Choose your wines from Austria in December

Choose your wines from Austria in December

The Christmas traditions here are just a bit more distinctive, and so are the wines. What a small country can't be big on! We tip some for the festive season and let you hear what wine experts have to say about Austrian wine. - TEXT EDITORS | IMAGE AUSTRIAN WINE / BLICKWERK PHOTOGRAPHY

Chasing away winter ghosts in Tyrol and Salzburgenland

Every country has traditions but in Austria they are just a bit more unusual. For example, presents are not given by Father Christmas or St Nicholas but by the baby Jesus, who enters through the keyhole. At the time-honoured Perchtenlopen in Tyrol and Salzburgerland, you are startled by terrifying figures in animal skins chasing away winter spirits with a lot of noise. Austrian kitchens host elaborate sessions of Christmas biscuit baking and the tradition of displaying nativity scenes at home also dates back to 1782. But most of all, people look forward to the elaborate Christmas meal during which those fantastic local wines are poured. This year, we at the editorial department are picking up this tradition.

'With nothing else do you spell the word party as well as with Sekt!'

Master of Wine Anne Krebiehl

Quality Austrian Sekt

We start, of course, with Sekt. This sparkling wine is usually made in Austria using traditional methods, with a second fermentation of the base wine in the bottle. There are various designations of origin and quality designations that indicate where the grapes come from and how the Sekt is made. In Austria, carp is popular as a fish at Christmas, but we choose to then pour a sumptuous Grüner Veltliner with a Christmas goose. A cool and fruity red wine also suits. To taste the different flavours of the Austrian wine-growing regions, there are 18 in total, and even the signature of the artisan winemaker, we open several bottles. For dessert, there are plenty of sumptuous red wines to choose from and, of course, the noble-sweet wines Auslese and Eiswein, which go perfectly with Christmas biscuits. Instead of Gewürztraminer, we then go for the rare Rotgipfler, a grape that is related to the Roter Veltliner and ferments incredibly beautifully in autumn before being picked late. A silent night, even though this song originated in Austria, it certainly won't be this year! Find more suggestions for wine with the Christmas meal at AUSTRIANWINE.COM

Shopping tips for Christmas dinner

  • KARL STEININGER GRÜNER VELTLINER SEKT | €23.65 | VANLIEVERLEE.NL
  • BRANDL ZÖBING 'RIED ZÖBINGER KOGELBERG 1ST LOW' GRÜNER VELTLINER | WINEFAIR.CO.UK | €18.99
  • KELLERMEISTER RESERVE BLAUER ZWEIGELT 2019 | € 13,99 | GALL.CO.UK

Can it be a bit more? Magnums from Austria!

Big days call for big gifts: bottle sizes such as magnum or double magnum not only leave a great impression under the Christmas tree, but they also offer a practical advantage: the wine matures more slowly and evenly, as larger bottles contain less oxygen in relation to the volume of wine, while the thicker glass minimises the influences of light and temperature.

Professionals recommend...

These international wine experts cannot imagine a Christmas without Austrian wine. Here they reveal their tips.

  • Raimonds Tomsons, Best Sommelier of Europe:
    'Austrian wine, with its diversity of styles, can perfectly complement the whole Christmas meal, starting with high-quality Austrian Sekt as an aperitif, different styles of white wine with seafood or even lighter meat dishes, typical and authentic red wines with different types of meat dishes and some of the best sweet wines in the world to complement the Christmas dessert!'
  • Anne Krebiehl, Master of Wine:
    'With nothing else do you spell the word party as well as with Sekt! So under the Christmas tree you put a traditional method Sekt: dry, fine and light. You can drink it anytime and it tastes good to everyone, so it's a perfect gift in every respect."
  • Martina Hohenlohe, Gault&Millau Austria:
    'Austrian wine catches the eye because no matter how small our country may be compared to other wine-producing countries, the variety is huge. From elegant Sekt to classic white wines, aged reds, velvety dessert wines and to curiosities. My letter to Santa: Wine from Austria, please.'

Want to know more about Austrian Sekt?

'Austrian Sekt' or 'Austrian Qualitätsschaumwein' may be marketed under this designation only if the wine has been produced exclusively from the 40 grape varieties authorised for the production of Qualitätswein in Austria and is free from defects in appearance, smell and taste. This category corresponds in origin to wine without a protected designation of origin, and therefore may not be marketed on the same level be placed as Qualitätswein - as opposed to Sekt with protected designation of origin. READ MORE GAME RULES AT AUSTRIANWINE.COM

 

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