Austria Wine Month Starts

Austrian wine has been a rising star in NYC restaurant circles for several years and now the Austrian Tourist Board has kicked off the first Austria Wine Month, running through November 22.

Fourteen restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including Wallse, Thomas Beisl, Seasonal, Klee, Cafe Katja and more, will be offering special prix fixe menus, wine flights and pairings, as well as some rare Austrian wines by the glass during the period. Some of the highlights:

·         At Wallsé and The Upholstery Store, guests can design their own four-course tasting menu for $68. For an additional $45, Austrian sommelier Leo Schneemann will pair each course with Austrian wine.

·         Café Katja offers a mixed flight: a trio of Austrian white, red, and dessert wine for $18. With 24 hours' notice, Café Katja will also set up a wine tasting with meat, cheese, and Schnapps, for $42 (minimum four people).

·         Seasonal Restaurant & Weinbar will pour a rare 2001 Smaragd wine by the glass: Prager Riesling Smaragd, Kaiserberg ($19/glass).

·         Klee Brasserie will have a special three-course menu featuring the rare Austrian Mangalitsa Pork, with an optional pairing of three Austrian wines ($93 with wine; $58 without).

·         At Thomas Beisl, guests can design a three-course meal that includes a choice of soup, wiener schnitzel, paprika chicken, cucumber salad, fresh strudel, and white, red, and dessert wines ($28/person, including wine).

·          Café Steinhof will offer $4 glasses of two Lower Austrian wines: Fritsch Grüner Ventliner and Berger Zweigelt (check website for times). On Mondays, the restaurant serves goulash ($6) and apple bread pudding ($3).

Even better, you can enter to win a 9 day trip to three of Austria's wine countries. Enter at www.austria.info/wine by answering a short three question quiz.