Winegrowers and gastronomy

Carinthia produces 500,000 bottles of wine a year

Carinthian winegrowers have come of age - they are becoming more and more.(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

Carinthia's viticulture president Horst Wild stepped down after 17 years at the Viticulture Day in St. Andrä in Lavanttal. His successor is Georg Lexer. Carinthian winegrowers are in the fast lane.

After 17 years, Viticulture President Horst Wild stepped down on Saturday at the Viticulture Day in St. Andrä im Lavanttal, handing over his reign to Georg Lexer from the Karnburg winery. And served up some impressive figures as a farewell.

"At the beginning of my era, we only had ten hectares of vineyards in Carinthia, now there are 150. 17 years ago, we only produced 30,000 bottles of wine a year, now there are 500,000. Back then, no winemaker could make a living from selling wine, now there are several," says Wild.

"Only the number of members has remained the same: Then as now, there are 160, only the conditions have changed considerably," Wild continues. Lexer is looking forward to the new task: "Many winegrowers are facing a generational change, we have to be proactive in marketing."

Austria's winegrowing boss Johannes Schmuckenschlager, Horst Wild, Andrea Riedl, Georg Lexer and Chamber President Sigi Huber toast in St. Andrä.(Bild: Christian Tragner)

Alfred Riedl's Taggen- brunn wine-growing region is a showcase vineyard and the largest winery in Carinthia.(Bild: Franz Gerdl)

Even Austria's winegrowing president Johannes Schmuckenschlager traveled here from Lower Austria; the winegrower has been a member of the National Council since 2008. "Carinthia used to have a reputation for sour wine. That is long gone. Carinthia's wines are in the fast lane!"

New niches are opening up: non-alcoholic wine, for example. Wild works for an insurance company and knows the effects of an alcohol-related accident. "De-alcoholized wine tastes like grape juice and is ideal for young people who are about to get their driving license."

Slow Wine also promises a lot: "There is currently only a manifesto in Carinthia, two companies could produce it," says Wild: "Slogans such as 'Alcohol is harmful. We are not part of the coma-drinking movement, we are proud of our wineries'. Carinthia has a pioneering role in Slow Food worldwide." And, according to Wild: "Slow wine is just as sustainable. It is more demanding when it comes to production. It only tastes heavenly when the glass is full."