Rust is in a region of the Burgenland that is influenced by many cultures (such as that of neighboring Hungary, for example), blessed with unique flora and fauna, and enhanced by century old traditions.

The historic city center, with numerous picturesque Bürgerhäuser  (patrician houses) featuring Renaissance, Baroque, and historic façades dating from the 16th to 19th centuries, is not only safeguarded by the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict but, since 2001, can also be found on the list of Unesco World Heritage sites. Typical features of Rust’s architecture are the arcades and tiled roofs

The most famous inhabitants of Rust are its white storks. As spring arrives, storks leave their winter homes in Africa and rebuild their nests on the city’s rooftops.  It’s quite common, especially in the spring, to see the storks, having just laid their eggs, calmly sitting in their nests while their mates stand guard, frequently on one leg.

The storks are so highly regarded in Rust that many homes have built special platforms for their nests so that the storks need not use the presumably uncomfortable chimney.

Rust is a wine town.  Vineyards cover Rust’s rolling hills. Wait a few minutes on the Hauptstraße (main street) and a tractor pulling a trailer full of grapes will probably pass by.

Rust, a free city with a population of ca. 1,800, bought this right from Emperor Leopold I. in 1681.  The title “königliche Freistadt“ (Royal Free City) cost the city 60,000 guilders and 500 buckets (30,000 liters) of Ruster Ausbruch, a sweet dessert wine typically made with grapes affected by noble rot.  Ruster Ausbruch has an amber color and a very intense bouquet.   It is the true gold of Rust.
Click here to continue to Page 2 – Rust’s Vinoculture.

There is ample reason to go to Seasonal for the food alone but diners should be aware of the unparalleled cellar of Austrian and German wines that co-owners Wolfgang Ban and Eduard Frauneder, who studied together at the Gastgewerbefachschule (Vienna Culinary Institute), have assembled.

Vienna not only has its own cuisine but it’s the only major world capital with a wine-growing district within its borders.  While the city’s name is practically synonymous for music and culture, Austrian wines remain relatively unknown.  Austria has 51,213 hectares of vineyards and most of it is consumed domestically.  The sheer diversity found in Austrian wines (only 36% of production is Grüner Veltliner) means that one can pair them with almost anything.

At Seasonal, these wines pair best with the modern Austrian cuisine that comes out of the Seasonal kitchen, presided over by the co-owners.

My first meal at Seasonal started with Schlutzkrapfen, delightfully light ravioli stuffed with a tangy goat cheese and dressed with a Champagne foam.

My dining partner ordered the Wiener Schnitzel, which arrived in a puffy, perfectly golden-brown crust accompanied by cucumber salad, potatoes, and lingonberry sauce.  The veal cutlet was as authentic as anything made in my grandmother’s kitchen in Vienna and just as light and airy.

My Kaisergulasch was prepared with tender, braised veal cheeks, a much tastier and more tender cut than the usual.  The paprika-based goulash sauce had just the right amount of paprika and other spices, perfect for the accompanying Spätzel.

For dessert, we had the Kaiserschmarrn (literally, the “emperor’s nonsense”), sliced baked pancakes served with raisins, apple compote, and powdered sugar.

The long bar with comfortable white leather seating in the middle of the room, not to mention the wine list, which lists Austrian wines by region [Burgenland, Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Steiermark (Styria), and Wien (Vienna)], reminds one that this is a serious Weinbar.

A subsequent visit focused on ten wines that Messrs. Ban and Frauneder felt were most representative of their wine list’s variety.

We started with the Von Buhl Riesling Brut 2003, the only German wine in our tasting.  A nice alternative to Champagne or prosecco, the elegant Von Buhl was minerally with a dry finish.

The Neumayer Engelberg Grüner Veltliner 2008, is from the Traisenthal, an area where archaeologists have found evidence of grapevine growing over 4000 years ago. Neumayer’s wines are influenced by the Traisenthal’s unique climate and the 2008 Engelberg is a light-bodied and balanced wine with wonderful aromas.

