Wachau Valley Vineyards, Vienna

Austrian wines are among some of the best in the world.  Today, Austria is home to more than 50,000 hectares of vineyards.  There are thousands of wine producers in Austria, most of which are located in the eastern parts of the country.  A couple of the most popular wines produced in Austria include the Rieslings, Gruner Veltliners and Sauvignon Blancs.

The Wachau Valley runs along a part of the Danube River near Vienna, between the towns of Krems and Melk.  The town of Krems has a wine culture that is more than evident.  There is a variety of old harvest estates, younger wine-growers, a wine co-operative, and even a wine school.  Krems is also home to the annual Niederosterreich Wine Fair.  Wines from the Wachau Valley are classified into three categories. The first is steinfeder, and these wines are light and racy.  The federspiel wines are considered "elegant with body," and finally the smaragd wines are ripe and powerful.

Two of the main wineries in the Valley are as follows:
1.) Singerriedel Riesling Vineyard: This vineyard is owned and operated by Weingut Franz Hirtzberger.  The slopes at this vineyard are too steep and rocky for tractors to do the harvesting, and so all harvesting is still done by hand.  Although some may think that having a vineyard on such terrain would be harder to maintain and would result in lower-quality wines, this is not the case.  The stones reflect more light onto the vines, and steep slopes allow more natural sunlight to reach them, both allowing the grapes at the Singerriedel Riesling Vineyard to thrive.  Some of the best wines produced at this vineyard are the Rieslings, the Gruner Veltliners, and the Weissburgunders.
2.) Nikolaihof Winery: The Nikolaihof Winery is the oldest in all of Austria.  It has been around for nearly 2,000 years, and dates back to the times of the Romans.  It is operated by the Saahs family.  The wines at this vineyard are produced organically, which is somewhat uncommon.  No herbicides, pesticides, or artificial fertilizers are used at the Nikolaihof Winery.  Some of their best wines include their Griner Veltliners, their Rieslings, and their Trockenbeerenausleses.

Sources:

" A Day on the Danube: Exploring one of Europe’s Mighty Rivers and the Wachau Valley | Wanderbliss  Wanderbliss | I came, I saw, I wandered.. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013. .."

fields, activating theses, and can be used. "Vineyards along the Danube in Austria." Vacation in Austria: Travel Information of the Austrian Tourist Office. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013. .

"wineandleisure.com. Austrian wines of the Wachau." Wine and Leisure - the Wine Baron on wine regions and their best wines. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2013. .