinking experience. Excellent value for money: around €20. Honestly, though, after so many reds, I suspect even a mediocre sweet wine would have caught my attention.

Prieler

The Prieler winery in Schützen, in the heart of Leithaberg, has a particular focus on whites. The Pinot Blanc Alte Reben 2021, despite being dense with a nice body, turned out to be rather closed on the nose, offering only hints of green melon and presenting the classic acidity of the variety that quickly disappears from the tongue. Rare instance of old vine wine less interesting than its younger version.

A subsequent tasting after the Falstaff Weißweingala 2025 made me think again.

Also, the Ried Haidsatz Pinot Blanc 2021 was rather mute on the nose, with a predominant presence of wood. However, its creamy body and tasty finish with hints of clementine peel made this experience more satisfying. Certainly, the whites of Burgenland seem really introverted, better the Handwerk Weißburgunder by Stagård.

Instead, the Goldberg Blaufränkisch 2020 shone for its modernity and dynamism, showing a clear expression of the terroir. Notes of incense, smoke, and raisin harmoniously merged with an extremely agile body and an engaging and dusty tannin on the gums. The finish, a sweet licorice juice, was super long and lively. A Blaufränkisch far from the excessive wood cannon shots that sometimes dominate other wines in the region: finally the terroir.

Maria Reumann

The Maria Reumann winery in Deutschkreutz stood out with its cuvèe Phoenix 2021, a wine that caught my attention for its complexity and depth. With notes of overripe plum, wood, and smoke, this wine offers a rich and engaging aromatic bouquet. The tannin, vigorous and almost sandy, supports the body of the wine powerfully, creating an engaging sensory experience. The tasty finish completes the experience. Between this winery and K+K Kirnbauer, Deutschkreutz has well deserved a visit.

Scheiblhofer

The Scheiblhofer winery in Neusiedlersee is a very commercial entity, with labels well recognizable to anyone who frequents Austrian supermarkets. However, despite or because of their Californian approach, their wines disappointed my expectations. They may succeed in the mass market, but they fail to keep up with more attentive producers who place greater emphasis on quality and authenticity like many of those tested at the event.

The Big John Cuvée Selection 2022 and The Legends 2022 present a similar profile, characterized by a predominance of fruit and an evident presence of tannin. Although they may attract those looking for robust wines, they lack complexity and refinement.

The Zweigelt Prädium 2022 stands out slightly from the other two, offering notes of strawberry that mingle with a warm hint of wood, typical of the brand. However, the presence of a peppery and spicy note gives it a certain interest, although the strong tannin may be excessive.

In conclusion

• Burgenland reds are truly very interesting. They offer a diverse range of styles, more or less modern.
• Blaufränkisch is an intriguing variety, very noble. The whites seem really too introverted.
• The quality of the wines was average, with some excellences.
• Deutschkreutz deserves a visit. (although I have recently visited Mittelburgenland, which impressed me greatly)

Speaking of spicy red wines, read also our impressions about Schioppettino 2022 of Marco Sara.