The Liegenfeld Leithaberg Grüner Veltliner 2007, from the Burgenland (the easternmost province in Austria), is best served at 10° C (50° F).   Liegenfeld is in Donnerskirchen, where the south-facing slopes of the Leithagebirge are rich in mica schist and chalk, ideal for producing minerally wines with a warmer aftertaste such as this.

The Graf Hardegg 2008 Riesling vom Schloß was from the Weinviertel wine region in Niederösterreich.  Only 75 kilometers from Vienna, the Hardegg estate makes wine by completely natural means and with no modern oenological intervention.  The Riesling vom Schloß was very fresh with a fruity apricot and peach taste and a long finish.

The Sommer Riesling Bergweingarten 2008, from Donnerskirchen, had more of a yeasty taste with citrus and apple.  It was one of our favorites.

The Gaisberg Riesling 2003 from the Kamptal was fruity with a much richer and fuller body.  It was definitely the best Riesling of the bunch.

The Michlits Pinot Noir 2007 was a competent Pinot, compared to all of the other wines we tasted, but despite a supple finish paled in comparison.

The Umathum Zweigelt Classic 2007 from the Burgenland starts with an initial sweat/leather nose with a more earthy finish.  It was an acquired taste but one we liked.

The Weninger Blaufränkisch Hochäcker 2006 is one of the finest examples of this medium-bodied varietal and has a typical fine Blaufränkisch nose, with well recognizable fruits such as cherry and plum.  The Hochäcker was rich with juicy acidity and crisp tannins.  Since tasting it, it has become one of my favorite red wines.

The Hafner Frizzante Muscat was an excellent way to conclude our tasting.  Produced in the sunny hills of the Neusiedlersee in the Burgenland, this lightly-sparkling wine was characterized by floral aromas with peach and citrus flavors.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.  Shannon McClatchey, Managing Editor of Executive Road Warrior, contributed to this review.

Tradition is everywhere, from the Kaffeehaus (coffee house) to ubiquitous paintings and photographs of Kaiser Franz Joseph I., the Habsburg emperor who ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1848 to 1916.

Vienna is one of the only cities in the world with its own cuisine (most cuisines are regional- or country-specific) and it’s not just Sacher Torte and Strudel.  Rather, it is built upon the culinary traditions of the many outposts of the Empire.  From Hungary came imaginative tortes and gulyás  (which became Gulasch, or goulash, even though gulyás in Hungary is a soup), from Milan, the breaded veal cutlet which became Wiener Schnitzel, from Bohemia, hearty dumplings and savory meats—in Vienna, all this and more was mixed together, improved upon, and reborn as Wiener Küche (Viennese cuisine)

Indeed what many refer to as Danish is said to have originated in Vienna [the Danes call it wienerbrød (Viennese bread)] and the croissant is thought to have been created by Viennese bakers to celebrate the defeat of the Turks in the Siege of Vienna (the French consider the croissant to be in the Viennoiserie family).  Despite the battle, the Viennese remain grateful to the Turks for having introduced coffee to the city, thereby starting the Kaffeehaus (coffee house or café) tradition that remains a big part of daily life in the city.

Vienna is also the only capital city in the world with a significant wine-growing region (ca. 700 hectares) within its borders.  The city’s wines are best sampled in a Heuriger, a tavern offering wine from the last harvest (the word “Heurig” literally means “this year’s”) which can be found in outlying districts of the city such as Grinzing and Nußdorf.  There locals and visitors enjoy a glass of locally-produced Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, or Zweigelt with light food and snacks.

For decades if not centuries, the fine dining scene in Vienna focused on formal, dark restaurants such as the Drei Husaren and those found in the Hotel Sacher and Hotel Imperial.   Today, however, a new generation of restauranteurs is challenging that tradition with casual restaurants such as Österreicher im MAK and Steirereck Meierei.  Beyond the nobel (luxury, literally “fancy”) restaurants are the bürgerliche (bourgeois or somewhat middle-class), and the Beisl (tavern or pub).

Join me on a culinary tour of Vienna as we sample the old alongside the new, the nobel, the bürgerliche, and the Beisl.

