The wines of Liechtenstein are not listed in Robert M. Parker Jr.’s 1,635-page “Wine Buyer’s Guide.” That’s the equivalent of being omitted from the telephone directory, except that usually telephone numbers are not in the book because someone doesn’t want to be found. Liechtenstein, a small but prosperous landlocked principality between Austria and Switzerland, wants Americans to find its wines.
Most Liechtenstein wines, though, aren’t technically from that country. They are from nearby Austria, but they have a Liechtenstein pedigree. Prince Hans-Adam II, listed by Forbes magazine as one of the world’s 10 wealthiest rulers, with a family fortune that dates back almost nine centuries, is not only Liechtenstein’s head of state but also owner of the leading winery.
The princely winemaking tradition dates to 1436, when Christoph von Liechtenstein bought vineyards near Wilfersdorf, about 25 miles northeast of Vienna in the Weinviertel growing region of Austria. Until fairly recently, production was reserved for the entertaining and dining needs of the so-called princely house, which included castles and palaces in what is now Austria, the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein.
In 1938 the house fled to neutral Liechtenstein, where it remained after World War II, but retained its estates in Austria, including the original vineyards in Wilfersdorf. Wines today are produced from about 105 acres of vineyards surrounding the court winery near the house’s centuries-old Wilfersdorf Castle.
In addition to the wine described in the accompanying article, three tasty offerings from the court winery have recently become available in select markets across the country.
Hofkellerei des Fursten Von Liechtenstein Clos Domaine 2005 Riesling ($17): Complex and lively, this dry, melon-scented Riesling offers a superb balance between fruit and acidity.
Hofkellerei des Fursten Von Liechtenstein Veramo 2003 Merlot-Zweigelt ($18): This soft, berry-flavored red wine is a harmonious blend of merlot and the spicy, fruity zweigelt grape, a popular Austrian red variety.
Hofkellerei des Fursten Von Liechtenstein Clos Domaine 2004 Zweigelt ($17): Well-structured and polished, it has plenty of fruit and is aged in casks of oak from the forests surrounding the vineyards.
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