Grape seeds found in an eighth-century-BC Celtic burial mound prove that Leithaberg is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. The vineyards descending toward Lake Neusiedl are distinctive not least for the countless almond, cherry and peach trees scattered among them, while the soil is a rare combination of shell limestone from 15 million years ago and schist. As for the climate, warm winds off Lake Neusiedl ensure the grapes ripen beautifully, while cool air from the mountains chills the vineyards at night, so the wines here are fruity, fresh and refined. Among the varieties Blaufränkisch (frankovka) leads the way, followed by Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Welschriesling (Graševina) and chardonnay. 
The area is renowned for its Prädikat wines, and so the Esterházy winery of Trausdorf makes a Beerenauslese from chardonnay seasoned with other white varieties, as well as an Eiswein (ice wine) from Grüner Veltliner and Muscat Ottonel. They have three sparkling wines from Blaufränkisch: the white Sekt Brut, the Reserve Rosé Brut and another white – but mature – Grand Reserve Blanc de Noir Brut Nature. Their still whites are made in several quality tiers from Grüner Veltliner, sauvignon, chardonnay, furmint, Pinot Blanc and Chenin Blanc; the rosé is from Blaufränkisch, and there are reds from that variety as well as from Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Merlot with Blaufränkisch yields Tezoro, the estate’s flagship, whose name means treasure. The Esterházy winery employs our own Matija Lesković as oenologist. Whatever they bring to Austrian Wines Meets Croatia at Zagreb’s Westin hotel on February 24, visitors will have plenty to enjoy. 
The Hans Igler winery comes from Mittelburgenland, a sub-region where fully 92 percent of the vineyards are planted with red varieties. The leaders are Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with Grüner Veltliner only in fifth place. From all four of those red varieties the Hans Igler winery of Deutschkreutz makes the wine Vulcano; from Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and merlot come From Ericio and Ricciolino, and from each of them individually – including Pinot Noir – they make varietal wines. Their whites are from chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and/or sauvignon, the sparkling rosé Brut is from Blaufränkisch, and a Frizzante from Pinot Blanc. The Groszer Wein winery from Burg in southern Burgenland offers five wine tiers – Entry level, Local, Single Vineyard, Rarities and Natural – with the varieties Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Merlot and Pinot Noir plus Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau and Welschriesling (Graševina). Welsch is the magician, and we are just here to give it a stage, they say at Groszer. Let us hope the Westin, too, will be a good stage for wine magic on February 26.
17 February 2026
https://vinskiklub.hr/objave/preporuke/austrian-wines-meets-croatia-esterhazy-s-litavske-gore-hans-igler-iz-srednjeg-gradisca-te-groszer-iz-juznog-stizu-u-zagreb
