About twenty years ago, one of my best friends said to me: "I'm going to study at the University of Vienna!"; at that time Austria seemed like an exotic and unknown destination to me, even though it was just around the corner. His announcement made me happy, not only for him but also because I have always been someone eager to discover new places, and his presence there made Vienna an even more interesting place that I would visit many times.
When I finally went to Vienna for the first time, I was still an inexperienced wine drinker, far from the passion and knowledge I would acquire later. At the time, it was difficult for me to see the connection between this incredible imperial city and the world of wine. However, over time, and having already gotten to know the city, my friend and I decided to leave the city for day trips and explore new destinations. That's how we arrived in the Wachau. This region turned out to be the key that allowed me to understand the deep connection between Austria and its wine tradition.
Today, I want to invite you to discover the Wachau, through a day trip - round trip - from Vienna.
We start from the Spittelau station, whose name comes from the waste incineration plant that the Viennese have transformed into a work of art. The train journey, lasting about an hour, takes us through the Viennese countryside, offering views that give us a glimpse of the beauty of our destination.
From the train window, we catch sight of the imposing
Monastery of Klosterneuburg, where wine has been produced since 1700
With the intention of making the most of our day, we head directly to the city of Krems an der Donau, the gateway to the enchanting Wachau Valley. After an hour of travel, we arrive in Krems, and the stroll along the main street, Obere Landstrasse, reveals the typical opulent and monumental architecture, in a sequence of artisan shops and stores selling local products like jams and apricot-based liqueurs.
One of the most appreciated products is the "Marillenlikor", a pleasant liqueur with an alcohol content of 25 degrees, quite sweet and balanced, with a minimal sensation of warmth in the mouth.
We decide to explore the Wachau on foot. We walk for an hour to the first stop, accompanied by a bit of rain that allows us to slowly immerse ourselves in the atmosphere and the landscape.
The landscape that unfolds before our eyes is of dazzling beauty.
To our right, the Danube flows fiercely in all its grandeur, while to our left rise the terraced vineyards, climbing amidst the few rays of sunshine, interspersed with small houses and vineyards. The fact that the cultivated land is not enclosed allows us to enjoy the walk even more, as we can cross through freely.
We arrive at Gunther, a fictitious name, as he wants to avoid mass tourism. Gunther is a Viennese engineer who, after retiring, decided to buy a small plot of land to fulfill his dream of connecting the vineyard with nature through biodynamic viticulture, in search of balance with the other local plants. He invites us to his home to try his small production of Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, the two typical grape varieties of the area. The wines reflect the usual cold climate of the place, which gives them a pronounced acidity. Despite this, Gunther warns us that the wines in this area are changing rapidly, year after year, due to climate change, as the seasons are becoming less cold.
We leave Gunther and head towards the Weingut Martin und Karin Fink winery, in the village of Unterloiben. We are greeted by Martin Fink, who tells us about the location of the 49 plots he oversees, some of which consist of a single row on terraces located at the top of the hills. He lets us taste several of his wines, especially through vertical tastings, so we can appreciate the climate variations of recent years. He also tells us about the origin of the classification symbol of the Vinea-Wachau association, which awards the title of Smaragd to wines of the highest quality and alcohol content.
The Emerald is a lizard that hides among the stones of the terraces.
And it only comes out when the sun shines, which is rare in this area. This lizard keeps company with the vines and winemakers during the sunniest moments, and for this region, it has been erected as a symbol of high-quality wines.
Among the wines we tried, we were surprised by the Grüner Veltliner and the Chardonnay 2021, both in the Smaragd category. Very balanced wines, even though with notable acidity, ideal for summer aperitifs. Martin also tells us about the climate changes that have occurred in recent years and, half-seriously and half-jokingly, he says that in a few years all wines will be Smaragd due to the rising average temperatures that the region is experiencing, as the wines will have an increasingly higher alcohol content.
It is time to eat, so we stop in the picturesque medieval village of Dürnstein, where we take refuge to enjoy a Schnitzel, the precursor of the Milanese cutlet. The restaurant is simple but cozy, and the cutlet is much appreciated after the long wine tasting from our friend Martin.
We end our visit on the banks of the Danube and almost reach Weissenkirchen, where the vineyards rise to the highest points of the valley, creating what appears to us as an amphitheater of unique beauty.
We ended the day exhausted, feeling like we had experienced an unforgettable day.
among incredible landscapes, medieval villages, and amazing wines. I would have never thought, when my friend first told me about Vienna, that there could exist such a special place just an hour from the city, "The Valley," as the locals affectionately call it, hidden between the mountains and the Danube.
