Morning mood over the vineyard of Ligerz with view towards Biel. Photo: © swiss-image.ch/Roman Burri
Top ten wines of the DACH region It’s time once more for wrapping up, getting cosy in front of the fire, reading books or binging on your favourite TV shows, all while enjoying a nice glass of fine wine. And for this, we have what might be a new wine tip for many: wines from the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland)! Find out which delectable wines from the region to try this autumn, in the following feature.
tion, the lack of international fame for these gorgeous wines can somewhat be explained. Things are gradually changing, however, as the world beyond the Alps is discovering the great taste and quality of Switzerland’s fine wines.
TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF
Wine harvesting in Europe usually occurs from late August to early October which makes the season the perfect time to appreciate and discover some new wines. While some are likely to have tried German wines before, as the country is renowned for its excellent white wines and gorgeous wine-growing regions, you probably haven’t tried wine from Austria and Switzerland just yet – which is something we want to change. After all, wineproducing regions in the DACH region are known to produce a dazzling variety of whites and reds, ranging from fruity to spicy, dry to sweet, and many more. Austria, for example, counts towards one of the top countries in the world in terms of production standards and impresses with its refreshing whites and elegant, 28 | Issue 79 | October 2019
dry reds. Switzerland, on the other hand, has around 15,000 hectares of vineyards and has been making wine for more than 2,000 years. Due to the fact that the country has, prior to now, primarily produced its wines for Swiss consump-
Tement winery, Austria. Photo: © ÖWM / Anna Stöcher
We hope you do, too – and that’s why Discover Germany takes a look at the DACH region’s top-ten wine varieties. 1) Grüner Veltliner (Austria) The Grüner Veltliner is a dry white wine that almost only grows in Austria. While there are about 50,000 acres of Grüner Veltliner worldwide, over 75 per cent of Grüner Veltliner wines come from Austria. The wine impresses with subtle flavours of zesty lime, white pepper and green pepper and thus reminds a little bit of Sauvignon Blanc. What makes this wine so unique is its signature acidity, that practically explodes in one’s mouth. High-quality Grüner Veltliner wines will therefore have a delicate, tingly aftertaste. As far as food pairings go, try Grüner Veltliner with sushi, or Mexican dishes with coriander.