Wachau Valley Vineyards

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For many, many years, wine grapes have been prosperous in Austria. Austria is known for producing some of the best wine in the WORLD. Austria currently has about 51,000 hectares of vineyards, mostly in the eastern part of the state.

The Wachau Valley, which is located about 50 miles southwest of Vienna, is a narrow valley that runs along the Danube River in between the towns of Krems and Melk. The Wachau Valley was designated as the World Heritage Site because it its breathtaking scenery and its history.

The Wachau Valley is known for its wines. The wines are all produced and processed locally and hand-picked from small farms. The wines fall into one of three categories: Steinfeder (light and racy), Federspiel (elegant with body), or Smaragd (ripe and powerful). 85% of the wines are white wines. The vineyards rely on cellar-door sales.

Something fun along the Wachau Valley is the opportunity for tourists to take a guided bike tour. Tourists get the chance to test out wines in the vineyards and eat a delicious lunch. For the Central European Travel Seminar this summer, we are taking a tour of the Wachau through Vienna Explorer. Throughout the day, we will ride bike with a tour guide leading the way. We will be stopping at local wineries to sample delicious wine, chocolate, apricot jams, and liqeurs. During the tour, there is free time in which people have the opportunity to explore the town of Durstein where Richard Lionheart was once held as prisoner. If tourists would rather swim in the Danube River and play beach volleyball, they are free to partake in that as well. Towards the end of the tour, the tour guide will leads us to a delicious lunch at a tavern that serves local Austrian dishes. 

References

A bike ride along the Danube from Durnstein to Weissenkirchen in Austria’s Wachau Valley known for its wines [Photograph]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/travel/17journeys.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

Albanese, L.L. (2010, October 13). Austrian vineyards are all in the family. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/travel/17journeys.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Grape grazing Wachau-Winery bike tour [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Vienna Explorer website: http://www.viennaexplorer.com/tours/grape-grazing-tour/

Vienna Explorer. (2013). Grape grazing Wachau-Winery bike tour. In Group tours. Retrieved from http://www.viennaexplorer.com/tours/grape-grazing-tour/

Wine and Leisure. (n.d.). Austria. Land of sounds and music, mountains, streams...and wine! In Wine regions. Retrieved from http://www.wineandleisure.com/austria/wachau.html