Family Fuhrgassl-Huber

- guarantors for the traditional wine tavern culture

For generations the Family Fuhrgassl-Huber has owned and run wine growing businesses, various wine taverns and other gastronomic establishments in Vienna. In our establishments you will find the perfect balance between quality and tradition, whether you visit the Winery Fuhrgassl-Huber, the wine tavern 10er Marie or the Wine Tavern Huber, whether you enjoy a feast in the Wine Grower's Tavern Hauerkuchl or spend a few days in the Country House Fuhrgassl-Huber!

Vienna and the Wine

Vienna and the Wine have always been linked with one another and in German Vienna and Wine (Wien and Wein) or Wine and Vienna (Wein and Wien) are only distinguished by their phonetic shift. Vienna’s soils, its location and its climate are perfect for wine growing. This is the world's only cultural heritage town with wine growing history. From prehistoric and early eras on wild vines and later cultured vines have grown here.

Vienna is surrounded by vineyards in the west, the north and the south. The majority of vineyards is located on the hills of Kahlenberg and Nussberg. This is also where the famous wine-growing places are located: Nussdorf, Kahlenbergerdorf, Heiligenstadt, Grinzing, Sievering and Neustift am Walde. Further wine-growing places are located at the foot of the Bisamberg at the Danube's left riverbank: Stammersdorf, Strebersdorf and Jedlersdorf. In the south there are the wine-growing villages Mauer, Rodaun, Atzgersdorf and Oberlaa.

The warm, dry, pannonic climate and for some areas the Danube as climate control are ideal conditions for the good growth of vines. The soils are very variable. They range from chalkstone interspersed with shells (Nussberg and Kahlenberg), loess and brown earth soils (Bisamberg) to shale and clay-marl mixtures.

About 95% of wines are sold in wine taverns, and the "Heurige" (the wine of the latest harvest) covers the majority. The "Heurige" is usually a mixed composition, the grapes are harvested and pressed together. This is a refreshing, fruity, vivacious and light wine. Declaration day is Saint Martin's Day on the November 11. Following the tradition of wine taverns the wine will then be called "Heuriger" until Saint Martin's Day in the following year. When on that day the new vintage replaces it, it becomes the Altwein.

The word "Heuriger" can have two different meanings: on the one hand it defines the wine of the latest harvest, but on the other hand it denominates the wine taverns where wine is sold. The wine tavern or "Heuriger" is a type of wine sale, which has been custom in Austria for centuries. The sale of home-grown wines and the atmosphere of suitable food is an ancient Austrian right dating back to the 13th century. For the vast majority of the Viennese wine growers the new wine represents their basis of existence. The wine grown in Vienna's surroundings is almost completely sold privately, thus in the wine growers' own taverns and by the glass. Only very rarely you may be able to purchase true new wines outside the wine taverns in wine shops. However, the great pleasure of the new wine is definitely enhanced in the above mentioned strange and unique ambience of a wine tavern. When the Viennese go to wine taverns they expect a certain atmosphere which is described as the typical Viennese cordiality (Gemütlichkeit).

The Viennese wine taverns

The Viennese wine taverns offer an atmosphere and feeling of well-being, offer the opportunity to get to know each other better and to fraternise with one another. The wines are usually served in ¼ l glasses with handles. These glasses are actually not very appealing and therefore they are not consistent with today's wine culture. Nevertheless, there are reasons to use these glasses. In olden days when people went to wine taverns they used to bring their own bacon, sausage, meat, cheese and bread from home. In the wine tavern they only bought the wines. And as people had their finger food with sips of wine in between the glasses became dirty and unattractive. Therefore the special glasses with handles were introduced for the wine taverns. And nowadays we cannot imagine wine taverns without these glasses with handles.

Hints to recognise a real wine tavern (with own grapes from Vienna's surroundings): Indicators for a wine tavern are a pine, fir or spruce twig at the entrance and a green sign saying "Ausg´steckt " and displaying the owner's name, furthermore a poster with the traditional Josefisnische edict circular and the registration number of the Viennese wine growers' association. The Viennese wine seal has been known as a quality label since 1963 and since 1989 it has been used the trademark for "Original Wiener Heuriger". When you see this quality label displayed at the entrance of a wine tavern you know that a true Viennese wine-grower sells his own wines here. With this signet the wine grower confirms that only wines from his own production are sold and that no other wines are available.

For a typical, comfortable evening in a wine tavern it is also crucial to be entertained by Schrammel music. The advent of Schrammel music was in 1878 when the brothers Schrammel and Anton Strohmayer created a trio and started performing in wine taverns. Initially, they were two violins, one guitar and a clarinet. Later the clarinet was replaced with an accordion. Today you will not be entertained by the "Schrammel" but you will often hear musical performances in wine taverns.