VirtuosoLife - January/February 2008 - (Page 59) soil of the Wachau; this dramatic valley, cut Veltliner Sandgrube ($14) is a version makes wines of depth and style, with deep, through by the Danube River, is one of the made by the municipality of Krems, a hisplummy flavors reminiscent of syrah. The country’s most scenic wine regions. The toric town considered the heart of Austria’s Feiler-Artinger 2004 Blaufränkisch UmNikolaihof 2006 Grüner Veltliner Hefetraditional wine culture. riss ($20), a single-vineyard wine grown abzug ($24) is steely and mineral-tinged in chalky soil, shows soft tannins and lush RED WINES but also has added depth and complexity plum-berry fruit. Blaufränkisch due to sur lie aging (allowing the wine to age While Austria is better known for its edgy Zweigelt on the remains of the yeast that fermented Zweigelt, a hybrid developed in the 1920s grüner veltliner and top-notch riesling, its the grapes, instead of draining it off the between Blaufränkisch and the indigenous red wines are fruit-driven powerhouses lees). The Donabaum Spitzer Point 2004 Sankt Laurent variety, has become the and have won their own well-deserved Grüner Veltliner Smaragd ($37) shows darling red of the region. The silky Birgit following. The Austrian blaufränkisch is intense flavors of mature fruit; this coolBraunstein 2005 Zweigelt Mitterjoch identical to the German lemberger grape; it climate vineyard in the village of Spitz typically produces elegant grüners that can age gracefully for a decade or more. Because of the Wachau’s importance, its premium The Wines of Vienna wines are categorized by trademarked desAustria’s surprisingly low-key capital, Vienna, has been a nexus of European culture for centuries and ignations. In increasing order of sweetness has been home to artists, architects, musicians, and intellectuals from Mozart to Schoenberg, Freud and complexity, these are Steinfeder (a type to Klimt. But Vienna (Wien in German) is also a wine region in its own right. Take in a performance of of grass that grows on the steep hillsides of Beethoven by the famed Wiener Philharmoniker, or Vienna Philharmonic, at the acoustically perfect Wachau), Federspiel (referring to a historic Musikverein, or ogle masterpieces by Raphael and Vermeer at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, but in local custom of calling in birds while hawkbetween don’t miss the city’s charming winegrower-operated taverns, called Heurigen. Here you’ll be ing), and Smaragd (an emerald-hued lizard able to taste the most recent vintage of the owner’s wines with simple, hearty cuisine in the convivial found in the vineyards). ad_9.121x5.437.qxd:Imax_ins lay2_190_260 12/5/07 10:56 AM Page 1 atmosphere that is a hallmark of Vienna. The aromatic Stadt Krems 2006 Grüner Our chat room. MySwitzerland.com The Italian-speaking region of Switzerland offers an almost inexhaustible variety of landscapes, from majestic snowcapped mountains and charming Mediterraneanstyle towns to palm trees on glittering lake shores. Cultural activities range from a visit to the three UNESCO World Cultural Heritage castles of Bellinzona to the Locarno Film Festival and Ascona Jazz Festival. Don’t miss this spectacular part of Switzerland on your next visit. Call your Virtuoso travel specialist for reservations. Lugano, Ticino J A N U A RY | F E B R U A RY 2 0 0 8 59 http://MySwitzerland.com http://MySwitzerland.com
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