Neu angelegter Weingarten in Abendstimmung
Junger Sproß einer Rebe
Food & Wine

Road Trip: Intro

"Südsteirische Weinstrasse" is just one of eight romantic wine routes that wind through the three wine districts of Styria. Steep hillside vineyards, patchwork fields, and little farmhouses located on the top of each knoll make some people call this Austria's Tuscany.

With 3,700 hectares of vineyards in Styria and 3,500 grape growers, there is an average of just over one hectare of vines per farm and a minority of farms can subsist completely from winemaking. Nearly 80% of the Styrian wines never even make it to the open market, but are sold and consumed at the farms' Buschenschank along with other self-produced culinary specialties.

Not able to rely on quantity, these vintners set their quality standards high, producing an average of only 4,000 liters of wine per hectare. Styrian Welschriesling is the wine most consumed locally and is famous for its light, dry, crunchy apple fruit characterized by appetizing tartness while the Schilcher rosé from the rare Blauer Wildbacher is a specialty in Weststeiermark. In more recent years an international style of wine is being made from classic grape varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Gewürztraminer with increased depth, terroir, and aging potential.

 

 

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Kaiser Josef II began a tradition in 1784 by allowing farmers to sell their products on their premises as numerous Buschenschank like the Olwitschhof at the Riegelnegg winery testify.
Kaiser Josef II began a tradition in 1784 by allowing farmers to sell their products on their premises as numerous Buschenschank like the Olwitschhof at the Riegelnegg winery testify.