Beyond the Usual Bottles is our introductory series on the wine regions that do not get the airtime they deserve. Each class focuses on a single county or region, walks through the grapes and styles worth knowing, and covers what makes the place distinct.
No background required. Come curious.
Lower Austria sits along the Danube in the northeast corner of the country and produces more wine than any other Austrian region. Grüner is the calling card, and yes, we will pour it. But limiting the region to one grape misses most of what makes it worth studying.
We taste a Riesling which rivals anything Germany or Alsace produces. Cool, mineral whites from the Kamptal and Kremstal. Peppery Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch that punch well above their price. A handful of wines from a new generation of growers working the same slopes their grandparents did. Along the way we cover the terraced landscape, the soils that define the top sites, and why Austrian wine has quietly become one of the most reliable buys on any serious list.