MEIEREI (STEIRERECK)

A walk through the Stadtpark past the tourists and the golden statue of waltz king Johann Strauß II playing the violin brings us to the Meierei, run by the Reitbauer family, which also owns the adjoining and far more formal Restaurant Steirereck, with which it shares a kitchen and menu items.  The word “Meierei” means a dairy farm and a milk theme runs deep throughout the restaurant, with milky white walls, glass milk bottles on the tables, and green floors.  Cheese looms large on the menu, with 120 varieties from 13 countries, many local.

Our meal began with the Hochzeitssuppe, or “wedding soup,” clear beef bouillon poured over four superb bites: a large Grießnockerl (semolina dumpling), a stuffed wonton, a crispy piece of Milzschnitte (lung strudel), and a small biscuit.

To accompany this, we were served a glass of Der Schrammler – Grande Reserve 2006, a wonderful gemischter Satz or field-blend wine made from Grüner Veltliner Nußberg and Rosengartl Alte Reben.  This wine was created by Viennese winemaker Fritz Wieninger working with Adi Schmid, the Steirereck’s sommelier, and named after the Philharmonia Schrammeln, a group of musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

The meal continued with Reinanke, a white fish native to Austria.  The Reinanke, served with piquant cabbage slaw and lemon balm, melted in my mouth.  The accompanying dumpling was light and fluffy.

We concluded the meal with scrumptious Zwetschkenknödel, plum-stuffed dumplings with plum ice cream.

Meierei
Am Heumarkt 2A / im Stadtpark, 1030 Vienna
+43 1 713-3168.
www.steirereck.at

THE HEURIGER

Heuriger is the Austrian word for both the wines of the latest harvest as well as the place that they are served.  The tradition of the Heuriger dates back to 1784 when Kaiser Josef II. (1741-1790) allowed wine producers to sell their own wines as well as food in their gardens without having to pay for a restaurant license.  The Kaiser’s edit required that a Heuriger offer a limited selection of food, typically cold meats, cheeses, and cheese spreads such as Liptauer, so as not to compete with restaurants and also stated that a Heuriger can only be open for a limited amount of time each year.  To indicate that a Heuriger is open, its owners hang Buschen, or pine branches, over the entrance (this is why a Heuriger is called a Buschenschank in some areas of Austria).

Weingut am Reisenberg

Weingut am Reisenberg is a Heuriger located in the hills of Grinzing (19. Bezirk or District) of Vienna.  It’s a good 10-minute walk up a steep hill but it’s worth it: the view of the city off in the distance, past the vineyards, is stunning, especially as dusk approaches.

The wines at Weingut am Reisenberg are average for the region but the panoramic view do seem to enhance every sip.   In true Heuriger fashion, dinner is a buffet; the buffet the evening I was there, it consisted of typical Austrian specialties including Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz [boiled beef, sliced and typically served with creamed spinach, Rösti (fried potatoes), apple-horseradish sauce, and chive sauce], Spätzle (small egg dumplings), and, for dessert, Kaiserschmarrn.

Kaiserschmarrn is a pancake dish first prepared for Kaiser Franz Joseph I. (1830-1916) and roughly can be translated into the “emperor’s nonsense” or the “emperor’s mishmash.”  The pancake is cut into pieces while frying, shredded, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  It is typically served hot with apple or plum compote.

Weingut am Reisenberg
Oberer Reisenbergweg 15, 1190 Wien
+43 (1) 320 93 93
www.weingutamreisenberg.at

Heuriger Christ

Winemaker Rainer Christ is a member of the WienWein group, which was founded in 2006 by leading Viennese vintners including Christ, Michael Edlmoser, Fritz Wieninger, and Richard Zahel.   Their wines are among the finest from the Viennese growers and a visit to Heuriger Christ affords an opportunity to sample recent vintages.   Christ’s 2008 Grüner Veltliner Bruch, 2008 Bisamberg Alte Reben (a gemischter Satz), and the 2007 Mephisto are worthy of note.

