🍷 Heuriger

Heuriger is Austrian young wine of this year, and also the wine tavern where it is served. The word comes from the Austrian heuer, meaning this year. Young wine appears after the harvest and is considered ready by 11 November, St Martin's Day, although other dates exist. The season lasts until the next autumn.

Heuriger taverns are especially common in and around Vienna, and in other Austrian wine areas. The winemaker-owner sells his own wine and serves cold food with it: cheese, sausages, bread and pâtés. The right to sell wine this way was set by a decree of Emperor Joseph II in 1784. A branch or wreath is hung over the entrance to show that the tavern is open.

Heuriger is tied to young wine and to Austrian wine. In Vienna such a tavern often serves the Viennese Gemischter Satz, a blend of varieties picked together. It is not only a drink but part of local culture, in which people gather at tables in the open air. Wine should be enjoyed in moderation.