The wines of Carnuntum, Austria

An extensive tasting of wines from this emerging region

Carnuntum is a small wine region in the far east of Austria, stretching from the outskirts of Vienna to the Slovakian border. If you climb to the top of the Braunsberg (which has some Carnuntum vineyards), near the town of Hainburg, then you can see Bratislava. This is frontier land, and through the centuries it has seen the sorts of military exchanges and changes in power that border regions have always experienced.


Spitzerberg

The vineyards are split into small scattered parcels. I spent some time exploring the Spitzerberg, near Hainburg, which is running along the side of a hill. This subregion has some 80 hectares, planted on interesting soils, some with some seabed limestone influence. These are the beginning of the Carpathians, and it's the hillside vineyards that have the interesting terroirs. Then drive 40 minutes west, and the main part of the region is found, around the villages of Höflein and Arbesthal. Altogether there are just under 900 hectares of vines in the region.

Blaufrankisch in Muhr's Liebkind vineyard, Spitzerbeg, which has very chalky soils 

It used to be a white wine region, but of late, reds have taken hold. Now, Zweigelt dominates, with 230 hectares, and there are some 86 hectares of Blaufrankisch. Grüner Veltliner is the most important white in volume terms, with 180 hectares, but some consider Weissburgunder to be the white variety with most promise.

Heathens' Gate 

Carnuntum itself, in Roman times, was a thriving city of 70 000 people. But unlike other similar sized settlements, such as London, it didn't do well, and contracted back. Still, there is archeological evidence of its past glories. And its Heathens' Gate, dating back to that era, is the official symbol of the wine region.

Braunsberg 

The climate here is continental, with warm, dry summers. There's some subregional variation, and small-scale differences with aspect and altitude, but generally it's a little too dry for Grüner, and Carnuntum seems to do best with red varieties such as Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. Merlot is often grown here, but of the international imports, Syrah seems to show the most potential. There is no DAC yet for Carnuntum, so growers are free to experiment.

Zwiegelt 

This tasting included most of the quality-minded producers in the region. It was a great chance to try to understand what's going on here, and I liked some of the wines quite a bit. But this is still a region that's beginning to find its feet.

Tasting notes here are presented in alphabetical order by producer. Wines were tasted sighted.

Artner Grüner Veltliner Kirchberg 2016
Gravelly clay. 13.5% alcohol. Lively, peppery, citrussy nose. The palate has a good concentration of citrus and pear fruit, with white pepper and spice as well as some creamy, mealy richness. Seductive and yet still fresh, with lots of fruit character. 91/100

Artner Zweigelt Steinäcker 2015
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.0% alcohol. Sweetly fruited with some grip under the cherry and blackberry fruit. Has some sweet, spicy oak here. Dense and a bit blocky. 86/100

Artner Blaufränkisch Kirchweingarten 2015
Sandy loess with argillaceous topsoil. 14.0%. Fresh and concentrated with burly black cherry and blackberry fruit knit around a core of grippy tannin. There's freshness as well as weight with a hint of mint on the finish. 90/100

* 

Auer Syrah Kirchtal 2015
Loess. 14.0% alcohol. Peppery and fresh, with a slight rubbery edge to the berry fruits nose. The palate shows sleek ripe berry fruits with a nice pepperiness and some reductive tautness. Lovely concentration of fruit here, together with freshness. A stylish wine with some potential. 92/100

Auer Zweigelt Bühl 2015
Loess with veins of sand. 14.0% alcohol. Supple and very pure with nice fresh cherry and berry fruits. Smooth but bright, with a lovely focus on the palate. Pure style with real appeal. 91/100

*

Böheim Grüner Veltliner Reserve Kräften 2015
Loess soils. 14.0% alcohol. This shows richness and generosity of fruit with pears, spice and citrus. Very appealing and rounded with some weight to it. Broad and fruit-driven. 89/100

Böheim Blaufränkisch Reserve 2015
Gravelly clay, limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Complex and taut but with some supple, generous cherry and berry fruits. Has some spicy oak influence with some vanilla sheen. Real finesse in a very polished, modern package. 91/100

