Viennese Wine Bars: Local Favorites (4)
Dr. Karl Lueger Platz 4b, 1st District
Open Monday through Saturday from 4 pm to 12 pm
It’s a combination of the warm brick-red walls, Spanish flair, and friendly sommeliers that make the atmosphere at Tinto Rosso so cozy and relaxed. “Mittelburgenland is Austria’s only wine district that produces more red wine than white and it is easy to see why they are so proud of their Blaufränkisch as soon as you try one," suggests our waiter. Deep, concentrated boysenberry fruit paired with exotic spice and a long sappy finish are typical trademarks and I choose a wine called “Jewell” from the Wellanschitz winery. I am not disappointed because it pairs splendidly with a wide selection of Spanish tapas. Great wines and an uncomplicated atmosphere make this a place for long conversations with old friends and new.
Wollzeile 5, 1st District
Open: Monday through Friday 9 am to 12 pm, Saturday 5 pm to 12 pm
Man läuft am Eingang zu der kleinen, feinen Bar, die für die Wiener Besucher eine alteingesessene Institution ist, fast vorbei. Das Geld, das man bei der Innenausstattung gespart hatte, wurde in Spitzengläser investiert. Hans Weibel ist eine der besten Quellen, um neue talentierte österreichische Weinmacher zu entdecken oder Insider-Gesprächen aus der Weinbranche zu lauschen. Hier können Sie zum Beispiel den weltweit besten Schaumwein außerhalb der Champagne versuchen. Willi Bründlmayer verwendet eine Trockenbeerenauslese, um seinen wunderbaren Brut zu machen, der hier immer glasweise zu bekommen ist.
Bäckerstraße, 1st District
Open: daily from 4 pm to 2 am
In this bar you will find a 17th century carousel organ with carved wooden figures that move to the music as it plays once an hour. Despite this historic attraction which is spectacular in a funky sort of way, it is the large selection of wines and the chatty atmosphere that keeps the place full of young locals rather than curious tourists. Asking our waiter for a recommendation, he replies, “How about a juicy, fruity wine to go with just about everything? I’ve got a blend based on indigenous grapes simply called “RED” from the Heinrich winery in Burgenland. It is round, supple, and has good concentrated fruit.” This turns out to be a perfect everyday quaffer.
Alas, it is closing hour at the Viennese wine bars. My head is feeling a bit heavy and my legs a tad wobbly – thank goodness for taxis and the U-Bahn. It has been a tough job researching the wine bars of Vienna, but someone must do it!
Other recommendable wine bars:
Himmelpfortgasse 13, 1st District
Open: Monday through Saturday from 2 pm to 12 pm
Windmühlgasse 20, 6th District
Open: Monday through Saturday 11 am to 11 pm
Laudongasse 57, 8th District
Open: daily from 5 pm to 1 am
Währinger Gürtel/Stadtbahnbogen, 9th District
Open: Tuesday through Saturday from 7 pm to 1 am
