Cobenzl Winery Open House in the hills near Vienna
Weingut Cobenzl hosts its annual Open House Day (“Tag der offenen Kellertuere”) this Friday, May 11 from 11am until 9pm. I went last year out of curiosity and it was incredible! For 2 euro, you get a Weingut Cobenzl logo wine glass (which you can return for a full refund on your way out) and unlimited tastings of every Cobenzl wine available.
Last year, the winery offered 13 or 14 wines and also gave out samples of a nonalcoholic grape juice and possibly even a champagne (“Sekt”) if my memory serves me right. One of the wines, the Weissburgunder (“White Burgundy”), won an award last year and was written about in one of the local publications. My favorite was the Gruener Veltliner Mayor, a crisp white with a pleasant peppery undertone.
The tasting area is a treat as well. The event takes place on a lovely outdoor patio. Small groups of people gather around rustic wooden barrels topped with water pitchers and rinse buckets. On a sunny spring day, it’s hard to find a better place to sip wine.
In addition to numerous wine samples, the winery offers free guided tours (in German) of its production building. Learning the retail values of some of the high-tech machinery is a highlight. Last year, a live band also performed and the Stroeck bread company handed out free snacks, but I didn’t see either advertised this year.
To get to the winery, take the U4 metro line to Heiligenstadt. At Heiligenstadt, take the 38A bus up to Cobenzl Parkplatz. From there, take a right down the street in front of where the bus dropped you off. The winery entrance is on the left.
For more information, visit the winery’s website, www.weingutcobenzl.at.
