With www.austrianvineyards.com (www.riedenkarten.at in German), Österreich Wein Marketing (ÖWM) has presented what it claims is the first atlas of origin for an entire winegrowing country. The managing director of the ÖWM Chris Yorke emphasises in a press release that "traders, sommeliers and journalists from all over the world can now dive deeper into the wine country Austria than ever before. This makes us an international pioneer."
The atlas covers all the wine origins of the Alpine Republic "from the winegrowing country of Austria via 27 winegrowing regions and 458 winegrowing communities to the 'holy of holies', Austria's more than 4,300 individual vineyards – called 'Rieden'". Information on geology, topography, exposure, etc. is available. The ÖWM points out that this project can be offered in digital form for the first time worldwide – a "milestone for the Austrian wine industry".
The Institute for Geography and Regional Research at the University of Vienna, together with the office plan+land, needed three years for the development. Since the Styrian vineyards are currently still being legally anchored, they are to be entered into the system by the end of the year. sw
