The countdown to VieVinum 2024 is on! Exhibitors from Austria and beyond are preparing for their appearance at the HOFBURG Vienna in May. Also, the School of Wine will be offering a wealth of specialist lectures that feature, amongst other themes, changes taking place in production and marketing. Early registration for preferred dates is recommended.
Rare grape varieties, the future of viticulture, great single-vineyard wines and their characteristics, and exciting new discoveries from famous origins – these are some of the topics that will be discussed by top international speakers at the School of Wine. The roster of highly respected names include Elena Rameder (Restaurant Aelium), Willi Balanjuk (A la Carte), Willi Klinger (brand ambassador and strategic consultant), Anne Krebiehl, MW (Vinous Media), Romana Echensperger, MW, Sascha Speicher (Meininger Verlag), Prof. Dr. Walter Kutscher (Vienna Sommelier Association), Miyuki Morimoto (Conrad Hotel Tokyo) and Raimonds Tomsons (best sommelier of the world).
Saturday, 25 May – Masterpieces & favourite wines
Chris Yorke, managing director of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, will kick things off with an update on Austrian wine and the ceremonial presentation of the Bacchus Prize to two special wine personalities (9.15 a.m.). A little later, the Steirische Terroir- und Klassik Weingüter (STK) invite you on a journey through their most outstanding and best-known vineyards (9.45 a.m.). Following this will be the presentation of Zweigelt and top sweet wine masterpieces from the Neusiedlersee DAC region (11.30 a.m.). Members of Vinea Wachau will look at how Grüner Veltliner could change as the climate changes (12.00 noon), while the Rubin Carnuntum wineries will examine the similarities and distinctions of the 2015 and 2019 vintages (12.45 p.m.).
Those looking for the inimitable character and authenticity of single vineyard wines will find them at the masterclass held by the Renommierte Weingüter Burgenland (Renowned Wineries of Burgenland) at 2.00 p.m.. WEIN & CO has found a series of affordable up-and-comers from Burgundy, and Willi Klinger will present these at 2.45 p.m. The Austrian Wine Marketing Board has asked three absolute greats of the international sommelier scene to present their favourite Austrian wines – Raimonds Tomsons, from Latvia and currently the world’s best sommelier; French-born Pascaline Lepeltier, who is currently active in New York, and Reeze Choi, based in Hong Kong, will show their selections at 3.00 p.m. The Junge Wilde Winzer (Young & Wild Winemakers) group will present their – always controversial - masterclass, and advise us to say goodbye to standardised tasting concepts (4.00 p.m.). Clear advice will also be given from the ranks of Wein Steiermark (Wine from Styria), with Sauvignon Blanc as the trump card! (4.45 p.m.).
Sunday, 26 May – Provocative and daring
The School of Wine programme on VieVinum Sunday is as rich as ever. The first session will be conducted by Mittelburgenland DAC with a focus on the provocative question - is Blaufränkisch more appealing as a single varietal or as a cuvée partner? (9.30 a.m.). A bit later, the Traditionsweingüter Wien (Traditional Wine Estates of Vienna) will make their way through the Große Lage (Grand Cru) wines (10.00 a.m.). Under the banner of Weinviertel DAC, Grüner Veltliner with all of its facets will be in the spotlight (11.15 a.m.) and Neusiedlersee DAC will once again put Zweigelt and sweet wine masterpieces on centre stage (11.30 a.m.). The Thermenregion DAC takes a daring approach with their tasting theme, which will feature two rare varieties, Pinot Noir and Zierfandler (12.15 a.m.). And Sekt Austria goes cosmopolitan with experts from two different continents taking a look at these sparkling wines from the outside (1.15 p.m.).
"The Origin of Rosé" is the Rosalia DAC motto for its rosé competition - with Provence! (1.45 p.m.). Then, the young winemakers of the Gerd A. Hoffmann Academy will present wines that they predict will be trend-setters in their vinicultural future (2.30 p.m.). Greece, which is also this year's VieVinum guest country, conveys even more than holiday feelings; in this masterclass, Greek producers will outline the development of their winemaking throughout history - right up to today (3.15 p.m.). By the time VieVinum begins, this year's Concours Mondial du Sauvignon already will be history, but the Welt.Meister.Winzer will be presenting Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards that have often been the origin of that competition’s winning wines (3.45 p.m.). And once again, Germany, as the origin flag-bearer for Riesling, has invited its Austrian neighbour to a Riesling duel - organised as usual by the wine magazine, Vinum (4.30 p.m.).
Monday, 27 May – Affable and extreme wines
The Respekt-BIODYN group will open this VieVinum day by addressing questions and possible solutions regarding "The Future of Viticulture" (9.00 a.m.). Then, uplifting wines will be featured in the programme of the Eruption Winzer (Eruption Winemakers) from the Vulkanland Steiermark region - who will likely create some strong vibrations with their own vineyard classification (10.00 a.m.). New to the School of Wine is ARGE Heumilch, who has already produced numerous publications on cheese and wine pairing, and now invite you to become a master of cheese and wine combinations (11.00 a.m.). Chardonnay is the basis for some of the world's best sparkling wines, and Aurore Jeudy, cellar master at Schlumberger Wein- und Sektkellerei, provides insights into her approach to this variety for Sekt Austria (11.45 a.m.). It will be a bit of a freak show by the Junge Wilde Winzer when they pit their most well-behaved wines against their most extreme wines (1.00 p.m.). The Österreichische Traditionsweingüter (Traditional Wine Estates of Austria) will report on their future plans and ambitions at their press conference (1.45 p.m.). Finally, WEIN & CO concludes the series of masterclasses at the School of Wine with another high profile feature: brand ambassador Willi Klinger will present the great 2019 Brunello vintage (2.15 p.m.).
Here you can find the entire programme and select your favourite masterclasses.
