• 16Mar

    The Wine Details – “An Evening in Austria”

    wine cover picture

    Here is a list of the wines tasted during a recent “An Evening in Austria” home wine dinner event.  Some basic information about the wines and suggested food pairings has been included.

    Peter Bernreiter 2015 Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Vienna (Wien)

    Bernreiter wines first imported to US in 2011; most are consumed on property at his Heuriger; vineyards in northern more rural part of Vienna.

    Cool fermentation in stainless steel; 100% Weissburgunder; alcohol 14%

    Spicy with apple aromas on the nose and a good body on the palate.  (Very nice white varietal with everything on the menu; purchased from Blue Danube Wine Company of Los Altos, CA – www.bluedanubewine.com )

    Food pairings: traditional caraway pork belly roast, minced meat patties, meat dumplings and Wiener Schnitzel.

    Birget Eichinger “Gaisberg”  Reisling Lower Austria Kamptal DAC

    Grapes were macerated 15 hours before pressed off and preclarified for 20 hours; must then fermented using a special yeast for Rieslings; alcohol 13.3%

    A wave of citrus on the nose, then marzipan and peach; voluminous body releases fruit, residual sugar perfectly offsetting its acidity; attractive lingering aftertaste; classic Riesling character.  (Good Austrian Riesling from B-21 Fine Wine & Spirits in Tarpon Springs, FL – www.b-21.com)

    Food pairing: fish in particular.

    Golser Una 2015 Riesling Burgenland Neusiedlersee DAC

    Cool fermentation in stainless steel barrels; alcohol 12%;   an 89 pts WE Best Buy

    A refreshing wine, crisp, well balanced acidity with mid-body structure.  A hint of lemon and earth on the nose, dried fruits and citric flavors with a hint of apples.    (Really nice Riesling and best buy; purchased at Tina’s Café, Punta Gorda, FL)

    Food pairing: chicken, seafood, soft cheeses and Asian cuisine

    Muenzenrieder Gruner Veltliner Classic 2013 Burgenland Neusiedlersee DAC

    Cool fermentation in stainless steel barrels; 100% Gruner Veltliner; Alcohol 12%

    Scent of fresh apples with delicate spices on the nose; refreshing mineral style, harmonious finish with good length.  (From Tina’s Café)

    Food pairing: great partner for all kinds of dishes from rustic cuisine to fish, pasta and salads as wells as Asian cuisine.

    Umathum Rosa 2015 Rose Burgenland Neusiedlersee DAC  92 pt WE

    A biodynamic winery; fermentation in stainless steel tanks; a cuvee of ZW 33%, STL 33% and BF 33%0 alcohol 13%

    Luminous pink hue with spicy elderberries, luscious strawberries and juicy red cherries. Elegant . Floral . Cherry . Spice . Medium-bodied (This wine is best served chilled and was a surprise hit with the group; purchased from B-21 Wine)

    Food pairing: good aperitif, salads, fish and seafood, hard cheeses and bacon varieties.

    Lenz Moser Blaufränkisch trocken 2013 Burgenland

    Fermentation in steel tanks; 100% Blaufränkish; alcohol 12.5%

    Spicy flavors, dark berries and other dark fruits; well integrated tannins with a strong body and very dry finish.  (Good introduction to the varietal; from Tina’s Café)

    Food pairing: veal, beef and pork, as well as pasta and vegetarian dishes.

    Muhr-van der Niepoort  Blaufränkisch samt & seide 2013  

                       Lower Austria Carnuntum  “Velvet and Silk”

    Gentle maceration without any mechanical tools; focus on handwork; wooden barrels for 2 years; alcohol 13%

    92 pts Wine Enthusiast: Nothing obvious about this wine: everything is subtle and elegant.  Nose holds back and taut palate only opens slowly to show as floral, fruity wine that reminds one of crimson peony petals as much as dark, juicy cherries; silky smooth texture with a killer blow.  Velvet and silk is perfect name.

    89 pts Robert Parker: Very clear and delicate, almost Pinot-like bouquet of ripe red berries and cherries intertwined with fine mineral and spicy flavors; medium-bodied and very elegant, silky texture and fruity reds; remarkably fine tannins; good well balanced finish; very food friendly.