Böheim Grüner Veltliner Privat Stuhlwerker 2015
Gravelly clay, limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. There's some depth and generosity to the fruit here: nice sweet yellow plum and pear, with an appealing spicy twist. Ripe, generous and quite delicious with broad fruit and a touch of spicy detail. 89/100

Böheim Zweigelt, Merlot, Syrah Stuhlwerker 2011
Gravelly clay, limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. There's a gravelly edge to the black fruits nose. The palate is ripe, quite chunky and structured with some spice, gravel and tar notes as well as sleek black fruits. Nice weight and concentration here. Dense. 90/100

*

Christian Dietrich Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2013
Sandy limestone. 13.5% alcohol. Supple, rounded, berryish and with some compact fruit and a bit of structure. Nice weight. 88/100

Christian Dietrich Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2011
Sandy limestone. 13.5% alcohol. Soft and broad with strawberry and raspberry fruit as well as some earth and herb character. Has some smoothness and is showing development. 87/100

*

Claus Dietrich Grüner Veltliner Spitzerberg 2016
Sandy limestone. 12.5% alcohol. Sweetly fruited with pear and white peach fruit, as well as a touch of table grape. Rounded and ripe. 85/100

*

Glatzer Blaufränkisch Bärnreiser 2011
Gravel, gravelly clay, veins of limestone. 13.5% alcohol. There's an unusual sweet, fresh, pure red and black fruits character to this wine: it's just very fruity, with a supple sort of personality. Verging on the jammy perhaps? But still very tasty. 88/100

Glatzer St. Laurent Altenberg 2011
Danube River gravel, clay soils. 13.0% alcohol. Showing a touch of evolution, with some sweet herbs and red cherries on the nose. Fresh berry and cherry fruits on the palate with a faint tar and spice undercurrent, as well as some herbiness. Very drinkable with nicely integrated green characters complementing the fruit. 88/100

Glatzer Chardonnay Kräften 2016
Loess soils. 13.0% alcohol. Very appealing direct citrus and pear fruit with subtle nuts and spice. Lovely fruit character with apple and peach richness as well as keen citrus fruit. Lively and delicious. 90/100

Glatzer Sauvignon Blanc Schüttenberg 2016
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.0% alcohol. Pure, citrussy and fine with nice intensity and brightness. Lovely fruit here with a sense of precision and good acidity. 90/100

Gottschuly-Grassl Grüner Veltliner Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Hagelsberg 2015
Loess, gravelly clay soils. 13.0% alcohol. This is unusual: there's attractive citrus and pear fruit, but also some nutty, cedary oak character. The two don't really mesh all that well. 86/100

Gottschuly-Grassl Merlot Rotundo Bühl 2015
Loess with veins of sand. 14.0% alcohol. Rounded, sweet and berryish with a smooth mid palate. Nice drinkable style showcasing polished, sweet cherry and berry fruits. Easy and approachable. 86/100

Gottschuly-Grassl Zweigelt Hoher Weg Bühl     2015
Loess with veins of sand. 14.0% alcohol. Robust and juicy with some spicy, cedary oak under the sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. Quite sweet and appealing but the oak is a distraction. 87/100

*

Günther Glock Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2014
Sandy limestone. 13.0% alcohol. Unusual, with tea, herbs and earth notes complementing the supple berry fruits. Has a distinct savouriness. 86/100

*

Grassl Chardonnay Rothenberg 2016
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.0% alcohol.      Complex and lively with a balance between the sweet citrus and pear fruit, and the nice lemony brightness. I really like the fruit focus to this wine and the freshness and lightness it shows, even though there's plenty of flavour. 90/100

Grassl Chardonnay Rothenberg 2015
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.0% alcohol. Highly aromatic with some grape and citrus on the nose. The palate shows brightness of fruit with a lovely lemony core supporting the sweeter pear and white peach notes. Very fruit-driven with good balance. 90/100

Grassl Zweigelt, Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bärnreiser 2015
Gravel, gravelly clay, veins of limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Fresh and delicious, combining ripe sweet berry fruits with a chalky, gravelly savouriness. It's sweetly fruited but also has balance and some structure. Good weight here. 90/100

