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In easternAustria, aHeuriger[1] (German pronunciation:[ˈhɔʏʁɪɡɐ]; Austrian dialect pronunciation: Heiriga) is a tavern where local winemakers serve their new wine under a special licence in alternating months during the growing season. Each state in Austria has slightly varying rules on how many Heuriger of a town can be open at any given time and for how long in total during the year.[2][3] TheHeurige are renowned for their atmosphere ofGemütlichkeit shared among a throng enjoying young wine, simple food, and – in some places –Schrammelmusik. They correspond to theStraußwirtschaften in the GermanRheinland, theFrasche inFriuli-Venezia Giulia, andOsmica inSlovenia.
Heuriger is the abbreviation of "heuriger Wein" (this year's wine) inAustrian and Bavarian German. Originally, they were simple open-air taverns on the premises of winemakers, where people would bring along food and drink the new wine. Nowadays, the taverns are often situated at a distance from the wineyards and offer both food and drinks.Heurige where apple or pearcider is served are calledMostheurige. In the well-known wine-growing areas of the city of Vienna (Grinzing, Sievering, Neustift, Liesing) many eating establishments have a rustic interior design similar toHeurige, yet they have a normal licence and sell wine they buy from outside sources.
On 17 August 1784 AustrianEmperor Joseph II issued a decree that permitted all residents to open establishments to sell and serve self-producedwine and juices. At first no food could be sold in order to prevent competition with restaurants, but over time these restrictions lessened.
Ausg'steckt would be a sign that the wine farmer was serving out the wine at aHeuriger.
Over the years well-known areas forHeurigen developed, includingDürnstein,Gainfarn,Gamlitz,Guntramsdorf,Gumpoldskirchen,Grinzing,Königstetten,Langenlois,Mauer,Neustift am Walde,Perchtoldsdorf,Pfaffstätten,Rust,Sievering,Traiskirchen,Tribuswinkel and theWachau region.
Many of the towns also hold a yearly festival, often called aGroßheuriger, meaning "big Heuriger", where all the Heuriger of the town hold a multi-daystreet festival. The biggest in Austria is theGroßheuriger Pfaffstätten that is held annually during summer.[4]
Similar establishments exist inwine-producing regions elsewhere in Austria, known asBuschenschank inStyria, andStraußen,Besenwirtschaft, orHeckenwirtschaft in Germany and other German-speaking areas.
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AHeuriger is prized both for the charms of what it offers and its limitations. EachHeuriger is only open briefly, usually 2 or 3 weeks during a four-month season in the fall, although it may reopen again later in the season when more wine has been produced. It serves only its own wine, and but a limited selection of food as an evening meal, generally local, homemade products offered as small dishes such asLiptauer spread, various meat or sausage andSemmel combinations, orcheese boards.
Typical drinks found atHeurigen includeSturm, a partially fermented wine sold at the beginning of fall that still contains a fair amount of grape, andGruner Veltliner, which is one of the most popular types of Austrian wine.Almdudler andGespritzer are also commonly found at modernHeurigen. Lucky patrons will sometimes findEiswein to enjoy with dessert.[5]
Heurigen indicate that they are open and guests welcome by displaying a handful of conifer or fir twigs bound in a circularBuschen hung above the entrance door. Until the 20th century, it was customary for guests to bring along their own food when enjoying wine at aHeuriger. To make an establishment more profitable, in many places the tavern was leased to other winemakers (Winzer in German), known asWinzerstuben.
Gemütlichkeit shared among a throng enjoying young wine, simple food, and traditional music is one of the greatest appeals of aHeuriger. As a result, many establishments elsewhere, such as in Vienna, are made to look likeHeurigen but in fact are licensed restaurants selling wines from outside sources; these even serve beer and coffee, unthinkable at an authenticHeuriger.
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Music has traditionally been part of theHeuriger ambiance and contributes greatly to itsGemütlichkeit. When present today it is typically provided by a pair ofHeurigensänger who serenade from table to table fortips. Playing aguitar andaccordion, they take requests for songs from their repertoire ofWienerlieder andSchrammelmusik.
These songs' themes invariably revolve around the quality of thewine, its consumption and consequences,Vienna's beauty, anostalgic longing for the past, thetransience of life, the inevitability ofsuffering and death atGod's will, and, to a somewhat lesser degree,romantic love.
Even trying to honor theHeuriger tradition, music has changed dramatically since performers such asThe Third Man sensationAnton Karas earned a living by playing hisZither orHans Moser sang aWienerlied from his movies. Visitors fromGermany will hope to hear songs from their native land, as will those from others; theHeurigensänger will try their best.
Media related toHeurigen at Wikimedia Commons
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