Vineyards At Your Doorstep

To withstand the march of concrete, many cities are embracing the concept of urban vineyards. Carol Wright reports on this exciting development

 

- Carol Wright

Paris, London, New York… these are not names readily associated with wine tours. However, urban vineyards are being rejuvenated or created – some of them sponsored by city councils to preserve green city lungs, stem relentless building development and provide educational and social benefits that counterbalance the disadvantages of pollution and poor soil.

AUSTRIA

Vienna is the doyenne of cities with vineyards, dating back to the 12th century when each district of the city worked its own vineyards. In 2015 a new law was passed, listing the city’s vineyards as a heritage site and stipulating that they had to be used for vine growing to prevent them being built over. An imperial edict of 1784 allowing growers to serve food with their wine led to the spread of heurigen or wine taverns that still flourish today.

The Mayer am Pfarrplatz tavern counted Beethoven among its customers and now shows off its old wine cellars on guided tours and wine tastings. Others like Wiltschko and Peter Gobel’s taverns have sleek modern lines, the latter with its original heurigen lounge overlooking the vineyards. As well as a wine train going through its vineyards, Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design, a wine-themed hotel, has each room dedicated to a different Austrian wine, with appropriately stocked mini bars and a wine lounge.