Wein & Co May 2024 – What’s Happening?

Wein & Co is a renowned Austrian wine shop, famous for its widespread presence with several branches scattered throughout the country. It is a reference point in the Austrian wine world and, according to my taxonomy of wine shops, it is the perfect educational wine shop as it offers Austrian wines, of course, and then French, Italian, Spanish, and some from the New World. In short, it is the commercial transposition of the World Atlas of Wines.

The widespread presence of Wein & Co has significantly shaped the taste of Austrian wine consumers because when it introduces a new producer, its scale shines a spotlight on the bottles in question. Moreover, many of the outlets also serve wines by the glass, and the offer, very classic, has always been impressive in terms of quality and quantity, with a monthly updated wine list that offers four bubbles, ten “simple” whites, ten “simple” reds, two sweet wines or Port, and about ten “fine wines”, a category not always familiar to Italian consumers but widespread abroad. There was also a “producer of the month”, often Austrian, offering three wines (and that’s how I discovered Gerard Bertrand).

Up until this month.

Reduced Menu at Wein & Co

In April, the menu at the main Wein & Co wine shop in Stephansplatz went from being a nice glossy booklet to a much simpler sheet, identical to those of less central outlets. In May, all menus have become similar to a Word document, ugly and sad. This change was accompanied by a reduction in the variety of wines offered this month, with a selection reduced to just five whites, five reds, and five “fine wines”. The bubbles have maintained their space, but there is a noticeable absence of sweet wines, Port, and the usual producer of the month.

I must confess that the recent change has left me with a sense of sadness. Wein & Co wines have given me unforgettable tastings, with options even of 1/16 glass that allowed me to discover incredible bottles like the 2016 Honivogl by Hirtzberger, the Chablis Grand Cru Bougros by William Fevre, and the 2020 Château Belair-Monange, just to name a few. Now, seeing the reduced offering makes me melancholic. Perhaps, considering how some bottles remained unsold, this choice may not have been economically sustainable. However, for wine lovers who have appreciated the diversity and the opportunity to discover extraordinary wines, it is hard not to feel disappointed (also if Vienna provides other interesting options, such as the wine shop La Cave).

Nevertheless, even from this reduced wine list, something has thoroughly caught my attention. Here are the three most interesting wines on Wein & Co’s May 2024 wine list, from the one that impressed me the least to the one that impressed me the most, hoping that next month will already bring us back to the splendor of the past:

Tastings

Ried Pfarrweingarten Sauvignon Blanc Grosse STK Lage 2021 – Weingut Sattlerhof

Golden yellow with straw reflections, characterized by notes of smoke, graphite, wood, and yellow apple. Soft and elegant with excellent acidity and a persistent finish of apple and well-integrated wood. A Sauvignon Blanc with a subtle character but with great duration, although as always Styrian Sauvignons struggle to excite me.

Steinmassl Riesling Reserve Erste OTW Lage 2015 – Weingut Fred Loimer

Deep golden yellow with notes of apple, honey, rock, and sage. Soft and smooth body with sweet spices and chili pepper on the palate. Dense texture and fruit concentration, with high and excellent acidity. Eternal and savory finish of pear and apricot. Elegant and very soft for a wine from Kamptal. I discovered more about this producer at VieVinum 2024, despite having been kind of disappointed.

Clos de la Dioterie Chinon 2020 – Charles Joguet

Ruby with violet reflections, with balsamic, tobacco, licorice, cherry, and cranberries notes on the nose. Powerful powdery tannin in the mouth with splendid acidity and plum flavors. Super spicy and juicy finish with structure given by tannins and acidity. A mature and juicy Cabernet Franc with great duration and satisfaction.

Wein & CO has since updated its menu, and you can find comments on the wines from July – August in the review of Wein & CO in Hietzing and the ones of October in the review of Wein & CO of Stephansplatz.