    (Highly enjoyed by the group; purchased from Blue Danube Wine Company)

    Food pairing: grilled meats; lamb; bratwurst; hamburgers; tomato and basil pasta, feta cheese

    Juris St. Laurent Reserve 2009 Burgenland Neusiedlersee DAC

    Stiegelmar family has been making wine since 1571; gravity flow for 4 floors and Austria’s first passive energy winey.

    Georg Stiegelmar named 1995 Winemaker of the Year by Intl Wine & Spirit Competition in London;  2013 Bronze Decanter World Wine Award

    12 months in barrique followed by 6 months in large oak barrel; 100% St. Laurent; alcohol 14%

    Big spicy, plummy aromatics coupled with thick skinned earthiness – like Pinot Noir’s bolder and cheekier sister!

    (Nice red with our Austrian menu; purchased from Blue Danube Wine Company)

    Food pairing: pork, venison, gamey veal/rabbit stews, mushrooms and anything topped with a juniper sauce.

    Riedenhof Kadlec Merlot LYSS 2012 Burgenland

    One year in wood barrique; 100% Merlot; alcohol 13.5%

    Deep dark ruby red with purple reflexes on the rim; present but pleasant tannins; vibrating structure with a fine fruity finish; elegant balance between smoothness of the Merlot and oakiness of the barrel.  (This was the most controversial wine of the tasting.  Several people really enjoyed it and others did not care for it.  From Tina’s Café.)

    Food pairing: beef Borguignon, beef stroganoff, hamburgers, meatloaf, steaks with mushroom sauce, pasta and pizza.

    Hugl Weine Zweigelt Lower Austria Weinviertel DAC

    Fresh spicy fruity cherry flavors; full bodied smooth and round; alcohol 13%

    (Good Zweigelt and purchased from Total Wine & More)

    Winzer Krems “Kellermeister” Zweigelt Lower Austria Kremstal DAC

    Tight, tannic flavors of berry and dried cherry; alcohol 13.5% (Another good Zweigelt from Total Wine)

    Food pairing: game, roast beef and poultry, meat-pies, matured cheese

    Rosenhof Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese TBA 2012

    Burgenland Neusiedlersee DAC  92 pt WE and Bronze International Wine Challenge

    TBA is the final harvest with the most noble rot; grapes are individually picked; rare and expensive due to labor intensive production and very specific climate conditions; everything is fermented together unlike Tokaji where the grapes are mashed into a paste before being added to a fermenting fresh base wine; alcohol 9%.

    Aromatic and incredibly persistent flavors of apricot, honey and winter spice.  A very, very fresh-fruited TBA with immense liveliness.  (These wine tasters are not big dessert wine drinkers, but this one was very enjoyable – the honey drizzle on the cheese did the trick; purchased from Blue Danube Wine Company).

    Food pairing: Grilled fruit, pungent cheese drizzled with honey.

    Kreinbacher Brut Classic Furmint 85% Chardonnay 15% Somlo (Hungary)

    Somlo is Hungary’s smallest appellation and is 90 miles west of Budapest; just a short distance from Austrian border.

    22 months of aging; traditional methode Champenoise in Coquard presses from Champagne; alcohol 12%

    Citrus and mineral nature of furmint plus smoke and creamy weight of Somlo; familiar grapefruit and green apple.

    (This wine taster especially enjoyed it; excellent sparkling wine if you can get it;  purchased from Blue Danube Wine Company.)

    Gerd Anselmann Dornfelder Pfalz (Western Germany)

    Known for depth of color, floral aromatics and velvety texture; alcohol 9.5% (Delightful varietal  similar to Beaujolais and was purchased at Total Wine.)

    Food pairing: chicken, sausage or braised meats.  Best chilled. 

    Wines tasted on 2.26.17

    Permalink Filed under: Food & Wine Tastings, Wine Notes No Comments
  • 15Mar

    A Wine Lover’s View of Austria

    vineyard

    Whenever I used to think of Austria, visions of snow-capped Alps Mountains and Julie Andrews dancing and singing across the countryside with the Von Trapp Family came to mind.  That movie was released in 1965 – over 50 years ago! These days I have quite different visions of Austria.  Now I picture vineyards, and thoughts of some of the most exciting and racy wines made in Europe come to my mind!  Here are some quick facts for wine lovers to know about Austrian wine:

    • Austria is about the size of Maine and only 32% of it is below 1640 feet.
    • Grapes have been planted there since the 4th century BC.
    • Austria ranks 13th among wine producing countries worldwide.
    • 22,000 farmers grow grapes and 6,500 wineries make and bottle wine.
    • 60% of Austrian wine produced is white (primarily dry white and sweet wines); however there are some very good reds produced.
    • Austria has 19 wine regions with 4 regions being the most prominent.
    • There are 35 grape varieties planted.
    • Austria has some of the strictest wine laws in Europe with precise requirements for every wine.
    • A DAC– protected Austrian declaration of origin – was instituted in 2001.

