A weekend in the sunny land of Blaufränkisch (+ giveaway)

Who doesn’t enjoy a good glass of red wine now and then? And even better, who isn’t dreaming of sunny days in the middle of vineyards enjoying some good food and good company? You might think of Bordeaux or Tuscany first but Austria has some amazing wine (and vineyards) too! I experienced all of that in the in Mittelburgenland, a part of Austria’s easternmost province of Burgenland. The area proudly call itself Sonnenland (sunny land) because the country indeed is spoilt with a high number of sunshine hours which lived up to its name when we got there 😉

At the Hotel Sonnenhof in Lutzmannsburg we had the right starting point for our activities which should include a lot of wine later – so a cozy space for relaxing and recharging was essential! What’s better than a garden full of rabbits (who cares it’s actually for kids when my friend and me fell in love instantly?) and a lovely, crystal-clear swimming pond? It should become one of my favourite places of the entire weekend 😀 Click here to book.

Anyways we weren’t supposed to only lay around as we had some serious wine tasting coming up: Mittelburgenland is particularly known for one grape – the Blaufränkisch – which also gave the area the alternative name Blaufränkischland. At the Blaufränkisch Vertikale, a wine tasting event, we got the chance to try 25 (!) different ones from local and international producers. Don’t worry, we didn’t have to swallow all of them 😛 Although it was hard for me to taste all the different nuances, I at least learned that every wine has its story…

Meanwhile the Rotweinerlebnis Lutzmannsburg had become a huge festival ground for wine lovers from near and far… We finished the evening with – what else – more wine and enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere.

A hearty breakfast helps you refueling your energy quickly after a long night…

After an relaxed morning (luckily no hangovers!) we got introduced into the art of wine making. The family-run Deutschkreutzer Weinmanufaktur gave us an interesting guided tour through their impressive manufacturing facilities and tasting rooms. Highlight: The terrace with a breathtaking view over the hills around Deutschkreutz!

Typical for a wine-related town like Deutschkreutz there is a big wine lounge where you can taste and buy all the fine drops from every winemaker of the region. You can imagine that we didn’t leave with empty hands 😛

We finished our wine tour with a culinary highlight at the Heuriger (a traditional wine tavern) called Schenkhaus Strehn. They served an amazing rosé aperitif and some delicious samples of their menu, as far as possible made of local ingredients and prepared with lots of love! The place truly was a little oasis and a foodie heaven – but as their opening periods are very limited (next time they’re open from 11th to 20th November) – reservations are advisable! We were absolutely delighted ❤

Giveaway:

To give you a little taste of Mittelburgenland to your home I’m hosting a little giveaway: Please let me know in the comments what’s your favourite way to enjoy a good glass of wine? The lucky winner will be chosen by lot and receives a bottle of Blaufränkisch sponsored by Deutschkreutzer Weinmanufaktur (Sorry, due to high shipping costs I’ll have to limit this giveaway to Europe only!) The challenge will be open for a week (until August 30th).

*I’ve been invited by Sonnenland Mittelburgenland however my opinion remains 100% my own.