WILLI KLINGER KNOWS AUSTRIAN WINES...A TRUE MASTER TEACHER CAPTIVATES THE AUDIENCE WITH AN ARRAY OF '21' AUSTRIAN WINES by Philip S. Kampe

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board http://www.austrianwine.com/ is headed by Willi Klinger, Austria's answer to Kevin Zarley. Mr. Klinger knows everything there is to know about Austrian wine and conveys his message in a humorous, intelligent, honest approach. Listening to him makes you want to visit Austria and see the vineyards of Vienna and the rest of the country. Many trade and press groups have visited the small arisanal nation of Austria.
View the latest: www.winesfromaustria/winesummit2009/


Mr. Klinger positions Austrian wines in such a favorable light due to micro-climates on the Danube; cool weather from the north (Bohemia) and the precise geographic location that is on the same latitude as Burgundy and Champagne.



The climate dictates in Austria: Wine grows in the East, while you Ski in the West.


Austrian yearly production is 250 million liters.

Export production is 50-70 million liters.
Imports are also, 50-70 million liters.
There is no trade imbalance.


Vienna is the only major city in the world that has vineyards (1500 acres).


Germany, Switzerland and the US are the Top Three Importers of Austrian Wine.

Austria has 120,000 acres of vineyards and 9,000 bottling estates versus Australia's
400,000 acres of vines with only 2,200 bottling estates. It is obvious, through this illustration that Austria has numerous boutique wineries producing high quality wines in small batches.

Willi Klinger w.klinger@austrianwine.com is a smart and very entertaining Austrian Wine Ambassador who would gladly entertain your questions regarding Austrian wines.
Feel free to e-mail him.


The tasting that Willi Klinger led consisted of 21 wines. Ten percent of wine produced in Austria is considered Organic, a solid increase of 7 percent over the past several years.

Our first taste upon entering the highly recommended BLAUE GANS (139 Duane Street NYC) we were handed a glass of fantastic Sparkling Wine using the delicious Schilcher grape. The wine was a NV Strohmier Rose (SEKT), which is imported by Frederick Wildman. BLAUE GANS paired the SEKT with smoked trout, which complimented the Strohmier Rose SEKT.
We were seated and the tasting began. Willi Klinger created a slide presentation that was used as a learning tool for all of the journalists present, including myself.

The 21 wines we tasted were in a league of their own. Each wine was unique and had characteristics that were special and new to my palate, due to the variety of many unknown grapes.

I could easily recommend all of the wines, but, won't. Those wines that stood out and are worth purchasing from your retail wine store are:

WHITE WINES

2008 SETZER Gruner Veltliner (12.5%) from Weinviertel DAC and distributed by Michael Skirnuk.

2008 HAJSZAN Gemischter Satz (12.4%) from Vienna and distributed by Darcy & Huber.

2007 MARKUS HUBER Gruner Veltliner ( 13.5%) from Traisental DAC and distributed byBoutique Wine

2006 PRIELER Pinot Blanc (14%) from Burgenland and distributed by Michael Skirnuk.

2006 ALPHART Rotgipfler (14%) from Thermenregion and distributed by Domaine Select.

2007 TEMENT Sauvignon Blanc (13.5%) from Sudsteirmark and distributed by Weygand-Metzler.

RED WINES

2005 WIENINGER Pinot Noir (13.5%) from Vienna and distributed by Winebow.

2006 WIENINGER Blaufrankisch (13.1%) from Mittelburgenland DAC and distributed by Frederick Wildman.

2004 REINISCH Sankt Laurent (13.5%) from Thermenregion and distributed by Cici Vino.

2006 MARKOWITSCH Red Cuvee (14.9%) from Carnuntum and distributed by Weygand-Metzler.

Austrian wines are ARTISANAL, AUTHENTIC and NATURAL. The vineyards have low grape yields of 3.6 tons per acre. The wines pair well with asian food as well as the Viennese regional cuisine.
Austrian Wine is positioned for the future..It's time to hop aboard, now...
Next stop is Vienna! ALL ABOARD!!

PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com