    The Grapes and Wines of Austria

    There are thirty five grape varieties in Austria, some of which are indigenous and found only in Austria. Here are some of the most familiar. The most important wines are in bold print.

    WHITES

    • Furmint – Commonly used in sweet wines of Burgenland.
    • Gruner Veltliner – Burgenland’s most important grape in quality and acreage planted; it can be dry or sweet.
    • Chardonnay or Morillon – A minor grape in Austria.
    • Muskateller or Gelber Muskateller – The same as Muscat Blanc varietal; extremely fragrant and lush.
    • Neuburger – A simple workhorse grape.
    • Riesling – A major grape even though there is not a lot of it in Austria; it can be dry or sweet. Usually more powerful than German Rieslings and often considered the country’s greatest grape. Una
    • Sämling – A minor grape sometimes used for making eiswein. It’s a cross between Riesling and another minor grape.
    • Sauvignon Blanc – Not widely planted but makes high quality exotically smoky and grassy wines.
    • Traminer or Savagnin – An aromatic ancestor of Gewürztraminer.
    • Weissburgunder – A major grape also known as Pinot Blanc; makes dry wines ranging from creamy to racy. Also makes sweet wines.
    • Welschriesling – Another major grape not even related to Riesling! It is named Grasevina in Croatia and makes simple dry wines as well as late-harvest botrytized sweet wines.

    REDS

    • Blauburgunder – We know it as Pinot Noir; produces variable quality pinots in Austria more on the light side with raspberry overtones.
    • Blaufränkisch – A major grape also known as Lemberger. It makes bold, spicy and complex wines.
    • Cabernet Sauvignon – Can make good wine in Austria with the right vineyard and winemaker.
    • Laurent – Makes simple, hearty fruity wines.
    • Zweigelt – Its parents are Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, and it can remind you of California Zinfandel: inky, fruity and briary.

    wine austria 1

    wine austria 2

    Austrian Wine Regions You Should Know

    There are nineteen Austrian wine regions. Four of them are of most importance – Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria and Vienna.

    LOWER AUSTRIA – Niederosterriech

    • Lower Austria is the most important region in terms of size and reputation of high-quality wine.
    • It is actually in the northeast corner of the country along the Slovakian border and the lower part of the Danube River.
    • Lower Austria is best known for crisp white wines made from Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.
    • Eight wine districts make up Lower Austria.
      • Wachau (va-COW) is the smallest district and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Whites from Wachau are unmatched in clarity of flavor, elegance and balance. It is also the only place in Austria where you will find these three terms:
        • Steinfelder – Natural unchaptalized wines with no more than 11.5% alcohol; chaptalization is the addition of sugar to unfermented grapes in order to increase the alcohol content.
        • Federspiel – Natural unchaptalized wines with 11.5 – 12.5% alcohol.
        • Smaragd – The most ripe and considered the best; 12.5% or higher.
      • Kremstal is also a DAC (more about DACs to follow) – Gruner Veltliner and Riesling are the wines here.
      • Kamptal – and a DAC – Gruner Veltliner and Riesling are the wines here too.
      • Wagram – Gruner veltliner produced here.
      • Weinviertel – another DAC – Gruner is the wine you will find here.
      • Carnumtum – Zweigelt and Blaufrӓnkisch are found here.
      • Traisental – another DAC – Gruner and Riesling here.
      • Thermenregion – Two rare whites are found here: Rotgipfler and Zierfandler; they are usually blended together and are massively fruity and heavy with spicy orange overtones.

