Bacchus would be proud of Vienna, where chilled white wine is a trademark of summer evenings in street-side cafés and leafy taverns. And if you want a taste of the rich palette of wines offered by Austria, then the Vienna Wine Fest seems like a fine idea.
- One-day festival at the Museumsquartier featuring over 40 wineries
- Ticket includes wine tastings
- Food stands, too (cheese!)
- Next dates: TBA
- See also: Cobenzl winery open day | Viennese wine
A festival of wine
Travel a little outside of Vienna and you soon find yourself among hills heaving with grapes. The province of Lower Austria even has a region known as the wine quarter (Weinviertel).
In fact, you don’t need to leave Vienna to see vineyards. The city’s own wine-making heritage dates back to Roman times and a state-owned winery even produces award-winning vintages from local grape varieties.
Helpfully, you can try many of the wines produced on Austria’s hallowed slopes at, for example, a Heuriger (wine tavern serving local products) or at various wine-friendly festivals.
Over 40 producers showcased 300+ wines at the inaugural Vienna Wine Fest, for example, held in the Museumsquartier complex close to the centre. And since one cannot live on wine alone (despite my best efforts), other stands at the Fest offered food to cleanse the palate or fill the stomach as required.
Dates and tickets
I have no dates for the next such Wine Fest yet, assuming the festival repeats. The wine flowed in early May previously, starting at 3pm for trade visitors and at 5pm for the general public, then ending at 9pm.
Tickets for the general public included wine tastings, with tickets available in advance through the festival website.
How to get to the wine festival
The Museumsquartier is very central and flanked by two subway stations (Museumsquartier on the U2 and Volkstheater on the U3 and U2). See the main MQ page for travel tips.
Address: Museumsplatz 1/5, 1070 Vienna