A Wine Lover’s Guide to Kamptal, Austria
Before traveling to Langenlois, the town at the heart of the Kamptal wine region of Austria, I had zero expectations for my visit. Yes, I had sampled and enjoyed many Kamptal Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings before this trip, but I know only a few other wine travelers who have previously ventured to the region. That is not the say this is an undiscovered region—that isn’t the case at all. Located just one hour outside of Vienna, Kamptal is home to almost 300 wineries and about 9,000 acres of grapevines, primarily the aforementioned white grapes but there are other white and red grapes, too. Kamptal also has museums, shops, restaurants, outdoor activities, and hotels. There’s plenty to do and see—and plenty of fantastic wine to drink when visiting. So, why have most of my adventurous wine friends overlooked this region?
Although “undiscovered” is inaccurate, there’s an argument for “under-discovered.” Kamptal is overshadowed by nearby Wachau, and Austria’s tourism numbers are less than France, Italy, and Spain. Don’t get me wrong: there were other tourists in Kamptal while I was there. But they were mostly native German speakers, not Americans, as far as I could tell. For many travelers from the U.S., this is a good quality in a place! It’s an oasis from the tourist-packed streets and beaches of the ultra-popular European locales.
If you’re looking for a wine destination that’s easy to access and has plenty to do—without throngs of people “from home”—Kamptal is for you. Here’s my guide on what to do in Kamptal, Austria. Plus, keep reading for recommendations in Vienna.
Langenlois
Getting to and from Langenlois is easy: you can either take the train or rent a car. I rented a car from central Vienna and took full advantage of Austria’s 130 km/h (~80 mph) speed limit, reaching Langenlois in about an hour. Once the fields of produce and sunflowers transition into rows of vines, you’ll know you’re in the right place.
Getting around Langenlois is easy, too. Although you can explore wineries further afield in the Kamptal region via car, there are plenty within walking distance in town. As a solo traveler, I appreciate the benefits of walkability: savings, safety, and ease among them. Plus, no need for a designated driver! All of the wineries featured here are walkable from LOISIUM, a modern hotel in the middle of a vineyard. I stayed at LOISIUM and recommend it for its location, views, accommodations, outdoor space, pool, and friendly staff.
In addition to the wineries below, be sure to visit Cafe & Wein in the center of town. It’s the perfect spot to take in Langenlois while indulging in wine, lunch, or apple strudel.
View of Langenlois from LOISIUM Wine Spa & Hotel
Heurigenhof Bründlmayer
Perhaps the most well-known winery in Kamptal, Bründlmayer is a must. I opted to try a selection of their wines over dinner at their restaurant, Heurigenhof Bründlmayer (heuriger means tavern). There I started with sparkling rosé, smoked alpine char, and grapeseed bread. For my main, I paired their 2015 Heiligenstein Alte Reben Riesling and 2003 Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben Riesling with porcini tagliolini. (Alte reben means old vine. Heiligenstein is a famous vineyard.) The meal finished with an apricot crêpe paired with a sweet glass of 2013 Heiligenstein Beerenauslese Riesling.
Among these delightful wines, the 2003 was the standout. I’m a sucker for aged Riesling! It was complex and rich with notes of apricot, petrol, salt, white chocolate, and floral perfume.
You can also visit their tasting room in Langenlois. For those interested in trying these fine wines stateside, wine.com carries a handful of Bründlmayer wines.
Weingut Fred Loimer
To get to Weingut Fred Loimer from Loisium, you ascend up a hilly vineyard with stunning views of Heiligenstein in the distance. It is a lovely walk, and at the crest of the hill, you’re met with some of the finest wines Austria has to offer. Backed by a strong belief in biodynamic practices, Loimer’s wines exude Kamptal character and typicity. At Loimer, there’s something for everyone. Natural wine lovers will appreciate the dedication to biodiversity, manual work, and spontaneous fermentation. Conventional wine lovers will respect the attention to detail, logic, and consistency.
I had the great honor of tasting through much of the portfolio with Fred Loimer, an insightful and principled winemaker. His ginger cat, Leo, also joined us for part of our time. We sampled bottles of sparkling and still, focusing on Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. Although it is hard to pick favorites, my adoration of Riesling wins again. Riesling lovers will swoon over the minerality, salinity, and acidity of Loimer’s vineyard-specific Rieslings from Seeberg, Heiligenstein, Loiserberg, and Steinmassl.
To try Loimer’s wines, check out the selection on wine.com.
Beautiful line-up at Weingut Loimer
Weingut Hiedler
On the opposite side of town from LOISIUM, Weingut Hiedler overlooks Langenlois. Upon arrival, Dietmar Hielder and his dog greeted me at the door—they both radiate friendliness. Dietmar and his brother Ludwig are the fifth generation of Hiedlers to create wine in this region, and their respect for their heritage shows. While Dietmar is eager to move the winery forward, speaking excitedly about their new construction projects to create more space, he shares similar enthusiasm for the winery’s ancient cellars and traditions. It’s very clear that these two will make their ancestors proud.