    BURGENLAND

    • Burgenland is the second largest wine region after Lower Austria and is known for opulent sweet wines and some remarkable reds.
    • It borders on Hungary, and Budapest is only 130 miles east.
    • The Neusiedlersee is a lake between northern Burgenland and Hungary which provides the wet air and gentle climate, both perfect conditions for botrytis.
    • Welshriesling, Chardonnay, Traminer and Furmint are some of the grapes used for sweet wines.
    • Blaufränkisch is the foremost red grape here and it can be bold, dark in color, with unusual flavor of raspberries, blueberries and sour cherries, white pepper and minerals. Try to imagine a Cabernet Franc crossed with Syrah crossed with Malbec!
    • The two other local red grapes are Zweigelt, a cross between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent; and St. Laurent which is a combination of earth, mushrooms and spices somewhat like a Pinot Noir.

    STYRIA (Steiermark)

    • Styria is located in the southeastern corner of Austria and is the country’s second smallest wine region.
    • Sauvignon Blanc is a specialty here as is artisanal pumpkinseed oil, Austria’s answer to extra virgin olive oil.
    • Chardonnay is made in the style of French Chablis (taut and linear instead of fat and buttery); the Sauvignon Blanc is like a good French Sancerre (wild, outdoorsy, herbal and lemony).
    • Wine estates here are usually very small but often have an adjoining restaurant or inn.

    VIENNA (Wien VEEN)

    • Vienna is the only major city in the world that is also a wine region. There are over 1500 acres of vineyards within the Vienna city limits.
    • The western part of the city produces very good Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc due to its mineral-rich limestone soils. The southern part of the city has darker, heavier soils making for fuller bodied whites plus Zweigelt and other reds.
    • Viticulture in the city led to the establishment of heurigen which are part winery, part wine bar, and part giant cafe. There are heurigen all over Austria, but the oldest and most infamous are in Vienna.

    The DACs

    Districtus Austriae Controllatus were instituted in 2001 by the Ministry of Agriculture.  The appellation and the letters DAC must be listed on the wine label, but usually the grape variety does not.  This can create a problem unless you know what variety is produced in that DAC.  There are currently nine DACs.

    In the Lower Austria Region:

    • Weinviertel DAC – Weinviertel was the first DAC. Gruner Veltliner is the only grape allowed in the bottle.
    • Traisental DAC – Gruner Veltliner or Riesling are allowed.
    • Kremstal DAC – Gruner Veltliner or Riesling are allowed.
    • Kamptal DAC – Gruner Veltliner or Riesling are allowed.      .

    In the Vienna Region:

    • Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC – At least 3 high-quality white wine grapes must be used, and the leading one can’t be more than 50% of the blend

    In the Burgenland Region:

    • Eisenberg DAC – Blaufränkisch is allowed.
    • Mittelburgenland DAC – Blaufränkisch is allowed.
    • Neusiedlersee DAC – Zweigelt or Zweigelt with other indigenous reds are allowed if the wine is considered a reserve.
    • Leithhaberg DAC – Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner and Neuburger are the allowable whites; Blaufränkisch blended with up to 15% St. Laurent, Zweigelt or Pinot Noir for red.

    Sweetness and Ripeness 

    All Austrian dry wines are made from ripe grapes.  The only exception is the designation of ripeness for sweet dessert wines:

    • Beerenauslese (BA) – made from overripe and/or *botrytized grapes.
    • Eiswein – made from overripe grapes that have frozen naturally on the vine.
    • Ausbruch – made from either *botrytized and/or naturally dried grapes; this category is unique to Austria.
    • Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) – made only in exceptional years from predominantly *botrytized grape bunches and extremely dried, raisin-like grape berries.

    Ripeness is measured in Austria by the KMW or Klosterneuburger Mostwage scale which compares the specific gravity of the must or sugar content to that of water.

    *Botrytis or “noble rot” is a gray fungus that grows on ripe grapes under certain wet and humid conditions.  It shrivels and decays the grapes with concentrated sugars and flavors.  Well-made botrytized wines have a rich, complex honeyed character.

