World-class Wine from a Uniquely Preserved Landscape

The territory in the Wachau is perfect for growing grapes and making wine. But, it is a taxing endeavour. In order to use the steep slopes, especially on the north side of the Danube, narrow terraces were constructed. These terraces, made from drystone walls, are characteristic of the Wachau landscape. You will notice them as soon as you arrive. Most of the terraces are still in use—only remote lcoations have been abandoned.

Winegrowing in the Wachau still means a lot of manual work due to the exposed locations, and is done by many independent winegrowers. It's hard work all year, but especially during the autumn harvest.

To learn more about winegrowing, take a guided cellar tour, which includes a tasting at Domäne Wachau. For more information about the farmers, and if they are available for tours, download the MyWachau app (German and English).

The annual Wine Spring Festival is always on the first weekend in May is a great time to dig deeper into the culture, with more than 100 vintners opening their cellar doors and letting visitors taste the new wines of the year—some of them ranked among the best white wines in the world.