Sampling in style

Earlier this summer, the magnificent setting of the Hofburg Imperial Palace, former residence of the Austrian emperors in the heart of Vienna, came to life. Once again, it was time for VieVinum, the biannual wine trade fair.

More than 520 wineries were at VieVinum exhibiting their wares. By lunchtime on the opening day (which happened to be a Saturday), the halls were teeming with professionals and the public alike, not only from Austria but all over the world. In total, about 150,000 visitors came to sample what is certainly the most important wine trade event in Central Europe. 

The introductory dinner party at the Meierei am Stadtpark restaurant Friday night gave international guests of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, journalists, importers, restaurant owners, wine retailers and wine lovers an opportunity to mix and mingle informally over an excellent Austrian dinner accompanied by a varied range of Austrian wines.

Both white and red Austrian wines, with their bright and crisp style, make a superb match for many types of cooking. As part of the "Food Friendly Austria" theme, designed to show precisely this quality, seven food stations were set up in the ornate reception rooms of the palace.

During the course of the show, Austrian and German wine trade magazines offered several tasting events of varieties like Grüner Veltliner and Sauvignon blanc. The prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine offered a very interesting Master Class on the subject of Riesling, with a tasting of 12 representative samples from Germany, Austria and Alsace in France, as well as some New World samples.   

The honored guest this year was the northernmost Italian wine region of Alto Adige, also known as Südtirol, once part of Austria itself, with several leading wineries making their first visit. Other Italian regions were notably present, along with exhibitors from Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia. Anyone looking to sample wines from nearby Moravia, however, would have been searching in vain.

One interesting point of fact: Germany takes far and away the lion's share of Austrian wine exports, importing nearly 50 million liters in 2009. The Czech Republic is in second place, importing 6 million liters. Unfortunately, you will find little evidence of this here, even in the best restaurants and wine shops. 

A closer look at the figures shows that, while Germany spends more than 70 million euros on its imports, the Czech Republic's outlay is a mere 3.5 million - which places it fourth monetarily, behind Switzerland and the United States. And while those nations import wine they want to drink - i.e. in bottles - the wine that reaches this market comes by the tanker load, to be used anonymously as the basis for the nation's favorite sparklers. 

Winery of the month: VINJA - František Jakubčík, Brumovice 

František Jakubčík took over the reins of the small family winery, as is the tradition in Moravia, following in the footsteps of his father. (The company under the VINJA banner was founded later, in 2002.) He has 9.5 hectares under vine, five of which are on the exceptional slopes of faraway Přítluky, with the remainder in the environs of Brumovice itself, which is near Kobylí, where the cellars are undergoing a lengthy modernization. Jakubčík produces mainly red quality wine, best-suited to the local growing conditions. Production is along traditional lines, though yields are kept strictly low to increase quality. The 40,000 liters annual production are sold mostly in vinotékas around the country as well as to private collectors. Bottling is in special bottles, manufactured in France, stamped with a coat of arms. Tastings and wine sales by arrangement. Contact vinja.jakubcik@seznam.cz for more information.

Wines of the month   

Red: Pinot Noir Cuvée Réserve 2008

Producer: Schloss Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria  

A beautiful reflective ruby hue greets the beholder when eyeing this sample, which comes from a newly built winery in the elegant Baroque chateau in Eisenstadt, capital of the federal state of Burgenland, long owned by the aristocratic Austro-Hungarian Esterházy family. Excellent Pinot Noir character on both the nose and palate. Full and juicy with rounded tannins and a highly refined fruity structure in keeping with the wine's noble origins. (190 Kč)

White: Rulandské šedé pozdní sběr (Pinot Gris late harvest) 2008

Producer: Habánské sklepy, Velké Bílovice, Moravia  

A very interesting white from this Velké Bílovice producer, perhaps better known for their red wines. The surprisingly deep straw hue leads to an explosion of bold apple-led aromas and a palate full of luscious white fruit (apples again, pears and quince), with additional exotic shades of pineapple, banana and star fruit. A finely structured wine that serves as an excellent example of this famous variety. Highly recommended. (170 Kč)  

Events diary

The annual Christian pilgrimage Bzenecká pouť (Aug. 13-15) leads to the church of St. John the Baptist in Bzenec, a small town situated between Kyjov and Veselí nad Moravou. Not only a religious celebration, the event comes complete with a full cultural and gastronomic program, and is held in conjunction with the Riesling Galerie, a competitive tasting, mostly of Moravian wines, with additional samples from Germany. France, Slovakia and Austria. For more information, contact podatelna@bzenec.cz.

Helena Baker can be reached at
features@praguepost.com