Weingut & Heuriger Christ
Amtsstraße 10-14, 1210 Wien – Jedlersdorf
+43 1 292 51 52
www.weingut-christ.at

KULINARIUM 7

It’s rare that I write a review that warns readers to studiously avoid a hotel or restaurant but alas, this is one and it proves that the most beautiful and elegant settings can do little to make up for a surly host, glacier-slow service, and so-so food.  In fact, the most interesting thing we were served was a refreshing towelette, the size of a mint, that unfurled into a washcloth when water was applied.

A restaurant that expects its diners to sit for meals that are dragged out over many hours should at least provide chairs that have good back support—or any back support for that matter.  At the Kulinarium, function follows form with backless stools that ultimately resulted in my making an “early” departure (three hours after arriving, I should add) before the main course arrived.

The appetizer of foie gras fried with garam masala, caramelized chicory, and mango sounded more interesting than it was, although it was nicely paired with a superb Riesling Auslese 2006, from Salomon Undhof in the Kremstal.

The Kürbiscremesuppe (cream of pumpkin soup) with candied ginger and linseed oil, paired with a Morillon Kranachberg 2007 from Peter Skoff in Südsteiermark (South Styria) was ok but paled in comparison with other pumpkin soups I had recently tried.

A tasty piece of fried cauliflower, served with avocado and citrus fruits, was marred by the accompanying rubbery scallop.  It was paired with a wonderful Grüner Veltliner “Goliath” 2006, from Birgit Eichinger in the Kamptal.

After waiting over 45 minutes for the main course after the cauliflower, I decided that I could sit no longer and took the Tram (local term for Straßenbahn or streetcar) back into the city center.  The hard wooden streetcar seats soothed my aching back.

Kulinarium 7
Sigmundgasse 1/1, 1070 Vienna
+43 1 522 33 77
www.kulinarium7.at

ZUM SCHWARZEN KAMEEL

Zum Schwarzen Kameel is a Viennese institution, tracing its origins back to 1618 and its current location and well-preserved Jugendstil interior to 1901.  Beethoven was a regular patron; somewhere in the restaurant’s archives there are hand-written notes by the deaf composer with his lunch orders.  A combination delicatessen, sandwich shop, and white-cloth restaurant, Zum Schwarzen Kameel offers an enticing Heimkehrmenü, or homecoming menu, intended for Viennese who have been away and are now returning home.  It also serves as a wonderful tutorial for non-Viennese who want the best of what Wiener Küche has to offer.

The Heimkehrmenü meal starts with hand-cut ham with shaved horseradish, and continues with Kalbsgulasch (veal goulash) with Spätzle, Wiener Schnitzel, and for dessert, Marillenpalatschinken (apricot Palatschinken, a rolled-up crêpe-like eggy pancake).  The waiter said there was another possible main course after the Wiener Schnitzel, presumably for those who had not only been away from Vienna for a while but who had not eaten during their absence, but I declined.

A Sauvignon Blanc Rothüttl 2008 from the Weingut Gross in Südsteiermark (South Styria) was the perfect accompaniment.

Up front, in the sandwich area, Zum Schwarzen Kameel offers dozens of small and inexpensive sandwiches, ranging from salmon to salami to Liptauer cheese (made from a soft cheese such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, quark cheese, and spices such as paprika, caraway seeds, and fresh parsley).

Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Bognergasse 5, 1010 Vienna
+43 1 533 81 25
www.kameel.at

ÖSTERREICHER IM MAK

With a few exceptions (Café Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie in New York comes to mind), museum restaurants are hardly destinations unto themselves.  But then again, most museum restaurants don’t have star chef Helmut Österreicher as the owner.  Österreicher, who made his name as chef at the Restaurant Steirereck, has created a menu that offers both classic and (to use his words) “newly-interpreted” Viennese cuisine at the Museum für angewandte Kunst (MAK, or Museum for Applied Art).

Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner, but there always seems to be room at Österreicher im MAK for those who have come to admire the MAK’s collection of Wiener Werkstätte furniture, glass, china, and silver, and textiles.

