An Austrian Reawakening

“Philippines Wine Shop reports news about wine: An Austrian Reawakening
June 13, 2011
Austrian wine is a little abstruse. This isn’t to say the quality is deficient. Far from it. It’s just I suspect that for those of you who don’t curl up in front of the fireplace with “The World of Atlas of Wine,” it’s a wine-producing country one approaches in trepidation.
Found at the back of the wine list or at the far corner of the wine merchants, sandwiched between Germany and Eastern Europe, the country’s vintners are relatively unknown, which seems a little unfair as it’s hard to think of a comparable wine region that has shown such a dramatic reinvention in recent years.
Part of the problem is that Austria has a large and thirsty domestic market that consumes a vast swathe of the country’s production. Figures from the trade group Austrian Wine show that 70% of all production is consumed locally, while 30% is exported. Last year, exports reached a value of €122 million. Then, of course, there is the diethylene glycol scandal of 1985, when a handful of producers were caught adding the chemical, which is related to antifreeze, to make their wine sweeter. But the episode occurred a long time ago now and the present generation of Austrian winemakers have moved beyond the scandal and are producing wines of exceptional character.
The country’s most famous exponent is the grape variety Grüner Veltliner, which in areas such as Kamptal, Kremstal and Wachau produces a green-tinged white wine that is lean, tart and dry, with aromas that can range from white pepper to perfume to herbaceous spiciness. Above all, it is a wine that refreshes much in the style of, say, a Riesling from Alsace. Along the Danube River, Riesling is cultivated on rocky soil that gives it a mineral character, with notes of white peach, apricot and lemon, and, with bottle age, petrol-like scents.
Other white grape varieties range from Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Neuburger, which again, with time, can develop an attractive nuttiness.
But Austria is also carving out a niche for its red wines, based around Blaufränkisch and grape varieties such as Blauer Zweigelt. Blaufränkisch is an interesting varietal; pre-medieval, it was widely planted throughout the time of the Hapsburg monarchy and is still one of Austria’s most prevalent grapes. Today, it thrives in the vineyards that stretch east on the north bank of the Danube as the river flows out of Vienna toward Slovakia, an area known as Carnuntum. At its best, Blaufränkisch takes on a spicy, cherry-like aroma, with freshness and purity. When drunk young, it can taste a little hard. But with bottle age, it can take on a farm-yard, yeasty character.
Blauer Zweigelt is Austria’s most widespread grape variety, with deep, sour-cherry, earthy and berry aromas. These wines work best when they haven’t been exposed to too much oak, providing a welcome antidote to the large quantities of heavier wines on the market.
Like most wines, Austria’s reflect their sense of place and are best understood when tasted alongside the local food. A chilled glass of Grüner Veltliner marries wonderfully with schnitzel, while the earthy, cherry character of Blaufränkisch is a perfect foil for veal or stewed meats. For the more adventurous, I would recommend trying a bottle of one of the white-grape varieties with lighter seafood-based dishes. Weingut Bründlmayer, Weingut Pichler-Krutzler, F.X. Pichler, Uwe Schiefer, Emmerich Knoll and Muhr-van der Niepoort are among the wineries that impressed. Willi Bründlmayer’s wines are worth seeking out, with fresh, elegant, clean wines that don’t overwhelm.
One wine that won’t fail to impress when lined up against its more expensive counterparts is sweet wine from the Kracher winery. The wines are grown in the east of the country in the Burgenland region, close to Lake Neusiedl at Illmitz. They shot to fame in 1994 when the late Alois Kracher’s Welschriesling TBA beat France’s celebrated Château d’Yquem in a blind tasting. Since then, the wines have enjoyed something of a following and it’s not hard to see why they are simply some of the best sweet wines out there.

Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703498804576156283719612252.html

Subic is a popular destination for visitors from Manila bringing family out of town for a short getaway to the north. Many visitors stopover in Clark Philippines for gourmet dinner at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar and shop for fine vintage wine in Clark Wine Center which offers over 2700 selections of fine and rare vintage wines only available in the Freeport zone. With the SCTex – Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway – now opened and the travel time between Clark and Subic reduced to a mere 30 minutes, Clark is much more accessible to residents of Subic. Residents of Subic and nearby towns of Pampanga such as San Fernando frequently travel to Clark to wine and dine at this top rated restaurant. Many stay on after dinner to relax and unwind in the beautiful wine bar called The Magnum Room.

Residents of Manila travel out of town for a short getaway up north visit Angeles city, Clark, Pampanga, Philippines to wine and dine and enjoy a special dinner at the best restaurants in the country. Even people from Subic and Cebu travel to Clark to enjoy a special evening and some great food and rare vintage wine at this fine dining restaurant. The famous wine shop outside Manila in Pampanga called Clark Wine Center is frequently visited by wine lovers and tourists for a bit of wine shopping.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today this wine shop in Clark Pampanga offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s famous wine shop, Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is a well known wine shop that is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com