<img align="right" alt="dorf huegelland" border="0" height="159" hspace="2" src="http://www.austrian.wine.co.at/wein/images/nhugfoto.jpg" width="216">On 3911, hectares of loess, black soil, sand and loam, Welschriesling, Weissburgunder, Neuburger, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt are planted among others. Specialities are Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay. Cabernet Sauvignon is on the upswing.
The renowned villages of the Neusiedlersee-Hügelland are like pearls on a string: Breitenbrunn, Purbach, Oggau, St. Margarethen, Donnerskirchen, Rust, Schützen, Mörbisch and the capital of Burgenland - Eisenstadt - with its magnificent palace, idyllic Old Town, and its charming neighboring community, Grosshöflein.
Rust has a particularly special rank among these villages. In the 17th century, when the town was fighting off the Turks and Hungarians, wine-makers contributed a great deal of wine as a restorative elixir to Emperor Leopold and his troops. And the "thank you" came promptly: since 1681, Rust also has been known as "Freistadt", a term for a town that had been granted certain tax advantages.
Rust is home to the noble, sweet white Ausbruch wines. These are promoted by a group of local wine-makers in the "Cercle Ruster Ausbruch" association. Austria's Wine Academy is also situated in Rust. It is the first German-speaking educational institution of its kind in the country.
The town has vinothèques for tasting wines from the entire region. (Similar vinothèques can be found in Donnerskirchen and Purbach as well). Creativity is no less abundant in Mörbisch. While famous for its annual summer festival since 1957, the town is known almost just as much for its wine-makers' unique "Opernballwein".
<p class=text><small><a href="http://www.austrian.wine.co.at/" target="_blank">Text and image by ÖWM</a></p</span> |
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