When you think “wine” you don’t usually think “Austria”, do you? So when someone recommended we go out of our way to drink some Austrian wine on this recent trip to Vienna, I didn’t immediately stick it at the top of our to-do list. But there are only so many days of palaces and museums one can take, and towards the end of our trip, wineries were starting to sound like a lovely idea. We consulted our friendly local hotel front desk guy, and he gave us some suggestions: Nuβdorf, Grinzing, or Neustift am Walde. Of course the one that he claimed was by far the best also happened to be the farthest away and hardest to get to, but he assured us the extra journey was worth it to check out Neustift am Walde, dismissing the other two as “too touristy”.
As any tourist would, we jumped at the chance to visit something better than what all the other tourists were going to, so Neustift am Walde it was. This involved a subway ride out of the center (to Spittelau, where we got to see possibly the most fabulous garbage-incinerating plant in the world, with an exterior designed by Hundertwasser). From there it was a 15-minute bus ride out to the wine area.
The journey outside of the city was entirely worth it. Neustift am Walde basically consisted of one main road lined with various taverns. We wandered the street surveying establishments’ quaint courtyards and cozy wooden interiors before settling on our first stop, a small family-owned place which promised a singing waitress later in the evening (alas, we were in and out before she began). We ordered up some local wine, which came in charming ¼-liter glass mugs (which were quite a deal at only €2.20 each). We drank up while eavesdropping in on a heated debate between the tavern owner and a guest about whether smoking should be outlawed in establishments such as this one. On our way out, the owner handed us two brightly-colored Easter eggs.
The next tavern we visited was larger and more commercial, but still had its charm. We took a seat at one of the long wooden tables and were served by a cheery, dirndl-wearing waitress. After getting her to explain some of the local Austrian delicacies on the menu, we ordered some tasty but heavy tavern food to accompany our wine (which was severed in stemmed glasses, but still by the ¼-liter).
We enjoyed the wine we had so much that we would have bought some to bring home with us, were it not for rules preventing us from transporting liquids in our carry-on bags. If you’re a white wine drinker, be sure to try the Weiβburgunder next time you’re in Austria.