Wine Ratings: Austria’s Best Red Wines - 2010

The wine guide, in German, Austria’s Best Red Wines 2010 (Oesterreichs Beste Rotweine 2010) was released on December 3, 2009. The wine guide is published by the two wine journalists Helmut O. Knall and Walter Tucek.

Like Germany, Austria has an international reputation for its white wines, but there has been a revolution going on in terms of red wines in recent years. In both countries, red wine now accounts for about 1/3 of the wine production.

Earlier this years, for the first time, a red wine from Austria has earned 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Moric, Blaufränkisch, Neckenmarkter Alte Reben, 2006 scooped the high ranking.

This success of the Burgenland red echoed a bit the triumph of the Pinot Noir of Weingut Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs 2005, from the Ahr region in Germany that won the 2008 the International Pinot Noir Trophy (Over £10) of the Decanter World Wine Awards.

There are four key Austrian red varieties, although others are grown, including some ‘international’ grapes.

Zwiegelt: The most abundant red grape; makes good wines ranging from simple cherry fruit gluggers to more substantial reds destined for ageing.

Blaufränkisch: Common in Burgenland this makes spicy, sturdy, berry fruited reds which can have some tannic structure. Probably Austria’s best red grape.

Blauer Portugieser: This red grape makes soft, approachable, juicy wines mainly for early consumption. The most widely planted red grape but not for top quality wines.
St Laurent: Makes soft, slight herby, expressive reds; it’s a bit like Pinot Noir.



Picture: Wine makers Glazter (left) and Markowitsch

Knall/Tucek rate wines on a scale of 1 to 5 glasses. 34 wines were awarded 5 glasses.

4 of the 5 glasses wines come from the Carnuntum. The Carnuntum region covers an area south east of Vienna and south of the Danube. The stony lime and loess soils of the Leithagebirge, the Arbesthaler Hügelland and the Hainburger Bergen, together with the Pannonian micro climate and the proximity to the Danube offer ideal natural conditions. Europe's oldest vine can be found in this region. I have bought Glatzer and Markowitsch wines at the RotWeissRot in Munich, one of the leading, if not the best retailer of Austrian wines in Germany.

The 34 wines that were awarded 5 glasses are listed here. They can be considered as word class wines. Interestingly, Moric, who got 95 Parker points, is not on the list.

1. Schwarz Rot 2008 Weingut Johann Schwarz Neusiedlersee
2. St. Laurent Rosenberg 2007 Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer Neusiedlersee
3. Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg Reserve 2007 Dietrich - Weinbau am Spitzerberg Carnuntum
4. Spitzerberg 2007 Weingut & Gasthaus Günther Glock Carnuntum
5. Judith 2007 Weingut Beck Neusiedlersee
6. Paradigma 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
7. Pannobile 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
8. Pinot Noir 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
9. Pandur 2007 Weingut Familie Strehn Österreich - Mittelburgenland
10. Zweigelt Dornenvogel 2007 Weingut Glatzer Carnuntum
11. Eruption Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Weingut Krispel Südost-Steiermark
12. Blaufränkisch Reserve 2007 Weingut Krutzler Süd-Burgenland
13. Gigama 2007 Weingut Leth Wagram
14. Rosenberg 2007 Weingut Markowitsch Carnuntum
15. Pinot Noir 2007 Weingut Neumeister Südost-Steiermark
16. Admiral 2007 Weingut Pöckl Neusiedlersee
17. Kreideberg 2007 Weingut Wagentristl Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
18. Merlot Von den Schlossterrassen 2007 Weingut Winkler-Hermaden Südost-Steiermark
19. Altenberg Reserve 2006 Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer Neusiedlersee
20. Blaufränkisch Altenberg 2006 Weingut Beck Neusiedlersee
21. Merlot 2006 Weingut Braunstein Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
22. Cupido 2006 Weingut J. Heinrich Mittelburgenland
23. Eisner 2006 Weingut Kloster am Spitz Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
24. Pannobile 2006 Weingut Leitner Neusiedlersee
25. Hill 1 2006 Weingut Leo Hillinger Neusiedlersee
26. Eruption Rot 2006 Weingut Ploder-Rosenberg Südost-Steiermark
27. Kreos 2006 Weingut Tesch Mittelburgenland
28. Dürrau 2006 Weingut Weninger Mittelburgenland
29. Antares 2006 Weingut Zahel Wien
30. Danubis Grand Select 2005 Weingut Wieninger Wien
31. Zweigelt Hallebühl 2004 Weingut Umathum Neusiedlersee
32. Pinot Noir Grand Select 2004 Weingut Wieninger Wien
33. Langenloiser Dechant Blauburgunder 2003 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Kamptal
34. Vincent Cabernet Franc 2002 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Kamptal


Tucek & Knall: Österreichs beste Rotweine aus 2009, im Österreichischen Wirtschaftsverlag, 164 Seiten, durchgehend farbig, 9,90 Euro, Alpha Buchhandel alpha@austrodata.at


Schiller Wine – Related Postings:

Wine merchant in Munich: Rotweissrot
German Wine makers in the World: A. Schlumberger, Austria




Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Gerhard Biber, Rotweissrot in Munich