Krems Valley (marketed with its German designation "Kremstal") is a winegrowing region extending on both sides of the Danube around the venerable wine town of Krems. Viticulture has been practiced here for centuries and wine is still omnipresent in Krems. The Krems Valley is one of Austria's oldest wine regions and stretches northward from Krems, the eastern gateway to the Wachau. For centuries, vines have been cultivated in the fertile primary-rock and especially loess soils.

The 2,250 hectares of vineyards can be divided into three microclimatic zones - the town of Krems, the area to the north and east of Krems, and a few small wine villages to the south of the Danube. Spicy Grüner Veltliners and elegant mineral-forward Rieslings are common to all three and typical of the Krems Valley. Besides the fresh classic line, wine lovers can also look forward to powerful Reserve wines. Since 2007, wines from this region have borne the designation Kremstal DAC - as a sign of top quality typical of the region.

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What is a heuriger?

Wein Wachau © Andreas Hofer

“Heurig” is an adjective in Austrian dialect that means “this year.” It refers to “this year’s” wine, i.e. the new wine, as well as to the winemakers’ premises where they are allowed to serve their own wine to the public along with simple down-to-earth foods. These heurige are typical of the wine regions in Lower Austria.    A genuine heuriger is open only at certain times of the year. A few fir or conifer twigs hung out (ausgesteckt) at the entrance to the house indicate that the heuriger is open.

 To online heuriger calendar