At Hiedler we focused on Austria’s beloved, native grape variety: Grüner Veltliner. Often referred to by its first name, Grüner is known for its spicy white pepper and stone fruit notes. Of the Grüners we tasted, my favorites were Ried Käferberg and Ried Kittmannsberg. (Ried means vineyard.) Like most of the wines mentioned in this blog post thus far, both are 1ÖTW vineyards, which basically equates to premier cru vineyards in French terms. ÖTW, short for Österreichischer Traditionsweingüter, is a vineyard classification system and association.
You can purchase several of Hiedler’s wines through wine.com.
Weingut Jurtschitsch
As I walked into the courtyard at Weingut Jurtschitsch, the hustle and bustle of machines and winery workers reminded me that harvest was just around the corner! As most of the winery prepared for this year’s vintage, Max Trabitsch, head of sales, walked me through their sparkling, still, and natural wine line-ups, all made organically. We started with their brut rosé, followed closely by their brut nature Grüner Veltliner. Inspired by the brut nature wines of Champagne, this wine is lean and precise with delicate Grüner character. It was exactly what I needed on a warm day!
Following the sparkling wines, we turned to vineyard-specific Grüners and Rieslings, many of which were 1ÖTW. Although methods might vary from year to year, Jurtschitsch makes their single-vineyard Grüners in the same way across the board per vintage, meaning the only variant within a vintage is location. They approach Riesling in the same way. This spotlight on terroir illuminates the differences in vineyard sites, like soil and aspect.
Finally, I would be remiss to not mention their exciting line of natural wines. Among them, my favorite was the Mon Blanc, a fun and floral blend of Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Weißburgunder, Gelber Muskateller, and Donauriesling.
Wine.com carries a selection of Jurtschitsch wines, and Pittsburgh folks can find their natural Mon Blanc at Apteka, one of my favorite restaurants.
Weingut Steininger
Stepping from the street into Weingut Steininger feels like entering a fairy tale. In a town that feels like a dream of Austria come to life, Steininger is no exception. Do you have a storybook, picturesque image of Austria in your imagination? It is manifested at Weingut Steininger—and they have lovely wines to match. I showed up a few minutes early and when I said I was happy to sit and wait, I truly meant it. I could have lingered there all day.
At Steininger, I tasted a few of their Grüners and Rieslings, as well at standout sparkling wines. Uniquely, Steininger focuses on single-variety, vintage sparkling wine. Although they make a few non-vintage bottlings, their vintage line is more extensive. I sampled their 2019 Riesling brut reserve, 2020 Muskateller brut reserve, and 2015 Pinot Noir brut. Before you assume the Pinot Noir was blanc de blancs, let me assure you it was not! It was ruby red with dry, earthy notes of cocoa and pomegranate.
Steininger’s wines are a little harder to find in the United States, but there’s good news for my friends in Virginia: City Vino in Fredericksburg carries Steininger 2020 Loisium Grüner Veltliner Kamptal and ships around the Commonwealth.
Vienna
Unfortunately my time in Vienna was brief, but I have a few suggestions to share! My quick impression of the City of Music: clean, stately, and easy to navigate. Even the train station was spotless! (I traveled onward to Krakow, Poland by train via Czechia.) Next time I’m in Austria I will dedicate more time to Vienna’s restaurants and wine bars, and will report back. For now, here are three places I recommend.
Fuhrgassl-Huber, Weingut und Buschenschank
My Austrian wine friend Sonja and I thoroughly enjoyed Fuhrgassl-Huber’s schnitzel and wines, specifically their Gemischter Satz DAC wines, which are exclusive to Vienna. These Viennese field blends can be made with up to 20 different varieties that are planted, harvested, and vinifed together. Vienna is one of the few cities with vineyards within its city limits, and I don’t know of any other cities with their own appellation. Trying Gemischter Satz wine is a must-do for any wine lover visiting Vienna.
It’s worth mentioning that Sonja, born and raised Viennese, gave this tavern her stamp of approval for its authentic atmosphere, wine, and schnitzel.
Pennsylvanians can place a special order with the PLCB to try Fuhrgassl-Huber 2019 Ried Gemischter Satz.
Atmosphere Rooftop Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna
Given my limited time in Vienna, I picked a centrally-located hotel with beautiful views. Whether you stay at The Ritz-Carlton or not, Atmosphere Rooftop Bar is the perfect place to take in the beauty of Vienna and drink a delicious glass of wine. Here I had a glass of Weingut Hirsch Zobing Riesling.
Café Schwarzenberg
As I mentioned in my Paris guide, I’m not above “touristy” activities! Many things are popular because they’re good—like the elegant Café Schwarzenberg. Located just down the street from The Ritz-Carlton, I visited this Viennese coffee house to nurse my jet lag with an iced coffee topped with ice cream. Was the whole thing cliché? Yes. Was it delicious and necessary on an 86°F day in a country with little to no air conditioning? You already know the answer to that. When you arrive in Vienna on zero sleep, this is what you need!
