Carnuntum: Roman city and wines of character

The most cultivated grape varieties are Zweigelt, Limberger (Blaufränkisch) as well as Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay , and Veltliner Vert (Grüner Veltliner) with which young, motivated winegrowers produce wines of character.

This vineyard located south of the Austrian capital takes its name from the Roman camp Carnuntum and the town of the same name. Near today's Petronell-Carnuntum in Lower Austria stands the most striking witness to the region's past glory, the “Pagan Gate” (Heidentor), a triumphal arch erected in the 4th century.

From a viticultural point of view, three mountainous areas are of particular interest: the Leitha Mountains (Leithgebirge), the Arbesthal Hills and the “Brown Mountain” which overlooks the town of Hainburg. The alluvial lands of the Danube composed of sand and clay rich in loess, limestone and silicate are suitable for growing vines.

Under the influence of the Danube, the climate of Pannonia allows optimal maturity of the grapes thanks to its hot summers and cold winters, tempered by the proximity of Lake Neusiedl. A generation of young winegrowers has been able to take advantage of this natural potential. They thus brought, in a short time, the wines of their region to the top of the hierarchy. In particular with fruity and elegant red wines, very modern in style but respecting the identity of their terroir.

Today, the Carnuntum region gives birth to a number of very interesting red wines, modern, unique but faithful to their origins.

In 2019 Carnuntum obtained “DAC” (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) status, the equivalent in Austria of a French AOC.

Since then, only typical wines can mention the name of the production region on their label. Like all “DACs”, the Carnuntum appellation is made up of three levels of quality: the regional appellation, the local appellation and the crus (cadastral appellation). For red wines, these are mainly the native Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. Cuvées can be blends containing up to a third of other grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot .

Under the Carnuntum DAC appellation we can also find rich and structured white wines of grape varieties produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Grüner Veltliner. As with reds, vintages can be vinified in blends with a maximum of a third of other noble white grape varieties.

All wines that do not meet the requirements of the DAC are marketed with the indication of provenance “Niederösterreich”.