Grassl Zweigelt Schüttenberg 2015
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.0%. Concentrated and vivid with some oaky notes hiding under sweet but fresh raspberry and black cherry fruit. Combines ripeness, freshness and intensity very effectively. Lovely depth to the fruit with some tannic structure. 91/100

Grassl Zweigelt Schüttenberg 2011
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.0% alcohol. Concentrated and sweetly fruited with a bit of tarry structure to the sweet black fruits. Nice concentration and weight, together with some integrated oak character. Quite burly: this has developed nicely with a few years in bottle. 89/100

*

Lager Weißburgunder Gaderer 2016
Gravelly clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Delicacy of fruit is the hallmark here. Grapey, pure and with a bit of citrus freshness too. Nice concentration and focus to the palate. 89/100

Lager Zweigelt, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Schüttenberg 2012
Danube River gravel, limestone soils, 14.0% alcohol. There's depth and harmony here with the oak now well integrated into the sweet, smooth blackberry and black cherry fruit. The tannins have melted a little, giving support but also some cushion to the fruit. Has a bit of gravel on the finish. 90/100

*

Lugschitz Blaufränkisch Hundsheimerberg 2015
Calcareous loess soil. 14.0%. Very unusual sweet, aromatic jammy cherry fruit nose. Open and a bit oxidative. The palate shows more of this super-sweet fruit quality with some freshness and grip on the finish. An odd wine. 85/100

Lugschitz Blaufränkisch Hundsheimerberg 2013
Calcareous loess soil. 14.5%. Peppery edge to the grippy, sweet cherry fruit. Some plums and mint, too. A bit disjointed with a sweet finish. 85/100

*

Gerhard Markowitsch Zweigelt, Merlot, Blaufränkisch Rosenberg 2015
Gravel, calcareous clay soils. 14.0% alcohol. This is direct and fresh with some grippy but integrated structure and lovely purity. Raspberries, cherries and a touch of pepper, too. Stylish stuff. 91/100

Gerhard Markowitsch Chardonnay Schüttenberg 2016
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.0% alcohol. A rich, concentrated style with subtle toast and nuts, as well as a hint of honey, and a core of pear and peach fruit. Mealy and delicious in a ripe style. 90/100

Gerhard Markowitsch Zweigelt Kirchweingarten 2015
Sandy loess with argillaceous topsoil. 13.5% alcohol. Lovely concentration here with structured but pure cherry and raspberry fruit. There's real balance with dense sweet fruit but also good structure. Very refined with nice intensity and focus. 93/100

*

Lukas Markowitsch Zweigelt Haidacker 2011
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.5% alcohol. Ripe and seductive with lush berry fruits. A tiny bit baked? Has a sweet fruit personality, with good texture and density. 87/100

Lukas Markowitsch Chardonnay Reserve Rosenberg 2015
Gravel, calcareous clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Nicely concentrated, generous pear and peach fruit with some spice and a bit of citrus freshness. Nice weight and texture. Has a fruit sweetness. 88/100

Lukas Markowitsch Zweigelt Haidacker 2015
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Sweetly aromatic, showing lush, almost jammy fruit together with some oak character. Sweet, alluring but soft and formless too. 85/100

Lukas Markowitsch Chardonnay Reserve Rosenberg 2013
Gravel, calcareous clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Nutty, peachy, broad and generous but showing nice spiciness and a bit of citrus. Finishes a bit cedary and woody. 87/100

*

Muhr-van der Niepoort Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2010
Sandy limestone. 12.5% alcohol. Mature with notes of green tea, earth and herbs, as well as some cherry fruit. The palate is light and elegant with nice developed cherry fruit and a fine spiciness. Drinking well now. 91/100

Muhr-van der Niepoort Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2013
Sandy limestone. 13.0% alcohol. Fresh and direct with a lovely elegance to the mid-weight herb-tinged raspberry and red cherry fruit. There's a hint of herby, savoury complexity here with nice balance and drinkability. 89/100

*

Nadler Zweigelt Stuhlwerker 2015
Gravelly clay, limestone soils. 13.5% alcohol. A touch of appley lift on the nose, with some jammy raspberry fruit. Vivid, modern black cherry and raspberry fruit palate with some oxidative appley notes, too. Tasty but the oxidative notes worry me a little. 86/100

