Neusiedlersee |
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The wine area Neusiedlersee, located on the eastern shore of the lake, is the most eastern of the Austrian wine regions. Within the region is an area, called Seewinkel (Lake Corner), a strip of land ca. 20 km wide in which villages like Illmitz, Apetlon and Podersdorf are located. The endlessly flat area is typical for the region, which enjoys the pannonian continental type climate with hot long summers and very cold winters. The large area of the lake acts as a regulator and moderates the extreme peaks of the seasons. This resulting climate is ideal for growing wine. A median temperature of 10°C, 2000 hours of sunshine and average yearly rainfall of 450 – 600 mm makes the pannonian low lands to one of the best areas for wine growing in the world.
Another feature of climate and lake is frequent evening fog in autumn time, which sometimes lasts up to the next late morning until it is dried away by the powerful autumn sunshine. This daily moist-warm change of condition is an ideal pre-condition for Botrytis Cinerea. This ‘noble rot’ results in producing great extra sweet wines like ‘Beerenauslese’ and ‘Trockenbeerenauslese’.
Soil in this region is highly diverse, but predominantly black earth, sand sediment and loess. Types of grapes are as diverse as the soil. Apart from the leading white Welschriesling varietal, mainly Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Chardonnay, as well as aromatic varieties, mark the area. Red varietals planted are Blauer Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent and Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) as well as newly added international varieties. Whether fruity & charming, or matured in barriques, from ungrafted vines, or as cuvée blends - the red wines of the Neusiedlersee region are clearly on the track to success.
The region of Neusiedlersee is only a short distance away from Vienna, so all the attractions and sights of this great city are within a days trip while staying in the lake region. Out to the east are the endless plains of Hungary. The lake itself, with a size of over 315 square kilometres is the second largest lake in central Europe. It is used as a great area for watersports like sailing and surfing, the region is also a paradise for all types of equestrian sports. In 2001 the national parks in Austria and Fertő-Hanság in Hungary were together accepted as a World Heritage Site. The Neusiedlersee and its surrounding areas in Austria also enjoy protection through the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. |
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