Wine in Vienna: the 8 wine-producing regions in the city where to do some Heurige-hopping

No, we’re not talking about the beer – the Ottakring district not only hosts the famous brewery, it also produces some tasty wines! Once known for its “sea of vines,” the region today only hosts 6 hectares of land dedicated to wine-making – which in no way means it should be brushed off! You can taste their production in one of the Heuriger lining Ottakringer Strasse.

Bonus: this is the easiest region to get to via public transport, since most taverns are walking distance from the Ottakring U-Bahn station – so hop on that orange U3, finally meet its final station and wander your way to those wine hills.

Where we recommend you start:

Heuriger 10er Marie
Where: Ottakringer Str. 222-224
How to get there: It’s literally 3 min away from the Ottakring station (U3), tram line 44, bus line 46A.
Opening hours: MON–SAT, 3pm–11pm
Good to know…They’ve been around since 1740!
Keep in mind… It’s closed on Sundays

Much like the 16th district, Dornbach also shelters only a few vineyards that are the scarce remnants from a once greater cultivating area. The Alsegg hill makes up for most of the producing area – just think of it as a wine island in the middle of the 17^th district. It also has a cool story behind it: the land was donated to the St Peter’s monastery (who still own it) back in 1042. That’s right, this hill’s been producing wine for almost a thousand years!

Head their way if you’re up for some fruity & aromatic Riesling – the main variety grown there.

Where we recommend you start:

Buschenschank Stift St Peter
Where: Rupertusplatz 5
How to get there: Tram line 43 (which you can take from U6 Alser Strasse), tram line 2
Opening hours: from 5pm–11pm, July 2–12, August 27–September 6, October 8–18, November 26–December 8

Good to know…in addition to wine, they sell their own production of vegetables, olive oil and honey
Keep in mind… it doesn’t accept credit cards, and you should check their opening dates, here.

Word out there has it that the vineyards covering the hills of Neustift am Walde are the most picturesque in Vienna. Aside from the view you get from up here, this region also produces some quality, delicate, elegant and fruity wines.

The Neustift and Sievering regions boast hills covered in vineyards, which also host many hiking trails weaving in and out of them.

Most of the Heuriger here can be found in the little town, Neustift am Walde on Rathstrasse, but there are several others just some blocks down on Sievering Strasse, so a good plan of attack is to wander between the two Kellergasse streets. Most taverns here produce and serve up their own take on a wide selection of whites – DAC Gemischter Satz, Gruner Vietliner, Sauvignon Blanc Neustift, while they also throw a few reds in, like the Zweigelt.

If you’ve been in Vienna for even the tiniest bit of time, chances are you’ve heard of Grinzing and its famous wine taverns.

Grinzing is like the Las Vegas for Heurige, pulling bus loads of tourists that are seeking a genuine taste of these Vienna temples of wine.

If you get restless around tourists, this is probably not the best place to chill out while sipping your wine. However, Grinzing did become famous for a reason, and there are still genuine and charming Heurige to discover in the district. The wines from Grinzing are typically fruity and fragrant, courtesy of the cooler climate and stony soil they’ve got up there.

Small, charming streets and idyllic views bring about the atmosphere of this area. Both of these wine villages are at the foot of Nussberg, the mountain where no less than 150 hectares of vineyards are spread out. Its stony soils make it ideal for growing the Riesling & Pinot Blanc varieties.

Oh, and in Heiligenstadt, you can actually visit the Heuriger in which Beethoven lived when he was working on Symphony no. 9. So… there’s that.

Where we recommend you start:

Heuriger Mayer am Pfarrplatz
Where: Pfarrplatz 2
How to get there: tram lines D, 37; U4 + bus line 38A will get you there.
Opening hours: Daily, 4pm–12am (FRI, SAT, SUN and holidays from 12pm)
Good to know… this place inspired Beethoven’s greatest work! Ok, maybe we’re exaggerating, but apparently he drank here when he lived nearby.
Keep in mind…They’ve got live music every Friday! Check their programme.

If you’re looking for a more rustic, local vibe where to enjoy good wines  – Stammersdorf is the spot. Even though about one third (!!!) of all Viennese wine is pressed in Stammersdorf, the taverns along its Kellergasse remain intimate, familiar and relatively unknown to tourists.

Just like in Jedlersdorf, the soil here creates ideal conditions for both white and red varieties to flourish. By the way, you’ve probably tasted the wine variety exclusive to Vienna, the Gemischter Satz, by now (if not, drop everything, get to the nearest bar and order one right now!) and so you probably know how it’s put together: three different grape varieties are mixed together, right? Get this: there’s a wine maker in Stammersdorf who is producing the red version of this Viennese specialty and they’ve called it the “Wiener Trilogie.” The wine is composed of Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Quite a fun fact, right? Gets even more fun the more you drink it.

Where we recommend you start:

Heuriger Wieninger
Where: Stammersdorfer Straße 31
How to get there: Tram lines 30 and 31 – you can get them from Floridsdorf station (U6).
Opening hours: FRI 5pm–12am; SAT 2pm–12am; SUN 12pm–10pm

Good to know…they practice biodynamic production & are responsible for inventing the “red version” of the Gemischter Satz

Weinhandwerk
Where: Senderstraße 27, 1210
How to get there: Catch the tram lines 30 or 31 to the end o the line and start walking
Opening hours: FRI & SAT from 2pm, Sunday & Public Holidays from 12pm

Good to know: This beautiful Buschenschank is set in an idyllic garden. All the ingredients that pass through their kitchen has been gathered from the surrounding areas, and the wine is mighty fine

Okay, moving on to the Transdanubian side of the Danube – Jedlersdorf. Wine here is grown on the hill of Bisamberg, and its warm sandy soil is not only optimal for extra fresh white varieties, but also for fruity reds.

They’ve got sort of a ‘Kellergasse,’ with Heurige spread out along Amtsstrasse & Jedlersdorfer Platz. So you can simply jump on the tram lines 30 or 31 (from Floridsdorf U6 station), and get off at Jedlersdorfer Platz to explore this lesser-known wine region by foot!

This one is for the red wine lovers out there. This southern district is best known for its red wine output. Mauer grows Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, St Laurent and many other red varieties. The proximity to the forest creates an extra layer of protection from extreme weather, and its sandy soil (as opposed to the chalky ones found in the Northwestern wine-producing parts of the city) all contribute to creating the optimal environment for rich, dense reds. There are plenty of Heuringe and Buschenschank all around the street, Maurer Lange Gasse, where you can sample the wines of the region for yourself.

Where we recommend you start:

Edlmoser Weingut & Heuriger
Where: Maurer Lange Gasse 123
How to get there: Bus line 60A; tram line 60
Opening hours: July 24–August 9, September 11–27 & November 6–22, from 2:30pm. Check their opening dates on their website.
Highlight: They’ve been around since 1629! And yummy red wines.