Pub Klemo, an indie wine bar that stands out

Vienna has a good number of wine bars, but the overall quality isn’t very high. Considering that Wein & CO seems to have betrayed us and our expectations and that, unfortunately, La Cave is closing, a gap has opened in my roster of wine bars. That’s why I returned to Pub Klemo, a beautiful wine bar in the fifth district where I first tasted international wines for educational purposes.

However, over time, I stopped going because the wine bar was (and still is) a bit too indie, with its passion for natural wines and a focus more on adhering to a canon than on quality standards. I always find it ironic that a disruptive movement like that of natural wines has confined itself to a kind of orthodoxy and fierce, progressive exclusions. Nevertheless, Pub Klemo, though avoiding the excesses of the much-avoided “natural wine bars,” follows this trend, especially in terms of its extensive wine list.

There is, however, one aspect that redeems Pub Klemo and, paradoxically, makes it an almost intermediate wine bar, somewhere between educational and experimental: every week, they offer a themed selection of 6 white wines and 6 red wines (for example, the Sicilian red wines tasted in April 2024). This frequency is excellent and truly ambitious; one can’t help but tip their hat to such generosity in their offerings, considering that the wines available by the glass are often from older vintages and are never the same as those on the regular wine list. The glasses, measured at 1/16 of a 0.75-liter bottle, can be purchased in sets of six or singularly and they are available every evening for a week (though by Wednesday, some wines run out). Recently, I regretted not frequenting Pub Klemo more often in the recent past.

Reviewing Pub Klemo according to the parameters I’ve already identified in other articles, we note:

• Quality of the offering: Very good. Specifically:
  • Bottle selection: Ranges from medium-low for wines available by the glass to very good for the weekly special selection. The overall level is medium.
  • Breadth of the offering: Very good, with the wine list offering at least 25 glasses, in addition to the 12 weekly tasting options. Truly a great selection.
  • Frequency of changes in the offering: Again, a very high level. We’ve already mentioned the splendid weekly tastings. The wine list often features familiar names and remnants from previous week’s tastings, but it’s never static.
• Service: The service method in a wine bar is a fundamental aspect, often underestimated. Wine isn’t judged solely by its intrinsic quality but also by how it’s served. At Pub Klemo, the service is generally good, though there are some aspects that could be improved.
  • Temperature: The temperature of the wine is one of the most important elements to ensure a good tasting experience, and Pub Klemo does well in this area. The wines are served at the correct temperature, both whites and reds. I’ve never encountered a red served too warm or a white too cold.
  • Glassware: Not top-tier, but still good: a decent glass.
  • Water and bread: Only water is available, but it’s served in sufficient quantities, and the service is quick to refill the carafes when empty.
  • Half-glass option: A feature I particularly love when going to a wine bar is the option to order a half-glass, meaning 1/16 of a bottle instead of the classic 1/8. For those, like me, who are more interested in discovering new wines rather than sipping just one all evening, this option is invaluable. It allows for exploring a wider range of labels, tasting wines that might be more expensive by the full glass, and experimenting with lesser-known bottles without too much regret. At Pub Klemo, this option is perfectly implemented: all the wines on the list are also available in the half-glass format.
• Service: When going to a wine bar, being greeted kindly is certainly pleasant, but for me, the speed of service also matters. I’ve noticed that in many wine bars, the staff tends to be slow, perhaps because it’s assumed that wine enthusiasts want to take their time. Personally, however, I appreciate faster service without sacrificing courtesy and attention. At Pub Klemo, the service is quite good. In the past, there was a very friendly and always cheerful waitress, whose presence I greatly appreciated. I was sad to see her go, but I was pleasantly surprised by her replacement: a young waiter who stands out for his competence, helpfulness, and above all, a genuine passion for wine. It’s clear he’s not there just to serve glasses; he’s truly interested in what he’s offering.
• Furnishings: The décor of a wine bar is often a matter of personal taste. For example, I like traditional settings, with plenty of wood, bottles displayed without too much fuss, and a rustic atmosphere. In my opinion, Pub Klemo hits the mark with details like the map of wine regions on every table. Less original, but still pleasant, are the boards of prestigious wine crates that adorn the bar. The lighting is soft, creating an intimate atmosphere even in a space as cramped as the venue. The size of the wine bar favors intimacy, and isn’t wine tasting perhaps an affaire intime?

