AUSTRIA

Small but beautiful. What sets Austria apart is that the country has made its name from essentially one indigenous grape variety, Grüner Veltliner. But there's much more on offer than just Grüner Veltliner; it also produces Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt St. Laurent and a raft of fabulous Rieslings, along with a few other varieties grown exclusively there. Austria punches well above its weight, exports are booming and no matter where you are, these days there’s bound to be some Grüner nearby. While the country is small, it’s nevertheless very diverse. Its producer base is comprised of mostly small, family-owned estates, which makes Austria the very antithesis of high-volume, industrial-scale winemaking.