Liquid Love Letter: Favorite Holiday Traditions to Bring Home
Courtesy of Unsplash | photo by cmophoto.net
Matthew and I travel. A lot.
Yes, it’s for wine — to taste different styles, to meet different makers, to dive down rabbit holes in the wine world from Patagonia to Ningxia to British Columbia so that we can share the news and excitement about this ultra compelling beverage with you, here in this column and elsewhere too.
A favorite outcome of such far-reaching travel schedules is to witness the traditions around the world, particularly at this festive time of year, that friends and colleagues in wine have woven into their work lives that also overflow into their personal lives.
This week we’re spotlighting three such traditions from Austria, and particularly a remote Alpine ski town called Lech. Lech was the site this past week for a particularly compelling wine conference called Arlberg Weinberg 2023, which included a specialist symposium dedicated to topics of viticulture, old vines, and fortified wines.
Here are three Austrian traditions, and how to bring them home for yourself this holiday season.
The First Austrian Tradition: The robust skiing and hiking community within Austria is, of course, well aware of the mountainous, remote allure of Lech. So, too, are the wine enthusiasts who seem to regard Lech the same way we might regard Las Vegas here in the US: as a playground for entertainment and indulgence, where cash and fortune flow more freely and “unicorn bottles” of wine are seen far more frequently on restaurant lists there than elsewhere.
Bring the Tradition Home: Lech, Las Vegas and unicorn bottles are not within reach of many of us. But the desire to luxuriate this season is well-known. Bring it home with a “splurge” that is moderated and shared. Lech in particular is not a destination for solitude: families and groups (including those who travel with their dogs) are the de facto. So if a “splurge” is on your radar, share it, both the cost and the pleasure.
The Second Austrian Tradition: It becomes a point of pride to identify an opportunity, before the end of the year, to “gift” something of value to a stranger or a new friend. The poignancy of this tradition lies most of all, I think, in the persistent mindset of people proactively looking for the opportunity to be generous.
Bring the Tradition Home: I had the incredibly good fortune to be on the receiving end of this tradition while in Lech this past week, in a situation that combined good luck with healthy doses of fate and generosity. The way to bring this tradition home is to pay it forward, which I am committed to doing “on repeat,” this season and for many seasons to come.
The Third Austrian Tradition: Non-alcoholic drink options have taken on a life of their own, with sommeliers, bartenders and kitchen staff carving out space, on both their menus and task lists, to offer guests a wider and more inclusive range of choices. That range was in the spotlight in Lech this week. When a recent winner of the Best Sommelier in the World competition requests the non-alc cocktail option, as happened in Lech this week, it’s beyond time to take notice.
Bring the Tradition Home: Offering low- and no-alcohol beverage options to guests has become recognized, finally, as a core standard of inclusive hospitality. Prioritize it for your own guests too, to proactively extend the welcome to a diverse set of preferences and palates.
Courtesy of Unsplash | Photo by David Beale
The feeling you get throughout Europe in December is infectious.
I just returned home from an epic European journey through France, Spain, Portugal, and back to France. Let me tell you, Europe does Christmas RIGHT. The Christmas markets, the cheer, the lights oh the lights! In the town of Vigo, Spain their Mayor went big and has created The City Of Lights with over 11 Million lights! That's one way to get on the world stage.
So Cathy described Austrian traditions, and I love Austria. The landscape, the people, the food, and the wine.
Odds are you know Austrian wine for it's crown jewel: Grüner Veltliner.
The top region is called Wachau, where some of the most coveted wines in all of Austria are produced. Do yourself a favor and track down some Weingut Knoll - you'll know it because the label adorns the Patron Saint of Wine, and it just feels right.
Next, I want to highlight the incredible wines of Marcus Altenburger, especially his Blaufränkisch vom Kalk. If you're not familiar with the grape variety Blaufränkisch, it behaves as if Pinot Noir and Syrah had a baby—and man is it delicious! It's a blend of 7 different plots in the Leithaberg DAC, known as a Grand Cru site for Blaufränkisch. It's made from a mixture of young vines as well as vines up to 40 year old-some on limestone, some on chalky loam (richer soil with better water supply in the lower parts of the slopes). Dry-farmed, and certified organic. A no-brainer!
If you like sweet wines (which all of us do but we're likely to lie to ourselves and say we don't) it's time to drink some from Rust. This region is a historic part of Burgenland and is known for its legendary Ruster Ausbruch. So I want you to get to know Heidi Schröck. Her wines are made with balance, personality, and grace. She's also a former Austrian wine queen, so look into that if you want a little chuckle.
Adopt a little bit of the Austrian tradition into your life this year, and drink their spirited wines. You will not regret it.