    A Taste of Austria

    The culinary traditions of Austria are some of the most sophisticated and compelling in central Europe.  Here are a few of the most famous traditions:  soup  of many kinds including potato, pumpkin, and wine soup; strudels both savory and sweet; dumplings made from flour, semolina, and bread;  ancient grain breads; pumpkin and pumpkinseed oil (it’s greenish in color, nutty and delicious!); pump oilgoulash, schnitzel, sausages for wurst snacking, desserts and pastries.  Sandwiches in Austria are generally of the open face finger type, and shops selling these little sandwiches are very popular.  Dining options vary from the heuriger, to cafes and coffee house to fine elegant restaurants.  Drinking coffee in a Vienna coffeehouse is more of a life experience than just drinking coffee.  Traditionally one would spend an hour, or several hours and even up to all day.  Note: You may read “An Evening in Austria” posted on my website at www.forkandcorkdivine.com to learn how some Southwest Florida wine and food lovers celebrated Austrian culinary traditions paired with Austrian wines.

    That Famous Glass

    Riedel crystal glassworks were established in Bohemia in 1756.  By 1858 there were eight Riedel glassworks producing glass jewelry, beads and chandelier parts.  In 1873 they began making luxury hollow glass products, and Josef Riedel became known as “The Glass King of the Jizera Mountains”.  Georg Riedel, the 10th generation head of the family’s Austrian crystal company, was a wine connoisseur.  He began designing crystal glasses that enhanced the aroma and flavor of various wine varietals and types of wines.  In the 1990s Georg became famous for his “Riedel Glass Tasting” – the same wine was tasted in various glasses and wine pros were asked to judge the results.  Within a few years, no top winery or restaurant was without them.  Maximilian Riedel is the 11th generation CEO and president who continues to grow the company internationally. glass With the success of Riedel, dozens of other top crystal companies such as Zalto, Spiegelau and Schott Zweisel have developed competitive wine glasses.  There are probably very few experienced winelovers today without at least several Riedels on the shelf for their wine enjoyment!

    Note from the author:  I gathered this information when recently planning and preparing an Austrian wine dinner in our home.  My sources were primarily Karen MacNeil’s “The Wine Bible”, various internet websites about Austrian culture and wines, the websites of wines we tasted at our home wine dinner and information presented by Bernhard Weidinger of Tina’s Cafe and Bakery Vienna where we made our rediscovery of Austrian wines.  Hopefully it will entice someone who is unfamiliar with Austrian wines with the desire to try some.

    LR 3.15.17

    Permalink Filed under: Wine Notes, Wine Varietals No Comments
  • 13Mar

    An Evening in Austria

    An Evening in Austria

    “An Evening in Austria”?  No, it isn’t your routine wine and food experience. In fact Chuck and I have never been to Austria.  The only Austrian exposure we have had was tasting a few Gruner Veltiners some years ago at an Austin’s Wine Cellar Austrian/Hungarian wine class.  And of course we enjoy Weiner Schnitzel. Other than that, any thoughts of Austria brought to my mind visions of Julie Andrews singing and dancing her way through the Austrian mountains with the Family Von Trapp.  That all changed recently when we attended a “Taste of Austria” at Tina’s Cafe and Bakery Vienna in Punta Gorda, Florida.   In those few hours Austrian owners Tina and Bernhard Weidinger transported us to an authentic Austrian  cafe where they served beautiful and delicious little open faced sandwiches and pastries all paired perfectly with Austrian wine.

    Chuck and my wine tasting goal for the past year has  been to become more adventurous by tasting wines from countries or regions less familiar to us.  We have quite successfully enjoyed Franciacorta sparkling wines from northern Italy, Greek Assrytiko whites from Santorini and Hungarian reds and whites shared with us by fellow winelovers who visited Hungary. Our expectations were not extremely high for Austrian wine, but we went to the Austrian tasting with open minds and taste buds.  Were we ever pleasantly surprised!  The Austrian whites were excellent and the reds quite drinkable.  The Austrian Riesling was really a treat as it is totally different from other Rieslings we have tasted — they are crisp and full bodied.  We actually enjoyed it a lot.  In fact all the wines we tasted that night made their way home with us to our cellar.  And those little open faced sandwiches!  They looked so delicious and were ever so tasty.  As I commented frequently on my enjoyment throughout the evening to our hosts, Chuck knew what was about to be coming in our future ………..an evening of Austrian wine paired perfectly with typical Austrian foods!  And so “An Evening in Austria” was born.

