Heuriger
Encyclopedia
Heuriger (ˈhɔʏʁɪɡɐ; ) is the name given to those Eastern-Austria
n wine
-taverns, where wine-growers serve the most recent year's wine and where patrons can experience Gemütlichkeit
. They need a special licence. Heurig means this year's (as an adjective) in Swiss German
and Austrian German
; thus, a Heuriger.
. Only its own wine can be served, and it is limited to serving a limited selection of food from a buffet
. Many places still provide a very nice selection of small cold dishes, for example Liptauer
spread and even several different hot plates, for example Wiener Schnitzel
. Additionally, a Heuriger can only be open a certain amount of time per year. In areas with many Heurigen, people generally know about the scheduled openings of other establishments, and it is usually guaranteed that there will be at least one or more Heurigen open. Open Heurigen indicate that guests are welcome with a couple of conifer or fir twigs, or Buschen, hung above the entrance door.
In Vienna, many restaurants have the appearance of a Heuriger, but are in fact restaurants with a restaurant licence, where wines from outside sources and even beer and coffee is sold, which would be unthinkable at an authentic Heuriger.
Until the 20th century, it was customary for guests to bring along their own food to go with the wine they drank at the Heuriger. To make an establishment more profitable, in many places, the tavern was leased to other winemakers (Winzer in German). These establishments therefore have the name Winzerstube.
or any other form of pre-recorded background music
is strictly taboo at Heurigen. Rather, if at all, music is provided live by normally two Heurigensänger accompanying themselves on (often double-necked) guitar
and accordion
respectively. Walking from table to table and expecting tip
s, they will perform on request any songs from their repertoire of Wienerlied
er and renderings of Schrammelmusik, for the benefit of all guests present.
The themes of these songs invariably revolve around the quality of the wine, the act of wine-drinking and its consequences, Vienna's beauty, a nostalgic
longing for the past, the transitoriness of life, the inevitability of suffering and death at God
's will, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, romantic love
.
Mass tourism
has taken its toll on the music performed at a Heuriger. Visitors from Germany
will expect, or at least be happy to hear, one or two songs from, say, the Rhineland
, but the Heurigensänger will also try to cater for the tastes of all kinds of nationalities whenever a busload of tourists arrives. Thus, music at a Heuriger has gone a long way since people such as Anton Karas
earned a living by playing his zither
or Hans Moser
interpreted a Wienerlied in his movies.
's, Lower Austria
's, Burgenland
's and Steiermark's legislation.
Well-known areas for Heurigen are Grinzing
, Sievering
, Neustift am Walde
, Perchtoldsdorf
, Mauer
, Stammersdorf, Guntramsdorf
, Gumpoldskirchen
, Gainfarn
, Dürnstein
, Langenlois
, the Wachau region, Rust
, Königstetten
, Gamlitz
, and Kitzeck.
Another variation of Heuriger is called Mostheuriger, where apple or pear cider
is served.
Similar establishments also exist in other German-speaking areas of wine production, sometimes called Buschenschank (Styria), Straußen- or Besenwirtschaft or also Heckenwirtschaft.
Alex Tamayo Wolf’s historic novel, Revolution, conscientiously depicts Grinzing life, landscape, and culture in the years before the First World War, offering it as a compelling character in the story of a Riesling vintner and his family.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
-taverns, where wine-growers serve the most recent year's wine and where patrons can experience Gemütlichkeit
Gemütlichkeit
Gemütlichkeit is a German abstract noun that has been adopted into English. Its closest equivalent is the word "coziness"; however, rather than merely describing a place that is compact, well-heated and nicely furnished , Gemütlichkeit connotes the notion of belonging, social acceptance,...
. They need a special licence. Heurig means this year's (as an adjective) in Swiss German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
and Austrian German
Austrian German
Austrian German , or Austrian Standard German, is the national standard variety of the German language spoken in Austria and in the autonomous Province of South Tyrol...
; thus, a Heuriger.
Characterization
A Heuriger has legal limitations different from those of a restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
. Only its own wine can be served, and it is limited to serving a limited selection of food from a buffet
Buffet
A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
. Many places still provide a very nice selection of small cold dishes, for example Liptauer
Liptauer
Liptauer is a spicy cheese spread made with sheep milk cheese, goat's milk cheese, quark cheese or cottage cheese. It is a part of Slovak cuisine , Hungarian cuisine , Austrian cuisine and Italian cuisine...
spread and even several different hot plates, for example Wiener Schnitzel
Wiener schnitzel
Schnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet , coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is a popular part of Viennese, Austrian cuisine and German Cuisine...
. Additionally, a Heuriger can only be open a certain amount of time per year. In areas with many Heurigen, people generally know about the scheduled openings of other establishments, and it is usually guaranteed that there will be at least one or more Heurigen open. Open Heurigen indicate that guests are welcome with a couple of conifer or fir twigs, or Buschen, hung above the entrance door.
In Vienna, many restaurants have the appearance of a Heuriger, but are in fact restaurants with a restaurant licence, where wines from outside sources and even beer and coffee is sold, which would be unthinkable at an authentic Heuriger.
Until the 20th century, it was customary for guests to bring along their own food to go with the wine they drank at the Heuriger. To make an establishment more profitable, in many places, the tavern was leased to other winemakers (Winzer in German). These establishments therefore have the name Winzerstube.
