Are you a wine lover looking for a new region to explore? Located in the eastern part of Austria, Carnuntum is a small but significant wine region with a rich history of wine production. Known for its red wines, especially Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch, this wine region has been gaining recognition in recent years for producing high-quality red wines with character, spiced up with a rich history, a unique terroir, and some of the most delicious wines you’ll ever taste.
Thanks to the Carnuntum Academy, organized by Wine+Partners, I had the chance to discover this region in more detail, and I can say with confidence that these are truly world-class red wines from Austria. Now, here I am to prove it to you. This will be an introduction to Carnuntum’s history, climate, how it influences the wine-growing season, the terroir with the most planted grape varieties for these red wines, the classification system, and what Rubin Carnuntum is. I will also introduce some of my favorite women in wine and a selection of wines from the area. There’s so much to talk about, so let’s get started!
History
Carnuntum has a long history dating back to the Roman Empire, where it was an important military base and trading hub. The region’s name is derived from the Roman city of Carnuntum, which was once one of the most important cities in the empire. The Romans planted vineyards in the area, and winemaking has continued through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that Carnuntum gained recognition as a significant wine region.
Location and Climate
Carnuntum is situated in Lower Austria, between Vienna and Bratislava, and includes around 906 hectares of vineyards, making it one of the smallest wine regions in the country. This place benefits from a unique climate influenced by its proximity to the Danube River, the Pannonian Plain, and the Carpathian foothills. These influences contribute to hot, dry summers and cold winters, creating ideal conditions for growing robust red grapes for full-bodied wines.
The climate of Carnuntum is shaped by four main influences:
- Continental-Pannonian: This brings hot, dry summers and cold winters, crucial for ripening grapes.
- Temperate Atlantic: Provides moderate weather, helping in balanced growth.
- Cool Northern Air: Maintains the high acidity in the grapes.
- Mediterranean-Adriatic: Adds warmth and sunshine, promoting ripeness.
Terroir
The terroir of Carnuntum is diverse, with soils ranging from loess and gravel to limestone and clay. This diversity allows winemakers to produce wines with distinct personalities and characteristics. The gravel soils provide excellent drainage, which is beneficial for the cultivation of red grape varieties, while the loess and limestone create wines with structure and minerality. The region’s microclimates also play a crucial role in the development of the grapes, ensuring optimal ripening conditions and balanced acidity. Here, global warming has really impacted the growing season. While 20 years ago they harvested Blaufränkisch around the 20th of October, nowadays it is almost a whole month earlier.
Grape Varieties
Carnuntum is well-known for its red wines, with Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch being the most important grape varieties. Zweigelt is most suited to the vineyards near Göttlesbrunn, while around Prellenkirchen, Blaufränkisch gives the best expressions.
Zweigelt
Austria’s most widely planted red grape. These wines are rich in fruit flavors, particularly cherry and raspberry, with a soft tannic structure and spicy notes. I have written a longer description about Zweigelt before; you can read it here.
Blaufränkisch
The second most planted red grape in Carnuntum, but the more traditional. Known for its deep color and robust structure, it offers flavors of dark berries, plums, and spices, with good acidity and potential for aging. You can read more about this variety here.
In addition to these, the region also has other varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, often used in blends to create complex and full-bodied wines. Red grape varieties make up 54.3% of the vineyard area, with Zweigelt covering 26.4% and Blaufränkisch 9.2%.
Classification System
Carnuntum introduced Austria’s DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) system in 2019, which ensures the quality and authenticity of its wines. The Carnuntum DAC classification distinguishes wines based on origin and quality:
- Gebietswein (Regional Wine): These wines represent the broadest category and can include grapes sourced from anywhere within the Carnuntum region. They showcase the general characteristics of the area.
- Ortswein (Village Wine): Ortswein are village-specific wines made from grapes grown in designated villages within Carnuntum. They exhibit more localized terroir influences and a higher level of quality.
- Riedenwein (Single Vineyard Wine): The highest classification, Riedenwein, comes from specific single vineyards known for their exceptional terroir. These wines highlight the unique characteristics of the vineyard and are often the flagship wines of a winery.
Rubin Carnuntum
Rubin Carnuntum is an initiative that began in 1992, representing the best expression of the region’s Zweigelt wines. These wines carry a distinctive logo on the capsule, ensuring their authenticity and quality. Rubin Carnuntum wines are known for their rich fruit flavors, structure, and elegance. In 2019, Rubin Carnuntum was integrated into the Gebietswein DAC category. Its goal is to establish Zweigelt as the leading variety of Carnuntum.
Influential Women in Carnuntum
What I find most fascinating about Carnuntum is the significant role played by women in the wine industry. Several remarkable women are leading the charge in crafting some of the region’s most exceptional wines. These women in wine are my personal inspiration:
Dorli Muhr
Born and raised in Carnuntum, Dorli Muhr tends to her twelve-hectare estate with meticulous care, focusing on indigenous grape varieties like Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, and her true passion, Syrah. Dorli’s hands-on approach to winemaking, including handpicking and slow fermentation, results in wines of exceptional character and finesse.
Michaela Riedmüller
With vineyards spread across the Braunsberg and Spitzerberg areas, Michaela cultivates a diverse array of grape varieties, including Blaufränkisch, Chardonnay, and Grüner Veltliner. Michaela’s commitment to sustainable practices ensures that every bottle embodies the essence of the land it comes from. Just take a look at her Down to Earth selection, which is dedicated to sustainability and environmental awareness.
