The Wachau Valley is an Austrian UNESCO World Heritage Site located an hour’s drive west of Vienna. With a picturesque landscape formed by the Danube river, the region boasts steep, terraced vineyards, fortressed mountains, orchards, rare plants, and plenty of sunshine. Its rich historical and cultural history is evident from the many ancient monasteries, castles, and ruins that have survived to a remarkable degree.

The Wachau has long been one of the most spectacular wine regions in all of Europe. Standing high up in the vineyards, you can take in magnificent views of the river, dotted with fairytale-like villages, as it winds its way across the landscape.

Wine has been cultivated in the Wachau for centuries due to its unique soils and exceptional climate that lend a positive influence on the wines. Here you will find rocky soils of mainly gneiss (with some chalk and loess) that are ideal for making wines of finesse and elegance. Gneiss is similar to granite — a great thing for vineyards since granite-rich earth allows easy drainage and permits the vines’ roots to grow deep.

As for climate, the cold Wachau winters are moderated by warm air masses coming from the Pannonian Steppe in the east, while the hot summer temperatures are regulated by the water flow of the Danube River — perfect climactic conditions that allow ripening of the grapes while preserving freshness and acidity.

Domäne Wachau

Located in the heart of the region is Domäne Wachau, a winery that cultivates vines in all the prime vineyards. Its winemaking history goes back to the Middle Ages, having been mentioned in documents dating to 1137. During the 18th and early 19th centuries its historic caves and stunning baroque cellar palace (see photo below) were owned by the Catholic church, who ran it until the beginning of World War II.

**Heinz Frischengruber explains the great terroir of the Wachau.**

Today, Domäne Wachau is a cooperative owned by 250 families — small wine growers with 5 acres or less who farm their own land under the supervision of winery director Roman Horvath and oenologist Heinz Frischengruber. Domäne Wachau produces mostly Grüner Veltliner, a grape varietal which makes up 70% of the winery’s vineyard area, along with Riesling and a small amount of other white and red wine varieties.

Food Pairing with Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner has achieved international recognition as one of the world’s great white wine varieties and is known for its discreetly spicy aroma and taste, making it an excellent food wine.

Try a tasty Domäne Wachau Grüner Federspiel with Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad with Crunchy Vegetables. You’ll find that the peppery notes of the wine will complement the light, gingery spice found in the pasta dish.

And in case you were wondering, ‘Federspiel’ is a classification term used for Austrian dry white wines that are medium-bodied and between 11.5 and 12.5% alcohol.

Clink your glasses of Grüner Veltliner and say, as they do in Austria, “Prost” (cheers) and “Guten Appetit” (enjoy your meal) to wine, food, and friends.

Domäne Wachau 2018 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen ($18). A classic expression of Austrian Grüner Veltliner: fresh and lively with a rich minerality and a hint of black pepper.
Domäne Wachau 2018 Federspiel Liebenberg ($25). This single vineyard wine offers crisp minerality with ripe stone fruit notes and is a bit more complex, structured, and spicy than the Terrassen.