    Luckily for us we have a small core of hard core winelover friends who are willing to join us in wine and food adventures.  Anita, one of our foodie friends and an extraordinarily talented cook, brought her Austrian cookbook and we developed the menu for the evening.  Of course those little open faced sandwiches were a requirement and became our appetizer. tina 2 According to Tina and Bernhard, you will find these sandwiches all across Europe.  Many of my actual sandwich ingredients were decided upon researching Duran Sandwiches, a  store that features European-style sandwiches in Vienna, Budapest, Czech Republic, Istanbul and New York. European sandwich bread is quite different than the normal fluffy kind of bread traditionally found in our supermarkets, but you can find some very authentic European breads right here in Southwest Florida.  I purchased ours from BAM German Bakery and More in Cape Coral, Florida, and used a variety of whole wheat, medium rye, Westphalen, sunflower seed and sourdough.   I was also able to purchase Black Forest ham and salami from Geier’s Sausage Kitchen in Sarasota which BAM sells in their deli.

    sand 1 sand 2 sand 3 sand 4 sand 5 sand 6

    sand 7

    Next up – the salad course.  My Austrian research told me there must be some Styrian pumpkinseed oil included somewhere in our dinner.  The Styrian pumpkin is also known as the hulless or naked-seeded pumpkin and was developed in the Styria province of Austria.  The pumpkin itself grows to about 12 inches and has green stripes. The very unique seeds have a thin coating instead of a shell making the entire seed edible.  They are high in oil and can be eaten raw or roasted.  They make an absolutely delicious and quite unique oil which is light to very dark green to dark red in color with an intense nutty taste and rich in polyunsaturated fats.  Combine it with some balsamic and sherry vinegar, a little canola oil and you have an absolutely delicious vinaigrette with a nutty aroma. oilAnd delicious it was, served on a salad of roasted pears with goat cheese on a bed of mesclun greens topped with some roasted pumpkin seeds.

    On to the soup course.  You can’t dine in Austria without some dumplings — in this case semolina dumpling soup or griessnockerlsuppe.  I’ve made dumplings through the years and ate many of them thanks to my German & Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, but I had never made semolina dumplings before.  Semolina makes perfect little dumplings and with a little practice, they can be beautiful little light golden parsley flecked rounds sitting in a  bowl of seasoned beef broth garnished with some fresh chives.

     

     

    soup 1 soup 2 soup 3 soup 5

    Now for the main fare served buffet style!  We decided on some traditional Weiner Schnitzel which is thinly pounded veal scallops in an egg and flour crumb breading, then lightly fried to a crispy golden brown.  Delicious with a choice of lemon slices or lingonberry preserves.

    Anita’s sausages were perfectly smothered in a bed of seasoned sauerkraut.  Our favorite was the Nuernberger weiswurst (white sausages).  Several locations for purchasing authentic European sausages are the European Food Market in the Bridge Plaza on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers and the German Deli Spot on 41 South (South Tamiami Trail) in Estero, Florida.  Oh how delicious was that sauerkraut cooked with apples, caraway seeds and smoked pork butt simmered in some Gruner Veltliner!

    sausage sauerkraut

    No Austrian menu could be complete without some spaetzle!  This particular version was similar to an Austrian version of macaroni and cheese – spaetzle topped with Gruyere cheese and caramelized onions and baked until the cheese melted perfectly on top.

    spat 1 spat 2 spat 3 spat 4 spat 5

    Here is a little side note about spaetzle making.  It had been many years since I had attempted making spaetzle but it’s basically just some flour, eggs and milk, so how hard can it be?  Well it seems it does take a bit of practice.  I used a regular colander with large holes for my practice run and found it to be quite tricky maneuvering the colander, spoons, and pouring batter over the top of my hot pot of boiling water.  The finished product tasted pretty good, but a little online research came up with a new gadget for my kitchen – a spaetzle maker!  Thanks to the wonders of internet ordering, it arrived at my front door (along with authentic Styrian pumpkinseed oil, roasted pumpkin seeds and coffee beans direct from Vienna).  This very handy little gadget sits right over the top of your pot, so at least your hands are free to pour the batter, then slide the funnel top to cut the dough, and watch it come out the bottom into a rustic looking doughy “noodle-pasta”.  I know you can buy ready prepared spaetzle but that takes all of the fun out of making it!