The indoor dining rooms were quiet the day I visited; given the beautiful, late summer weather, the place to dine was outdoors in the museum’s courtyard.

Our meal started off with a Kürbiscremesuppe, cream of pumpkin soup with pumpkin seed oil, which had just the right texture and flavor to make it the best pumpkin soup I could recall having.  That was followed by an exceptionally tender Wiener Zwiebelrostbraten, Viennese minute steak with onions, accompanied by home fries.  Not surprisingly, this was the best Zwiebelrostbraten I could recall having in the past few years.

Our server recommended the Franz 2006 from Weingut Weninger in the Mittelburgenland (Middle Burgenland), a full-bodied cuvee that is made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Blaufränkisch that perfectly matched the Zwiebelrostbraten.

The Mehlspeisen (Austrian for dessert, literally “flour food”) I selected from the Moderne side of the menu was a magnificent and airy gebackenen Topfen mit Hollerkoch (baked curd cheese with elderberry preserves).

Don’t let the modern look fool you: Österreicher im MAK is strong on tradition where it counts.  The beverage selection is drawn solely from Austrian wines and spirits and the servers seem quite knowledgeable about them, and the kitchen draws heavily from local producers.  Just remember, Klassiche (classic) Wiener Küche on the left and modern interpretations on the right.

Österreicher im MAK
Stubenring 5, 1010 Vienna
+1 43 1 714 0121
www.oesterreicherimmak.at

RESTAURANT ROTE BAR IM HOTEL SACHER

Walking into the Hotel Sacher, built in 1876 and situated around the corner from the Staatsoper (State Opera) is like walking into fin-de-siècle Vienna, where Franz Joseph I. is still Kaiser (and König, king, of Hungary) and red velvet, grand crystal chandeliers, and polite service are the rule, not the exception.  The Sacher may best be known not as a hotel but rather for the Sacher-Torte, created by the young apprentice baker Franz Sacher for a dinner to be given by Prince Metternich (1773-1859) in 1832.  His son, Eduard (1843-1892), opened the Hotel Sacher in 1876; after his death, his widow, Anna Sacher, transformed the hotel into one of the finest in the world.

Seated for a late meal under a portrait of Kaiser Franz Joseph after attending a performance of Il barbiere di Siviglia, the Barber of Seville, I started with the soup,

Kräftige Tafelspitzsuppe mit Wiener Einlage (strong consommé with a choice of Viennese inserts; the inserts were Milzschnitte (lung strudel), Frittaten (sliced palatschinken or pancakes, Leberknödel (liver dumping) oder Grießnockerl (semolina dumpling). I recommend the Leberknödel and Frittaten (ask for both).

While the restaurant’s Tafelspitz is far from the city’s best, it was served with delicious creamed spinach and magnificent hash-brown potatoes, and a choice of chive cream sauce or apple horseradish.   Tafelspitz was a favorite of Kaiser Franz Joseph, who was watching over me as I ate, and he would have immediately recognized this version.

A sweet end to this late night supper was the Dessertkreation “Franz Sacher”, a medley of fresh strawberries, Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), a fruit tart, and of course a slice of Sacher-Torte mit Schlagobers (with whipped cream).  This was accompanied by a superb 2006 Beerenauslese from Martin Pasler in the Neusiedlersee (Burgenland) region.  This full-bodied, sweet wine is made from rich, ripe grapes affected by noble rot or botrytis and was an excellent way to conclude the evening.

Restaurant Rote Bar im Hotel Sacher
Philharmonikerstraße 4 A , 1010 Vienna
+43 1 51 45 68 41
www.sacher.com/en-red-bar.htm

For complete details of almost every course of every meal, watch the slide show.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

Schloß Esterházy in Eisenstadt

Eisenstadt
The capital has a lot of worthwhile sights.  The Schloß Esterházy, esp. the Hadynsaal, is worth spending time in as is the Schloßpark. The former Jewish district is also noteworthy and near the Schloß: visit the Österreichisches Jüdisches Museum (Austrian Jewish Museum) in Unterberg.