Karoline Taferner
The winery spans 25 hectares of vineyards, with a focus on organic and sustainable practices. With varieties ranging from Blaufränkisch to Chardonnay, Taferner wines are a true reflection of Carnuntum’s terroir, especially their Zweigelt selection. Karoline’s wines are celebrated for their balance, complexity, and sense of place, which have earned accolades both domestically and internationally.
Christina Netzl
A leading figure at Weingut Netzl, Christina Netzl has focused on organic viticulture and the production of high-quality red wines that express the terroir of the region. Together with her parents, Franz and Christine Netzl, Christina vinifies wines with strong character, rich in finesse and, above all, profound wines from the family-owned vineyards around Göttlesbrunn.
Wine Recommendations
As I have mentioned, with the Academy and at various other tastings in the last couple of years, I got the chance to discover the region’s red wine potential. Now, I would like to share my suggestions for you to see why Carnuntum is the next big deal of Austria’s world-class red wines. Here are my personal favorites:
Weingut Netzl, Anna-Christina, Ried Bärnrieser 2019:
This blend of 70% Zweigelt, 20% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon offers a deep and vivid ruby red color with high viscosity. The nose is full of ripe forest fruits like dark cherries, plums, and cassis, along with spices such as black pepper, cumin, rosemary, dark chocolate, and mint. On the palate, it is dry with medium-plus acidity, medium-plus alcohol, and ripe, smooth tannins. Flavors of blackberry, plums, cassis, smoky vanilla, coffee, rosemary, tobacco, and dark chocolate lead to a lingering spicy finish. This wine pairs well with heavy proteins like game or BBQ pork and can be enjoyed now or cellared for 8-10 years.
Weingut Michaela Riedmüller, Ried Braunsberg Blaufränkisch 2020:
The glass presents a vivid medium-plus depth of ruby red color with medium-plus viscosity. The nose is elegant and intense, offering notes of red cherry, blueberry, and cassis, complemented by thyme, star anise, coffee, dark chocolate, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, this medium-bodied dry wine features a super ripe and medium tannin structure, high acidity, and well-integrated alcohol. Flavors of coffee, pepper, and star anise are prominent, with berry fruits carrying through to the medium-plus finish. This well-made and balanced Blaufränkisch is ready to drink now and can be enjoyed for the next 5-7 years. Best served at 15-18°C, it benefits from breathing for an hour in the glass before tasting or drinking. Perfect for meditative exploration on rainy days, this wine reveals new flavors and aromas with each sip.
Weingut Dorli Muhr, Ried Spizterberg Blaufränkisch 2016:
This varietal wine, crafted from 70-years old vines and matured, showcases the essence of Blaufränkisch. It still has a very fresh fruit and youthful character. The nose is intense and aromatic, featuring sharp red fruits with mint and hints of black pepper. On the palate, it is juicy and dry with medium-plus alcohol, smooth and ripe tannin structure, and a medium-plus body. Flavors of ripe cherry fruits, black pepper, and coffee linger into a long finish. Ready to drink now and capable of aging gracefully for a very long time.
Weingut Taferner, Ried Bärnrieser 2020:
This wine reflects Karoline Taferner’s leadership since joining her family’s winery in 2015 as CEO and winemaker, following her studies in viticulture and oenology in Vienna and international experiences in Australia and New Zealand. This wine, a pinnacle of Austrian vineyards marked by the 1ÖTW designation, presents a deep ruby color and medium-plus viscosity. Its intensely aromatic nose reveals sweet cooking spices, smoky vanilla, dark chocolate, dark plums, blackberry, black currant, and black cherries. On the palate, it is balanced with integrated tannins, medium-plus body, and a super juicy texture, leading to a long finish. Ready to enjoy now or cellar for 5-8 years, serve at 16-18°C to complement hearty dishes like red meat with rich sauces or a comforting lasagna.
Weingut Pitnauer, Bienenfresser Zweigelt Reserve 2018:
This varietal wine, crafted from loess-gravel soil and aged for 18 months in new and used barriques, showcases the essence of Zweigelt. It boasts a medium-plus ruby color with silver hints and medium-plus viscosity. The nose is intense and aromatic, featuring ripe cherries, blueberries, violet, red roses, vanilla, milk chocolate, and hints of black pepper. On the palate, it is refreshing and dry with medium-plus alcohol, smooth and ripe medium-plus tannins, and a medium-plus body. Flavors of ripe fruits, dark chocolate, coffee, and vanilla linger into a long finish dominated by cherry notes. Ready to drink now and capable of aging gracefully for 8-10 years at 15-18°C, it pairs exceptionally well with wild bird dishes, pork ribs, goulash soup or stew, and hard cheeses.
Michael Auer, Ried Bühl Zweigelt 2019:
It boasts a deep ruby red color with purple hints and high viscosity. The nose is spicy and warm, filled with black forest fruits, plums, black pepper, coffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, tobacco, and dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s juicy with flavors of black cherries, plums, blackberry, and currant, complemented by dark chocolate, coffee, licorice, and pepper spices. The tannins are ripe and smooth, well-integrated with balanced alcohol and acidity, leading to a long, spicy finish with chocolate and black cherries in the aftertaste. This is a very good quality wine, best enjoyed at 16-18°C, perfect for brightening a rainy day, whether enjoyed on its own or with good friends and some lively conversation.
Conclusion
Carnuntum may be a small wine region, but it packs a punch with its high-quality red wines, rich history, and unique terroir. From the robust Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch to the innovative winemakers, particularly the inspiring women who are shaping the future of this region, Carnuntum is definitely a place to discover. When you explore this gem of a wine region, you’ll not only enjoy some of the most delicious wines but also see a deep connection to the land and its past in every glass.
Photos by @Austrian Wine ,@Rubin Carnuntum , @WinEncsy
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