Austro-Hungarian Wine Tasting

Coat of Arms of Austria-Hungary

Travel back in time to the splendors of fin-de-siècle Vienna and Budapest!   Taste the wines and foods of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on Friday May 19th at 7:00 pm.  GWS member Jim Palanchar will be presenting 15 diverse wines from 10 of the 12 countries which today include territory formerly belonging to Austria-Hungary.  This adventurous tasting will take place at Old Europe Restaurant, which will provide a buffet featuring classic highlights of Austro-Hungarian cuisine.

It was famously said of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century that “if it did not exist, we would have to invent it.”   This vast empire, the second largest in Europe after Russia before World War I, abruptly vanished at the end of 1918.  One hundred years ago, Austria-Hungary was in the last full year of its existence, after centuries of rule by the Habsburg dynasty.  The old Emperor, Franz Josef, had passed on in 1916 after seven decades on the throne, and the last Emperor, Karl, reigned in Vienna along with his Empress Zita.  Germany and Austria-Hungary were natural, if sometimes uneasy, allies during World War I.  More German speakers could be found in Austria-Hungary than in any nation apart from Germany itself, and the two nations shared ties not only of language but of history, music, art, cuisine and wines.  2017 is indeed a suitable year to recall this lost world through enjoying the wines from the many lands once ruled by the Habsburgs.   

Austria and Hungary had a contentious history after the Hungarians settled the Middle Danube Basin in 896 A.D.  The Austrian Habsburgs inherited the Hungarian throne in 1526, when the childless Hungarian king was killed in battle with the Ottoman Turks.  Since then, periodically, anti-Austrian revolutions broke out in Hungary, the latest in 1848. But 150 years ago, the Compromise of 1867 opened a half century period of peace and prosperity which ended with the dismemberment of the Empire when it lost the First World War.  During these decades the Empire was a crazy quilt of three kingdoms (Austria, Hungary and Bohemia) and numerous duchies and provinces, sprawling over much of Central Europe and into the Balkans.  It formerly encompassed all of what is now Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia, as well as lands now included in Romania (Transylvania and the Banat), Serbia (Voivodina), Italy (Alto Adige/South Tyrol), Poland (Galicia) and the Ukraine (Ruthenia). The diversity of terrains and cultures (there were 13 major ethnic groups, as well as smaller ones) resulted in a correspondingly wide assortment of wines, though many of them were made from grapes also familiar to German vintners.  We will be exploring both those familiar wines and the more exotic indigenous wines (some with tongue-twisting names), arranged in flights for comparison.

The tasting will be held at Old Europe Restaurant, whose address is:

2434 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Washington, DC  20007

Parking is available on the side street behind the restaurant

A buffet dinner of Austro-Hungarian specialties will be provided, as follows:

Appetizer

Old Europe’s bread basket with butter duo and “Schmalz”

cold cut platter with deviled eggs and mixed pickles

assorted cheese platters with house made Liptauer cheese spread

Main Course

“Rindsgulasch” – beef goulash

breaded pork Schnitzel served with mushroom cream sauce on the side

chicken paprikash

Old Europe’s most loved sausages

served with potato salad, Spätzle, cucumber salad, sauerkraut, red cabbage

Dessert

Sacher torte

Apple strudel

„Palatschinken” with lingonberry jam and apple sauce

„Kaiserschmarren” with raisins

Here is the full wine list:

Austria

2014 Birgit Eichinger Gaisberg Reserve Erste, Kamptal

2014 Markowitsch Rubin Carnuntum Zweigelt,Burgenland

2012 Rosenhof Welschriesling TBA,Burgenland

Bosnia

2015 Brkic Citlucka Zilavka, Hercegovina

Croatia

2015 Toreta Posip Premium, Dalmatia

Czech Republic

2014 Vino Z Czech Rivaner,Moravia

Hungary

2015 Disznoko Furmint, Tokaj Region

2012 Wetzer Kekfrankos, Sopron Region

2009 Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszu, Tokaj Region

Italy

2015 Nals Margreid Gewuerztraminer, Alto Adige

2013 Castell Sallegg Lagrein, Alto Adige

Romania

2015 Recas La Putere Feteasca Neagra, Banat

Serbia

2014 Agrina Portuguiser, Fruska Gora

Slovakia

2015 Egon Mueller Chateau Bela Riesling, Sturovo Region

Slovenia

2013 Ferdinand Epoca Rebula, Brda District

Event cost is $66 for members and $74 for non-members. Registration must be received by Monday 15 May.

You can register and pay for the event in either of two ways. You can register on our website by clicking the button below and make payment by Paypal. You will need to set up a GWS account if you have not done so already for past events, and have a Paypal account. You can also pay by check. If you pay by check, please include the completed registration form below made out to the German Wine Society, and mail the check and registration form to:

Joseph Aguiar

2501 Calvert St NW, Apartment 501

Washington, DC  20008

Whether registering by mail or online, please be sure to provide the names of all persons for whom you are registering, and to pay the appropriate price depending on whether the person is a member (with annual dues paid), or a non-member.

All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them.

The event coordinator is German Wine Society member, Jim Palanchar.  Please send any questions to him at jimpalanchar@earthlink.net or to German Wine Society Capital Chapter Secretary, Joe Aguiar, at josephlaguiar@gmail.com.

If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire page.