TASTING NOTES GROWTH
TASTING NOTES GROWTH INDUSTRY The vines at Umathum; opening page: the picturesque Burg Bergstein © UMATHUM AN HOUR’S DRIVE southeast of Vienna, Burgenland, a leafshaped Austrian province on the country’s eastern border with Hungary, is a stunningly beautiful rural region with some of the world’s best vineyards, fairytale châteaux, and pretty little rural villages. A country-house favourite of arty Viennese, it’s a still confidential destination that recalls the nonchalant stylishness and sophistication of the Cotswolds in England or the North Fork on Long Island. Burgenland is Austria’s smallest and newest province (it was created in 1921), and is also an intriguingly cosmopolitan shard of the Habsburgs’ now vanished Austro-Hungarian Empire, with a multilingual population of Austrians, Hungarians and Croatians. This Central European region has historically been a hinge between the Germanic, Slavic and Hungarian worlds, which gives it an offbeat personality that rewards allcomers with a range of pleasures that include wine tastings, long leisurely meals, panoramic hikes and visits to where Haydn was born, exceptional farmers’ markets and charismatic antiques stores. What everyone likes best of all about Burgenland is that it’s that rarest and most wonderful of destinations: an unspoiled and ungentrified rural area that’s within easy reach of one of the world’s greatest cities. What first put Burgenland on the map of global foodies was its spectacular award-winning sauterne-style wines made by the Kracher winery in Illmitz, but the region, which is one of the oldest wine regions in Europe, produces some of the best red wines in the Old World (they’re a favourite of sommeliers in New York and also at many of Europe’s best restaurants, especially in Copenhagen). Tastings here are a real pleasure because Burgenland wineries are small and run by passionate winemakers who love sharing their wines – and everyone speaks English, too – so there’s a lot of generous hospitality across this region. And, as is true of most great wine regions, Burgenland’s restaurants are also outstanding. Misty mornings over the shallow, briny Neusiedler See, a large saltwater lake, and surrounding vineyard-planted slopes bestow a softness on the landscapes, which, as Count László E Almásy, a native of the region and the inspiration for The English Patient, knew, favours contemplation, reflection and healing. “When there’s this much beauty around you, it’s just makes sense to sit still,” agrees Alain Weissgerber, the Michelin two-star chef of Taubenkobel, the region’s best restaurant. WHERE TO STAY Taubenkobel (taubenkobel.com) was originally opened in a 200-year-old farmhouse as a restaurant by Walter and Eveline Eselböck in the village of Schützen between Rust and Eisenstadt in 1984. In 2000, the family created a 12-room hotel here, which has buckets of Austrian rustic chic and also reflects the world travels of the owners. If all the rooms are very comfortable, the suites are most highly recommended. For an even more rural and idiosyncratic experience, book a night or two at Burg Bernstein (burgbernstein.at), the perched château of the aristocratic Almásy family (see Count László, above) where the oldest walls date to the 12th century. Staying in one of the nine very comfortable rooms here is an intimate behind-theropes experience of noble life in Central Europe, complete with antiques in every room, and the château’s library, open to guests, is remarkable. Breakfasts are excellent, and evening meals can be ordered from the château’s kitchen by advance request. The Almásys are exceptionally charming hosts and hostesses, and a stay here is a very special experience. 86 NetJets
BOUNTIFUL PRODUCE From top: Jürgen Csencsits at his eponymous restaurant; Grammelknödel from Gut Purbach WHERE TO EAT The gentle climate of Burgenland, moderated by the Neusiedler See, explains the richness of the local larder, which abounds with organic fruit, vegetables, poultry, fresh-water fish and charcuterie made from free-range pigs. But the region’s history is another delicious ingredient. As a culinary crossroads, Burgenland’s cosmopolitan menus feature classic Austrian dishes, like schnitzels, as well as Hungarian-style goulashes and roast goose, and Croatian ajngemahtec (chicken soup), along with challah-like breads that reflect Jewish baking traditions. Taubenkobel is the region’s most famous restaurant, and Alsace-born chef Weissgerber, who’s married to Barbara Eselböck, one of founding chef Walter Eselböck’s daughters, has proudly embraced the cooking traditions of what is locally known as the Pannonian kitchen (Pannonia was the Roman name for Hungary, and Burgenland is on the edge of the Pannonian plain). The menu evolves regularly, with dishes that please both the palate and the eyes like wild carp with cabbage and pickled lemon; wood-roasted kid with Swiss chard and yogurt; and rhubarb with ricotta and nasturtium leaves. In nearby Purbach, chef Max Stiegl’s superb contemporary Austrian cooking at Gut Purbach (gutpurbach.at) is also made with local seasonal produce. Stiegl’s personal renditions of traditional dishes from the Pannonian kitchen have won him deserved acclaim, too. Don’t miss the pikeperch and speck soup; the roast goose with kirsch, red cabbage, potatoes and pears; and the Purbacher cream slices with pear and cardamom. Also in Purbach, Burg Braunstein Pauli’s Stuben (braunstein.at) is a warm tavern-like table famous for its roast goose with apples and oranges. In Podersdorf, on the right bank of the Neusiedler See, Dankbarkeit (dankbarkeit.at) serves delicious homestyle regional cooking, including Yiddish chicken liver spread, fish soup with peppers, and roasted rabbit liver and kidneys. Book a table under the chestnut tree in the garden in good weather and expect a warm welcome from owner Markus Lentsch. At the northern edge of the Neusiedler See, the lakeside Mole West (molewest.at) has a lounge-like vibe and is the trendiest restaurant in Burgenland with a menu that includes modish dishes like roasted cauliflower, Asian beef salad and, for traditionalists, a very good Wiener schnitzel. A few minutes east in Wieden am See, chef Oliver Wiegand’s sleek Zur Blauen Gans (the Blue Goose; zurblauengans.at) also has a lakeside setting and, along with dishes like crab with beef tartar and pear mousse, and roasted octopus with tomatoes, it proposes an excellent vegetarian tasting menu that changes with the seasons. Nearby, in Parndorf, Landhaus Parndorf (landhaus-parndorf.at) is a local favourite for its outstanding Wiener schnitzel, which also attracts a number of daytrippers from the Austrian capital. Just outside Eisenstadt, the cosy Ziegelwerk Gasthaus (ziegelwerk-gasthaus.at) is a great stop for lunch while touring, with a menu of traditional Austrian favourites as well as dishes that cater to vegans, including an excellent pumpkin soup. In Eisenstadt itself, the modern wine bar Selektion Vinothek Burgenland (selektion-burgenland.at) pours some 600 different vintages and also serves charcuterie boards and snacks. © CSENCSITS LUZIA ELLERT NetJets 87
