Burgenland is one of Austria’s four main wine regions, located about an hour from Vienna in the easternmost part of the country. Burgenland is also located to the nation’s border with Hungary, meaning that many of the wines from this region have more in common with Hungarian wines than Austrian wines.

Burgenland is known as Austria’s top red wine region, and the primary varietals here are Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt. For wine drinkers who typically think of Austria only for its aromatic white wines, a visit to Burgenland is a must. There, they will be able to sample a number of red sweet wines, as well as some intense, spicy reds. Moreover, many of the wineries in the region have adopted a style of architecture that some have labeled “Wine Architecture,” which is truly distinctive and will make any visit noteworthy.

The geography of Burgenland is also noteworthy. It is located on the famous Pannonian Plain in Central Europe. To the east is the Hungarian border, and to the west are the eastern foothills of the Alps. Burgenland occupies a narrow strip of land that extends from the Danube River down to the southern wine region of Steiermark. Due to its location, Burgenland has sunny continental summers.

There are four primary districts that comprise Burgenland: Neusiedlersee, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittelburgenland, and Südburgenland. The first of these districts, Neusiedlersee, is famous for its lakeside vineyards and the fabulous dessert wines. The third of these regions, Mittelburgenland, is perhaps the most notable red wine district, offering some particularly noteworthy Blaufrankisch wines.