Anyone who wants to drink well in summer doesn't need to look far. Austria delivers, from the vineyards just outside Vienna to Burgenland, wines built for the weather: fresh, lively, with enough depth for anyone who wants more than just a cold glass.

Vienna Classics: Wieninger Nussberg and Gemischter Satz

The most elegant place to start is the Grüner Veltliner Nussberg from Weingut Wieninger, a Vienna wine in the best sense. Organic certified, grown in the sandy, limestone rich soils of the Nussberg, aged in stainless steel. Green apple, peach, chamomile, white pepper.

Anyone wanting to dig deeper into Vienna's terroir should reach for the Wiener Gemischter Satz Ried Ulm Nussberg DAC 2023, also from Wieninger. A field blend of Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, Neuburger, Welschriesling, and several other local varieties. The result is complex, creamy, and remarkably long, with aging potential to 2041.

Fresh from Stammersdorf and the Kamptal

Fresher and more approachable is the Grüner Veltliner Bruch BIO 2025 from Weingut Rainer Christ in Vienna Stammersdorf. Refined, powerful, spicy: yellow apple, orange zest, freshly picked mint. Made using gravity flow, no pumping, vegan.

From the Kamptal comes the Grüner Veltliner Ried Gaisberg Kamptal DAC BIO 2019 from Weingut Armin Huber: yellow stone fruit, a touch of mango, delicate apple fruit, a tobacco tinged finish.

For Red Wine Fans: Eisenberg DAC Reserve Diabas

For anyone who still reaches for red in summer: the Eisenberg DAC Reserve Diabas 2021 from Jalits in Burgenland is a Blaufränkisch that rewards patience. Dark forest berries, lingonberry, nougat, subtle notes of fine wood, ripe tannin, and a salty finish.

For Explorers: Uhudler and Fräulein Rosé

The most surprising entry is the Natural Amphore Uhudler 2023, a rarity from Burgenland made from the Concord grape, wild fermented in a clay amphora, unfined and unfiltered. Wild strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant. AWC 2024 Gold.

And for a toast: the sparkling Fräulein Rosé from Mayer am Pfarrplatz, a Vienna sparkling wine made purely from Zweigelt, with fresh berry aromas and a fine mousse. A long standing classic that works as well as an aperitif as it does with a barbecue.

Vienna's Nussberg, Kamptal terroir, or a Burgenland rarity: Austria's winemakers have the right glass for every summer evening.