    The dietitian in me said something green needed to be on the plate, and Mariann’s chilled Viennese cucumber gurkensalat rounded out the buffet.

    cucumber salad

    Austria is famous for pastries, cakes and other desserts.  Although I love to make desserts and have made many through the years, I started in as a novice Linzer cookie baker.  They looked and tasted great, but quite a bit of work for the yield on my recipe – 12 double cookies filled with raspberry preserves and dusted with confectioners sugar.

    linzer 1 linzer 3

    Next up was Sachertorte, an ultimate Viennese dessert made famous by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna, Austria.  It seems that December 5 has even been designated as National Sachertorte Day.

    The dessert is made of a dense chocolate cake coated with apricot jam, then dark chocolate icing.  It is traditionally served with whipped cream.  I am sad to report that the recipe I used produced a very dry cake that really needed a l the future.  There are so many delicious light and spongy cakes in this world that Sachertorte is not a necessity for me!

    sachertorte

    What was a necessity was my discovery that Austrian chocolates are some of the best I have ever tasted, and Josef Zotter makes chocolates in Austria that you can buy right here in Southwest Florida.  The Zotter Chocolates USA store is located on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral.   Zotter is rated among the top chocolate makers in the world and quite possibly the most innovative.  Barbara Dolleschal distributes Zotter Chocolates online from her Cape Coral warehouse. You can also visit her display room and see, taste and buy all of those fabulous organic, fair-trade chocolates.  The Zotter family produces the chocolates from bean to bar sourcing their chocolate directly from the farmers.  The production facility has its own solar power system, and uses organic plastic with no high-gloss coating on the packaging.  Zotter also makes chocolate bars with  alternative dairy sources such as goat, sheep, rice and soy milks. There are no artificial preservatives used and shelf life varies depending on the type of chocolate.  You can read all about Zotter at www.zotterusa.com.

    zotter 1 zotter 2 zotter 3 zotter 4 zotter 5

    Austrian dessert service can not be complete without a cup of authentic Viennese blend fresh ground coffee, and I had my Helmut Sachers Kaffee beans delivered from Austria by way of a great online source, igourmet.com.  I have found them to be a fairly good source of gourmet foods from around the world.  Several clicks on my laptop or iphone have saved me many hours of searching.  And by all means, serve your Austrian coffee on a silver tray for the full effect!kaffee

    Did I mention that we paired Austrian wines with our menu?  Fourteen of them to be exact!  Austria is best known for their white grape varietals; however, there are also a number of really drinkable reds available now. Many of these wines pair well with different foods unlike many whites that “only go with seafood” or reds that “only go with red meats”, so we decided to open all of our wines and line them up on the middle of the table as the table centerpiece.  Everyone was able to try both whites and reds with each course.  Our unusual centerpiece included white Weissburgunder, Riesling and Gruner Veltliner; a Rose; and red Blaufrankisch, Merlot and Zweigelt.  A very special Trockenbeerenauslese TBA 2012 Rosenhof Welschriesling paired perfectly with our dessert buffet, especially Anita’s Austrian Amadeus cows milk mild cheese drizzled with honey.  cheese

    So as not to leave out wines from several of Austria’s neighbors, we initiated the evening with a fabulous Kreinbacher Brut Classic Furmint & Chardonnay sparkling from the Somlo region of Hungary.  Germany was represented by a red Dornfelder from the Pfalz region of Germany.  That brought our wine selections to an amazing total of 17.

    You may be aware that there is not a large availability of Austrian wines here in Southwest Florida.  After our initial wine purchase from Bernhard at Tina’s Cafe, I discovered the Blue Danube Wine Company located in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Blue Danube has quite a large selection of European wines including Austria, Bosnia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey and Montenegro. Our local Total Wine does have the basic Gruner Veltliner and Zweigelt for those who want to start with the basics.  I am sure there are more offerings available in the Naples wine shops if you prefer to shop locally.  Several of my winelover friends and myself also utilize the online services of B-21 Fine Wines and Spirits located in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

    wine 1 wine 2 wine 3 wine 4 wine 5

    Sadly our “Evening in Austria” came to a happy ending and so did my months of research and preparation.  Now what to do???  After all as a newly retired winelover and foodie I can now choose my own projects, right?  I think I hear an Italian adventure calling to me.  Fortunately I have several months to devote to it.  Stay tuned …………Ciao!

    Permalink Filed under: Dinner Events No Comments