The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) which took place in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019, included 2 wine tours: Tour Burgenland and Tour Lower Austria (Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, Wagram).
During the Tour Burgenland my group (there were 3 groups) visited Weingut Sommer in Donnerskirchen in the morning and Weingut Esterházy, Trausdorf and der Wulka, in the afternoon. This posting covers the visit of the former. Leo Sommer, owner and winemaker, was our host at Weingut Sommer.
I am preparing 5 postings:
Vienna, Economics and Wine: The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019Vienna, Economics and Wine: The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019
Vineyard and Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Sommer, Donnerskrichen, Burgenland, Austria, with Leo Sommer - The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019
Vineyard and Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Esterházy, Trausdorf and der Wulka, Burgenland, Austria, with Mag. Gerald Rouschal - The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019
Tasting in the Vineyard at Weingut Jamek, Joching, Wachau, Austria, with Herwig Jamek - The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019
Vineyard and Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Geyerhof, Furth bei Göttweig, Kremstal, Austria, with Josef Maier - The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019
Burgenland
wine-searcher: Burgenland is a large wine-producing region on the eastern border of Austria. Despite the country's image as the producer of some of the world's finest white wines, Austria is also home to a thriving red wine culture: Burgenland, with its sunny, continental summers, is the country's key red wine region, with its wines based mainly on the Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt grape varieties. Sweet, botrytized wines are also a specialty of the region, particularly in the terroir surrounding the Neusiedlersee lake.
The region occupies a narrow strip of land that runs from the Danube River down to Steiermark in the south. On its eastern side is the border with Hungary, and to the west lies the most eastern foothills of the Alps. Steiermark aside, Burgenland is one of Austria's southernmost wine regions, and topographically is more aligned with Hungary than with much of the rest of Austria.
Burgenland is divided into 6 sub-regions: Neusiedlersee, Leitharberg, Rust, Rosalia, Mittelburgenland and Eisenberg. Weingut Sommer (as well as Weingut Esterházy) are located in the Leitharberg sub-region.
Vineyard and Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Esterházy, Trausdorf an der Wulka, Burgenland, Austria, with Mag. Gerald Rouschal
Mag. Gerald Rouschal was our host.
weinbauer.com: The history of the House of Esterházy goes back to the 13th century. The princely line was founded in 1687 by Emperor Leopold I. The ancestral family seat – the baroque Esterházy palace in Eisenstadt – was designed by the Italian architect, Carlone, and completed in 1683.
Along with their high level of education and interest in art, music and science, the Esterházy princes were known also for their magnificent royal household. Even the well-pampered Johann Wolfgang von Goethe raved about a “fairy tale kingdom” during his visit to one of the Esterházy festivities. Empress Maria Theresia loved the wine that was born from the mild climate of the lake and refined in the Esterházy cellars. And the world-famous composer, Joseph Haydn, wanted to have part of his salary as the court musician paid in wine which was recorded in 1789. Wine-growing has been in the genes of the House of Esterházy for more than 250 years, and it has evolved to today‘s standard with the opening in 2006 of the new winery, with its state of the art equipment and presentation rooms near Eisenstadt.
tanners-wines.co.uk: The Esterházy family has been at the centre of wine, culture and politics in the Burgenland, south-east of Vienna, for over 300 years, being responsible for the introduction of Pinot Noir to the region in 1758.
For many years wine was made in the cellars under the palace which dominates the town of Eisenstadt but in 2006 a new, high-tech winery was opened at Trausdorf, just outside the town, to deal with the production from the estate’s 65 hectares, 48 situated between the Neusiedlersee and the hills behind Eisenstadt, 17 over the Hungarian border in Sopron.
35% is white with Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon being the mainstay, 65% from Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and even some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
All modern ideas are incorporated in the winery from sorting tables, cold maceration, semi-carbonic maceration, movement by gravity, humidity and temperature control. Stainless steel and oak are used according to the style required and reminders of the family’s history of patronage of the arts (which includes Haydn and Goethe) hang on the walls and are reproduced on the labels.
65 hectares.
Tasting
The visit ended in the store of Weingut Esterházy with a tasting.
The Wines we Tasted
We tasted 8 wines.
2018 Weingut Esterházy Grüner Veltliner
2017 Weingut Esterházy Leitharberg DAC Chardonnay
2017 Weingut Esterházy Blaufränkisch
2017 Weingut Esterházy Blaufränkisch Ried Föllig
2016 Weingut Esterházy Blaufränkisch Ried Schildten
2013 Weingut Esterházy Tesoro
2012 Weingut Esterházy Tesoro
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Vienna, Economics and Wine: The 13th Annual Conference of the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) in Vienna, Austria, July 14 – 18, 2019