Nadler Zweigelt Gugelberg 2015
Sandy clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Beautifully focused cherry fruit nose with some raspberry freshness, and a hint of oak. Very fresh and pure on the palate with a sheen of oak adding polish to the fresh, bright fruit character. Really well made, but needs a while for the oak to settle down. 90/100

*

Franz & Christine Netzl Sauvignon Blanc Schüttenberg 2015
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Some breadth and generosity to the rounded, fruity palate. This has a softness of texture and lovely depth. Smooth and more-ish in quite a ripe style. 89/100

Franz & Christine Netzl Zweigelt Haidacker 2013
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.5% alcohol. This shows a really nice peppery edge to the bright berry fruits on the nose. The palate is fresh and vivid with red cherries and plums, as well as some juiciness. Very peppery and delicious. 91/100

Franz & Christine Netzl Weißburgunder Bärnreiser 2016
Gravel, gravelly clay, veins of limestone soils. 13.5% alcohol. Good concentration of sweet citrus and pear fruit with a lively spiciness, nice acidity and a broad, slightly grapey mid-palate. Rounded and tasty, with some fruit sweetness. 89/100

Franz & Christine Netzl Zweigelt, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Anna-Christina Bärnreiser 2011
Gravel, gravelly clay, veins of limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Gravelly and intense with dense, sweet black fruits and a chalky, mineral underpinning. Lots of sweet fruit. Has freshness and also structure. Quite sweet. 89/100

*

Martin Netzl Zweigelt Rosenberg 2015
Gravel, calcareous clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Tannic and a bit grippy but with lovely direct cherry and berry fruits. Has nice freshness and focus. Quite delicious. 90/100

Martin Netzl Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2013
Sandy limestone. 13.5% alcohol. Finely spiced with some raspberry and cherry fruit, and hints of ginger and herbs. Supple with nice weight and balance to the palate. 87/100

Martin Netzl Grüner Veltliner Stoana Steinriegel 2016
Danube River gravel, sand soils. 14.0% alcohol. This is ripe, broad and very smooth, with pear, grape and white peach fruit notes. Soft and rounded, it's not very Gruner but it's tasty. 87/100

Martin Netzl, Gelber Traminer Steinriegel 2016  
Danube River gravel, sand soils. 14.0% alcohol. Incredibly aromatic with table grapes, spice, lemon and lychee on the nose. Textured and fruity on the palate with a sophisticated mouth feel and smooth, grapey fruit. Quite delicious and more-ish. 90/100

*

Ott Grüner Veltliner Gabler 2016
Danube River gravel soils. 12.5% alcohol. Lively citrus fruit nose with a hint of pepper. Dry and linear on the palate with appealing citrus fruits and a touch of herbiness. Has a bit of structure, too. Grippy finish. 89/100

Ott Chardonnay Reserve Hagelsberg 2015
Loess, gravelly clay soils. 13.5% alcohol. Pretty, fruity and a bit grapey with some pear and citrus, as well as some spice. There's even a hint of mint here. 86/100

Ott Zweigelt Rubin Carnuntum Hagelsberg 2015
Loess, gravelly clay. 13.5% alcohol. Beautifully vivid and intense with nice grip to the sweet raspberry and black cherry fruit. There's some warm oak spice here, it seems, which is a bit of a distraction, but the fruit is just lovely. 90/100

*

 

Payr Grüner Veltliner Rothenberg 2015
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.0% alcohol. Fresh, vivid, pithy and quite intense with a slight oiliness to the citrus fruit. Structured and a bit grippy. Some herbs. 87/100

Payr Zweigelt, Merlot, Blaufränkisch Reserve Bühl 2013
Loess with veins of sand. 14.5% alcohol. Fresh, bright and a bit peppery. Red berries and cherries with a savoury, cedary spiciness on the palate. Attractive. 88/100

Payr Zweigelt, Merlot Blaufränkisch Reserve Bühl 2011
Loess with veins of sand. 14.0% alcohol. Supple and berryish with red cherries and plums. Midweight with a savoury, slightly spicy twist. Very drinkable and digestible with appealing sweet fruit. Balanced. 90/100

