Home sweet home – a holiday at Neusiedler See

If you go on holiday to a winery, you will certainly want to get acquainted with the house wine and experience it for yourself! So a wine tasting and a tour of the vineyard and wine cellar should not be missing on your to-do list! We found it fascinating to learn more about how wine is made and trace the wine back to its roots. In my home community, we specialise in the cultivation and processing of apricots, which is why I’m familiar with how schnapps is made, but not wine. So, for me, it was something new and really interesting to take a look behind the scenes to learn something about wine production.

During the tour of the vineyard, Harald Schindler explained all about viticulture. Climate and good soil are natural prerequisites for growing grapes. Throughout the entire year, a vineyard needs intensive care, as the vines must be trimmed and pruned, and of course, the soil needs to be well fertilised. However, the work always starts with cutting the vines. This essential work is carried out in winter. After that, it’s time for maintenance work and tensioning the wires in the vineyard. And of course, come spring, the leaves must be pruned. The land needs to be weeded and fertilised, and the yield must be controlled. And with the grape harvest in September and October, it’s into the wellies and the fruits can be picked. The production of wine is therefore a very long and laborious process.

Grape juice is lovely, but it should be enjoyed with food! That’s why we also visited the lovely Bettina’s garden of rare plants. She is the owner, passionate cook, and gardener at Gut Zentgraf – also in Mörbisch am See. Together, we picked ripe rare plants in the fruit and vegetable garden, including Mexican mini cucumbers (melothria), bell peppers, mini cherry tomatoes, and yellow raspberries. We also conjured up a delicious spread made of leeks, herbs and nuts for our picnic at Lake Neusiedl. The area around the lake is also home to many local taverns. Here, they also serve the typical Burgenland Brettljausen lunch with bacon, sausage, cheese, various spreads and salad. It’s traditionally accompanied by a “Heurige” (a bottle of the current wine vintage).

A holiday at a winery is not just for adults and wine-lovers, but also for all those who are looking for a nice break from their hectic day-to-day lives and wish to enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside, which is combined with culinary highlights and a jam-packed programme of recreational activities. A big thank you to the Schinder and Zentgraf families for the lovely few days. We once again realised how lovely a holiday at home in Austria can be!