The musical element
MuzakMuzak
Muzak Holdings LLC is a company based in metro Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1934, Muzak Holdings is best known for distribution of background music to retail stores and other companies....
or any other form of pre-recorded background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
is strictly taboo at Heurigen. Rather, if at all, music is provided live by normally two Heurigensänger accompanying themselves on (often double-necked) guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
respectively. Walking from table to table and expecting tip
Tip
A tip is an extra payment made to certain service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction. Such payments and their size are a matter of social custom. Tipping varies among cultures and by service industry...
s, they will perform on request any songs from their repertoire of Wienerlied
Wienerlied
The Wienerlied or Weanaliad is a song genre which has its roots in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Traditional Viennese songs, known as Wienerlieder are centred on the theme of life in Vienna and are almost exclusively sung in Viennese...
er and renderings of Schrammelmusik, for the benefit of all guests present.
The themes of these songs invariably revolve around the quality of the wine, the act of wine-drinking and its consequences, Vienna's beauty, a nostalgic
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
longing for the past, the transitoriness of life, the inevitability of suffering and death at God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
's will, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, romantic love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
.
Mass tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
has taken its toll on the music performed at a Heuriger. Visitors from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
will expect, or at least be happy to hear, one or two songs from, say, the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, but the Heurigensänger will also try to cater for the tastes of all kinds of nationalities whenever a busload of tourists arrives. Thus, music at a Heuriger has gone a long way since people such as Anton Karas
Anton Karas
Anton Karas was a Viennese zither player, best known for his soundtrack to Carol Reed's The Third Man.-Early life:...
earned a living by playing his zither
Zither
The zither is a musical string instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary citera, northwestern Croatia, the southern regions of Germany, alpine Europe and East Asian cultures, including China...
or Hans Moser
Hans Moser (actor)
Hans Moser was an Austrian actor who, during his long career, from the 1920s up to his death, mainly played in comedy films. He was particularly associated with the genre of the Wiener Film...
interpreted a Wienerlied in his movies.
History
On 17 August 1784, Austrian Emperor Joseph II issued the decree that permitted all residents to open establishments to sell and serve self-produced wine, juices and other food. Today, of course, Heurige are regulated by Austrian Federal Countries' Laws, like published by ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
's, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
's, Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
's and Steiermark's legislation.
Well-known areas for Heurigen are Grinzing
Grinzing
Grinzing was an independent municipality until 1892 and is today a part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna.- Geography :- Location :...
, Sievering
Sievering
Sievering is a suburb of Vienna and part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna. Sievering was created in 1892 out of the two erstwhile independent suburbs Untersievering and Obersievering. These still exist as Katastralgemeinden.- Geography :...
, Neustift am Walde
Neustift am Walde
Until 1892 Neustift am Walde was an independent municipality in the outskirts of Vienna, Austria and is today a part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna...
, Perchtoldsdorf
Perchtoldsdorf
Perchtoldsdorf is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, located about 16 km southwest of the viennese inner city.-History:...
, Mauer
Mauer, Vienna
Mauer is a former village of Lower Austria that since 1938 has been part of Vienna. Today it is part of the 23rd District of Vienna, Liesing. Its name literally means "wall".- History :...
, Stammersdorf, Guntramsdorf
Guntramsdorf
Guntramsdorf is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria....
, Gumpoldskirchen
Gumpoldskirchen
Gumpoldskirchen is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Gumpoldskirchen borders on the municipalities Mödling, Guntramsdorf, Gaaden, Pfaffstätten and Traiskirchen. The municipal area extends from the flats in the Vienna Basin to forest areas of the Anningers in...
, Gainfarn
Gainfarn
-External links:*...
, Dürnstein
Dürnstein
Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area...
, Langenlois
Langenlois
Langenlois is a town in the district of Krems-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Famous for its wine production, it is also home to the Loisium, a centre celebrating and advertising the local wine and built by the American deconstructionist architect Steven Holl....
, the Wachau region, Rust
Rust, Austria
----Rust is a city in Burgenland, Austria located at the shore of the Neusiedler See. Although it has only about 1,700 inhabitants, it is a Statutarstadt, as it was endowed with the rights of a free city by the Hungarian crown in 1681. As a Statutarstadt, it also forms its own administrative...
, Königstetten
Königstetten
Königstetten is a municipality in the district of Tulln in Lower Austria, Austria....
, Gamlitz
Gamlitz
Gamlitz is a municipality in the district of Leibnitz in Styria, Austria. In the first known document that mentions it , the settlement is called Gomilnitz, a reference either to the Slavic gomilca which denotes a small hill, or to gom ; indeed Gamlitz is situated among and between rolling hills...
, and Kitzeck.
Another variation of Heuriger is called Mostheuriger, where apple or pear cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
is served.
Similar establishments also exist in other German-speaking areas of wine production, sometimes called Buschenschank (Styria), Straußen- or Besenwirtschaft or also Heckenwirtschaft.
Alex Tamayo Wolf’s historic novel, Revolution, conscientiously depicts Grinzing life, landscape, and culture in the years before the First World War, offering it as a compelling character in the story of a Riesling vintner and his family.