Where the World's Best White Wines Are Made, My Favorite Restaurant in Vienna, and an Austrian Winemaker Who's a Living Legend

Hey guys!

I spent last weekend in Austria for Karakterre, one of the best Central and Eastern European wine fairs in the world, and the experience was unlike anything else. There’s so much to talk about, but three stops that really defined my weekend were: a walk through Austria’s top white wine region, dinner under the trees at my favorite restaurant in Vienna, and a magnum from an Austrian winemaking legend that I haven’t stopped thinking about. Enjoy 🙏

A Trip to Styria, Home of the Best White Wines in the World 🇦🇹 

An afternoon hike and the case for Austria’s most compelling wines

In the days prior to the Karakterre wine fair, I traveled with a group through a few different wine regions of Austria. One of the biggest highlights was a day trip to Styria, a region that’s long been one of my favorites in the world.

The day didn’t start off easy. We were up at 7:00 am for a three hour bus ride to the Southeastern corner of the country, so close to the Slovenian border that my phone sent me a “Welcome to Slovenia” text. When we arrived, we were greeted by some of the region’s top producers, Sepp Muster, Franz Strohmeier, Andreas Tscheppe, and Roland Tauss, along with a group of other wine people in town for the fair.

The plan was simple: a short hike from Sepp Muster’s house to Andreas Tscheppe’s for lunch. What I didn’t expect was a landscape straight out of Lord of the Rings, dense forests, rolling hills, and an backdrop that at times didn’t look entirely real.

The hike ended with a long lunch and a cellar tour at Tscheppe’s, surrounded by some of the most respected names in the region with all their wines available to taste as well

I genuinely believe Styria is producing the best white wines in the world. They’re crisp, structured, and deeply complex, with a razor-sharp acidity that feels like biting into a lemon. On top of that, they’re still relatively affordable (the high end bottles top out around $75) which feels like a steal compared to what White Burgundy is going for these days.

Some of the people I was with called it the “Tuscany of Austria.” Full respect to Tuscany, but I don’t think it even compares. Styria might be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone thinking about visiting Austria.

Glacis Beisl: A Classic Viennese Eatery That Always Delivers 🏠️

An establishment that nails the trifecta: good food, a deep wine list, and one of the dreamiest outdoor spaces in the city

Very rarely do I go to the same place twice when visiting a new city, I usually feel like it defeats the purpose of traveling. But there’s one exception I’ll always make: Glacis Beisl in Vienna. This place checks every box; affordable, delicious food, a thoughtful wine list, and a sprawling garden terrace that feels like you’ve stepped into Narnia.

The food is a true highlight. With Austrian staples like schnitzel, blood sausage, and goulash, you can get your fix of local cuisine knowing it’ll be done at an exceptionally high level. I honestly don’t think I’ve ordered anything from a restaurant more times than their schnitzel with cranberry sauce.

Shockingly, the wine list might be even more impressive than the food. They’ve got deep cuts from all over Central and Eastern Europe. On my most recent visit, we drank a 2007 Sepp Muster, 2018 Cotar bubbles, and more Furmint than I probably needed, from producers I’d never even heard of.

And the setting? It’s almost too perfect. Walking in to the restaurant, you feel like you’ve entered a hidden garden, loads of tables and chairs spread across a leafy terrace, packed with people eating, drinking, and chatting as the night rolls on. (It kind of reminds me of a better version of Lagniappe in Miami, for anyone who gets the reference.) The indoor space is sleek too, in case the weather isn’t cooperating. Really, if you’re ever in Vienna, this is the place to prioritize.

Producer Highlight ⭐️ 

One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!

That’s it for this week! My brother and I are spending this week in Berlin and Copenhagen before heading back to New York, so stay tuned 🎶 

Thanks so much for reading along and, as always, drink responsibly 🥂