Inside is the Wertheimer’sche Schul, a private chapel from the 18th century that was somehow spared destruction after the Anschluß. Samson Wertheimer was a key financier for the Esterházy family and the Holy Roman Emperors in the late 17th and early 18th century. Not only is this museum the first Jewish museum to open in Austria after the Second World War but officials found hidden Torah scrolls and other sacred objects hidden in the walls. The Schul is still used for occasional services. Also visit the historic Jewish Cemetery in this district. (Remember to bring a hat or head covering if you visit either the Schul or the cemetery.)

Haydnhaus, where the composer lived, is also nearby and very much worth a visit. His mausoleum (the composer was reunited with his head in 1954) in the Bergkirche is also worth a stop. If you are lucky, you may find a concert being played on the church’s organ, the same one that Hadyn himself (and Beethoven one time) played.

There is a tourist office in the rebuilt old town hall on Hauptstraße, the main pedestrian-only street. (The building is architecturally and historically interesting itself.)  The top restaurant, also named Esterházy, is in the old stables building opposite the Schloß (basically at the top of Hauptstraße), and there are several simpler places to stop for a light lunch.

Neusiedler See near Breitenbrunn

Rust
Rust is a wonderful area to visit, right on the border of Hungary. Explore the Weinländer “Neusiedlersee” (north and east of the Neusiedlersee) and “Neusiedlersee-Hügelland” – both famous for Spätlese and Eiswein as well as Traminer.

Storks are part of the city´s essence as well; Rust is sometimes called ,,Die Stadt der Störche“ (,,Stork City“) and you will see many storks as you wander around town.

Consider staying at the Seehotel Rust, directly on the Neusiedlersee.

Other Neusiedlersee locations
The Neusiedlersee is a broad shallow lake and marshland area with the exact borders shifting from year to year. The Leitha River used to be the border between Austria and Hungary, but the border moved east in 1921 with the formation of the current Austrian Burgenland. Lake access is at Rust and the town of Neuseidl am See. There is public swimming, sun-bathing, and an informal restaurant at the lake near Neuseidl am See. (Possibly this one.) The price is quite reasonable, but be prepared for the mushy lake bottom.

Purbach (formally Purbach am Neusiedler See) is a small town between Neuseidl a. S. and Rust, with walls built in the 16th and 17th Century to defend against the Turkish invasion. One recommendation is Weingasthof Pauli’s Stuben for both its food and rooms. It was an amazing bargain at less than €40 per person per night, and the restaurant is popular with both locals and tourists. The food is several notches above the traditional heavy country fare, with interesting dishes (lamb, duck, fish, etc.) in light sauces with fresh local ingredients. Local wines without the typical restaurant markup.

Taubenkobel, a pleasant restaurant and R&Ch hotel in 7081 Schuetsen am Gerbirge, now has two Michelin stars.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

Mondsee, Austria

The country is known the world over for its music: Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, and Strauß (father and son) are some of the more prominent names of composers but Austria has more recent musical exports including Falco and DJ Ötzi.

One of the most popular destinations in Austria (Österreich) is, of course, its capital city, Wien (Vienna), which offers imperial tradition, wine taverns, the coffee house (Kaffeehaus), and a blend of modern and traditional architecture.  There are of course so many beautiful and distinct areas of the country, all worth a visit at one time or another.

There are nine federal states (Bundesländer)

• Burgenland – capital Eisenstadt;
• Carinthia (Kärnten) – capital Klagenfurt;
• Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) – capital St. Pölten;
• Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) – capital Linz;
• Salzburg – capital Salzburg;
• Styria (Steiermark) – capital Graz;
• Voralberg – capital Bregenz;
• Vienna (Wien) – capital Vienna

If you are driving, make sure to have purchased an Autobahnvignette (toll sticker) and Warnwesten (safety vest, one of the latter for each occupant of the car – and they must be kept inside the vehicle, not in the trunk) before entering Austria.

Austrian Airlines offers non-stop flights from New York (JFK) and Washington, D.C. to Vienna and features numerous non-stop flights from destinations within Europe and the Middle East to Vienna as well.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.