Wine Shop

Experimentation with grape vines and winemaking processes began in the area we know as Western Europe around 2000 B.C. Today, wine from Austria comes from 35 varieties of grapes. Many white grapes, such as Gruner Veltliner, Zierfandler and Rotgipfler, are indigenous, and have given Austria a reputation for making excellent dry, Austrian white wines and and Rieslings. Throughout much of the 20th century, Austrian wine regions produced large volumes of mediocre wine primarily for domestic consumption. During the 1980s greed lead to the adulteration of some wine with a chemical which increased sweetness, resulting in a scandal which destroyed the Austrian wine market. A revitalization of the country's grape-growing and wine-making processes have helped Austrian wineries focus on developing premium Austrian white wine and increasing its production of Austrian red wine. An oversight agency, the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, has imposed strict regulations on the entire industry, from grape vine to bottle. The result has been an improvement in the quality of wine from Austria, a leap in world confidence, and re-establishing of Austria's position in the global wine market.