Austria's Best Wines Are Awarded
One of the most famous Austrian wine competitions has tested 275 wines this year. SALON as the competition is called has chosen 21 of them as winners. For the first time, the wines were tasted and evaluated according to their origin and not by grape variety.
The proud SALON 2022 winners with Chris Yorke (Managing Director Österreich Wein Marketing GmbH), Susanne I. (Federal Wine Queen), Johannes Schmuckenschlager (President Austrian Winegrowers' Association) / Picture: © ÖWM / Anna Stöcher
Of the 275 wines, 151 wines come from Lower Austria, 77 from Burgenland, 35 from Styria, 9 from Vienna and 3 from Burgenland. The best of these, the 21 SALON winners, come from Burgenland, Lower Austria, Styria and Vienna.
"I congratulate all SALON winemakers very warmly!", Chris Yorke, Managing Director of Austria Wine Marketing, was pleased with the SALON press conference this morning at Palais Niederösterreich. "Only the best wines of the country make it into the SALON. It doesn't matter whether they come from renowned or up-and-coming wineries. The only decisive factor is the quality of the wines, which is characterized by their origin."
For the first time this year, the wines in the SALON were no longer tasted according to their grape variety, but according to their origin. For example, in the category "Area-typical wines" DAC wines from different areas competed against each other, and in the "Riedenweine" wines from single vineyard sites - always independent of their grape variety. Within the origin categories, the wines were divided according to their wine style, such as "white wine fresh" or "red wine strong".
"By focusing on wine origin, SALON follows the development of the Austrian wine industry," Yorke explains. "Indeed, for quite some time now, the origin of wines has been given greater prominence than their grape varieties. The reason for this is simple: grape varieties are internationally interchangeable, but their origins are not. A Grüner Veltliner or Blaufränkisch can be grown around the world - a Weinviertel or Mittelburgenland, on the other hand, is unique."
Focus on new categories such as sparkling wine and alternative wines
There is also a separate category at SALON for Sekt Austria - Austrian sparkling wine with a protected indication of origin. Away from the wines typical of the region, the Alternative Wines & PIWI category puts the spotlight on significant trends.
Austria's best wines with mash fermentation or alternative vinification methods and wines made from fungus-resistant grape varieties make an important contribution to environmentally conscious work in the vineyard. "Austria produces top sparkling wines and excellent wines with alternative styles. Therefore, the SALON as the most comprehensive quality mirror of the domestic wine industry also puts these wines duly in the spotlight!", continues Yorke.