Payr Zweigelt Reserve Steinäcker 2013
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.5% alcohol.      Distinctive peppery nose with sleek black fruits. The palate is concentrated and fresh with high acidity, firm tannins, and a very peppery quality as well as ripe black fruits. Unusual. 88/100

Payr Zweigelt Reserve Steinäcker 2011
Danube River gravel on sandy loam. 14.0% alcohol. Supple, sweetly fruited and well integrated, with some pepper alongside the sweet blackberry fruit. Has nice freshness and structure too. A ripe, sweetly fruited wine, but in balance. 90/100

Payr Blaufränkisch Reserve Spitzerberg 2011
Sandy limestone. 13.5% alcohol. Showing some development, this has some earthy notes as well as herbs and spice. Some damson bitterness, too. 87/100

Payr Blaufränkisch Reserve Spitzerberg 2008
Sandy limestone. 13.5% alcohol. Supple, mature and quite elegant with ripe cherries and plums as well as a fine herbiness. Smooth and very drinkable. 90/100

*

Gerhard Pimpel Rosenberg Merlot Optime 2015
Gravel, calcareous clay soils. 14.0% alcohol. Peppery and bright with attractive berry fruits, and a really nice texture to the palate. There's some structure, but it doesn't stick out. Supple, fruity and very drinkable, but with a hint of seriousness. 90/100

*

Pelzmann Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2013
Sandy limestone. 13.0% alcohol. Peppery and a bit earthy with a spicy savouriness and supple berry fruits. A tiny bit murky. 86/100

*

Riedmüller Chardonnay Braunsberg 2016
Sandy loam with veins of clay. 12.5% alcohol. There's a stony edge to the sweet pear and citrus fruit. Has some creamy notes, too. 84/100

Riedmüller Zweigelt, Merlot, Blaufränkisch Braunsberg 2013
Sandy loam with veins of clay. 13.0% alcohol. Supple cherry fruit here. Midweight with a slightly baked edge to the fruit. 85/100

Riedmüller Blaufränkisch Braunsberg 2011
Sandy loam with veins of clay. 13.0% alcohol. Slight touch of earthy beetroot under the cherry and plum fruit. Has some apple notes, too. Midweight and fruity. 83/100

Riedmüller Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2012
Sandy limestone. 13.5%. Smooth and rounded with sweet berry and cherry fruit. Some mid-palate softness with a smooth fruit quality. Ripe style. 86/100

*

Taferner Cabernet Sauvignon Tribun Haidacker 2015
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 14.5% alcohol. Fresh, bright, direct and berryish with a mid-weight personality and appealing sweet berry fruits. Some generosity here, but also some grippy structure. 88/100

Taferner Zweigelt Bärnreiser 2015
Gravel, gravelly clay, veins of limestone soils. 14.0% alcohol. Bright and vivid with a sweet, creamy undercurrent to the direct raspberry and cherry fruit. Generous, with a seductive side, but not lacking freshness. 87/100

Taferner Chardonnay Schüttenberg 2015
Danube River gravel, limestone soils. 13.5% alcohol. Pretty, broad and rich with a floral, grapey, almost musky edge to the sweet pear and peach fruit. Has depth and richness but also some freshness. A pretty, plump wine. 88/100

*

Trapl Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2013
Sandy limestone. 13.0% alcohol. Peppery and spicy with a distinct dried herb and leather character as well as sweet and sour cherry and plum fruit. 85/100

Trapl Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg 2015
Sandy limestone. 13% alcohol. Fresh, open and rounded with sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. Has a smoothness and some development on the palate. Drinking very well with no rough edges. 89/100

Trapl Weißburgunder Gaisberg 2016
Sandy clay, limestone soils. 13.0% alcohol. Yellow colour, with a bit of haze. Beautifully focused nose with spicy citrus fruit. Very fine on the palate with lovely acidity and a mealy, spicy edge to the citrus fruit. Has complexity and finesse. Very fine. 94/100

Trapl Weißburgunder Gaisberg 2013
Sandy clay, limestone soils. 13.0% alcohol. Spicy and lively, with keen citrus fruit and some toasty, nutty oak influence. Broad and textured but also with lovely focus. Give the oak time to integrate: this is a lovely wine. 93/100

Wines tasted 08/17  
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