Summary: Pub Klemo is truly a very good wine bar, offering wines that aren’t always exciting but with frequent rotations and a wide selection. Here, wine is taken seriously, and it’s served properly and in appropriate glasses. The half-glass option is available, and the staff makes you want to come back, as does the intimate atmosphere created by the furnishings.

Wine Tasting at Pub Klemo: Wachau Riesling 2022 and Barbaresco

At the end of September, I returned to Pub Klemo and decided to mix the two weekly tastings, partly out of curiosity and partly because some of the wines from Wachau were no longer available—they sell out quickly, as is always the case with the more sought-after labels. In the end, I opted for a mix: I tasted three Wachau Rieslings from 2022 and three Barbarescos. The Austrians impressed me, but I found the Piedmont wines truly exceptional. Here are my impressions:

Trenning Riesling 2022 – Grabenwerkstatt
Straw yellow with silver highlights. Apricot, hazelnut, lemon peel, with aromas that almost evoke the mountains. The acidity acts as a pivot, exciting the palate, lively and juicy. On the palate, butter. A finish of white peach with a subtle polyphenolic echo. Young, with a final hydrocarbon note that bursts forth, suggesting a long future ahead.

Loibenberg Riesling 2022 – Pichler-Krutzler
Straw yellow. Elegant, but perhaps a bit too introverted. Verbena, old wood, yellow blossom apples, smoked. Acidity acts as a pivot and then emerges in the final echoes. Very hidden and, for that reason, exciting. On the palate, the pear soon transforms into honeyed notes of great elegance. Less bold than the previous one, showing style.

Vinothek Riesling 2022 – Nikolaihof
A slightly more golden yellow. Dates, vanilla, dried apricots. Lacks just a bit of fruit concentration to reach the top. Splendid acidity, embedded in the fruit that forms the backbone and then emerges in the finish. On the palate, dates, and in the finish, dried apricot, with exciting polyphenols. Once the wood integrates, it will be spectacular.

Barbaresco Riserva Pajé 2014 – Produttori del Barbaresco
What a nose! Cherry, autumn, leather. Granular tannins on the gums, already well-rounded. Excellent acidity. A beautiful body, where after the violets and raspberries, asphalt emerges, perhaps slightly astringent. Immediately appealing. It evokes the Langhe, full of life and agility.

Gallina Barbaresco 2019 – Piero Busso
Pomegranate, very old leather, raspberries. Young, sandy tannins on the gums. On the palate, plum, with a slightly balsamic finish where the juiciness of the raspberries bursts forth with power. Composed but irresistible. Good acidity, savory, and with excellent grip on the palate.

Barbaresco 2018 – Fabio Gea
The best nose of the day: leather, cinnamon, red currant. Very pleasant tannins, gripping the gums in grains. On the palate, the red currant leads, quickly moving toward a bitter finish, which I don’t love but is perfectly executed. Great balance and an eternal finish.

In conclusion:

• Winners: Barbaresco
• Podium:
  1. Gallina Barbaresco 2019 by Piero Busso
  2. Barbaresco 2018 by Fabio Gea
  3. Barbaresco Riserva Pajé 2014 by Produttori del Barbaresco

• Best Riesling: Vinothek Riesling 2022 by Nikolaihof

However, I was less impressed by the tasting of red wines from Southwest France. You can also read the review of Donnafugata’s wines here.

It’s also here that I first tasted real Chablis: I go into it in the comparison between Chardonnay and Chablis.