Visakha

For people who regard themselves as wine connoisseurs and culinary travelers, Austria should be on their short list of essential places to visit.

For vacationers who want to recapture the spirit of a bygone era, where they can visit ornate palaces, imperial monuments and places where echoes of Mozart’s music reverberate, Austria fits the bill. Austria’s vibrant wine scene has earned a worldwide reputation for quality and innovation and is the destination for those seeking energy, culture and charm.

The wine regions of Austria are both beautiful and quite accessible to visitors. Once you step off the plane in Vienna, you have already arrived in one of the world’s most unique wine regions. Just an hour southeast of Vienna is the Burgenland, and one hour west of Vienna is a region of Lower Austria replete with beautiful valleys along the Danube.

In the heart of Vienna’s first district, the restaurant “Zum schwarzen Kameel” is a must to visit. Established as a spice shop in four centuries ago, Zum schwarzen Kameel has become a temple of chic Viennese gourmet culture. Start your dining experience with a glass of light, crisp Grüner Veltliner with aromas of grapefruit and white pepper. Grüner Veltliner is the Austrian white wine grape variety that has become the darling of the international wine world. Enjoy it with a canapé with the famous ham of the house. Even the lightest Grüner Veltliners have no problem with assertive herbs, vegetables and spices.

Another destination to have on your list when visiting Austria is Domäne Wachau, located in one of the world’s most stunning vineyard landscapes just below the Dürnstein castle ruins where Richard the Lionhearted was once held captive. The friendly, knowledgeable staff guides visitors through wine tastings from the valley’s best vineyards in their stunning tasting room.

Only a scenic one-hour drive north of Vienna is an idyllic, rural landscape near border of the Czech Republic with rolling vineyard hills, asparagus plantations and a sparse few farming villages. While this peaceful region has remained undiscovered by many visitors, its primary agricultural product, the crisp, dry white wine called “Weinviertel Grüner Veltliner,” has become the darling of international wine aficionados. The 4-star Hotel Veltlin and the Veltlinerland golf course in Poysdorf highlight the area of this rustic landscape.