Austria’s modern wine reputation was forged in the aftermath of crisis. The 1985 antifreeze scandal — in which a small number of producers were found to have adulterated wines with diethylene glycol — brought the industry to the brink of collapse overnight, with 95% of exports lost and hundreds of businesses ruined, including many with no involvement whatsoever. Austria’s response was to create what became the strictest wine legislation in the world. Every bottle now carries a banderol bearing the red and white stripes of the national flag — a guarantee of federal quality control, tamper-proof sealing and full traceability from vineyard to glass. The result is a wine culture defined by rigour, precision and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from regions such as the Kremstal and Niederösterreich are among the most compelling white wines Europe has to offer — and our selection, led by Funkstille and Weingut Sepp Moser, reflects exactly that.


+ Read our article on the Austrian Wine Scandal