Poysdorf Cellar Lanes

Travelling from the Waldviertel (‘forest quarter’) to the Weinviertel (‘wine quarter’) in Lower Austria seemed a natural progression. Our next stop was Poysdorf in the heart of the Weinviertel. I certainly expected to see plenty of vineyards, of course. What caught me by surprise was the Kellergassen – lanes lined with wine cellars. I had never seen anything like this before. It was like Toytown with its rows of what looked like dinky, miniature houses. These wine cellars, mostly private but many also open to the public, are extremely deceptive. They’re tiny on the outside, but usually open up into a generous sized pressing room, with the tunnel-like cellar behind, often dozens of metres deep.

How the Radyweg, the longest cellar lane in Poysdorf, came about is quite fascinating. Deep trenches were gradually worn into the loess soil over the years by a combination of oxen carrying their loads along this path in ancient times and erosion by heavy rains. The cellars were later dug into the walls of the trenches, and acacia trees growing along the sides eventually formed a green canopy over the lane.

As we were exploring Radyweg, we came across a couple of elderly men, one carrying out some repairs to a wine cellar, the other watering a vine he had just planted opposite the entrance. After exchanging a few pleasantries, one of the men volunteered to the Oldies that, traditionally in the area, whenever you planted a new vine you ‘watered’ it with a quarter litre of wine. His Lordship was quick to quip that he’s been pouring wine into Her Ladyship for years but she still hasn’t grown an inch!

Even before you see a single vineyard, you are left in no doubt about the importance of wine to the area. Vines growing in the church yard, a giant wine bottle and wine glass decorating a children’s playground, a sculpture made of metal hoops from wine barrels, a larger-than-life sculpture of Conchita Wurst using a wine bottle as a microphone… There is no avoiding wine around here. Not that anyone seems to want to either!

Even the pope is not averse to a little tipple by the looks of it!

On our drives around the area, the Oldies kept coming across more Kellergassen/cellar lanes. I particularly liked the one on the Auberg, mainly because it offered wonderful views of Staatz Castle, an imposing ancient stone ruin perched on top of a steep hill. Staatz was attacked by the Swedes in the 30 years war and they used this vantage point to shoot cannonballs at the castle. There is still a Swedish quarter there today. I hope that the only shots in Auberg nowadays are the snapshots that cry out to be taken from this elevated viewing point. And perhaps the occasion shot of local schnapps.

Here, as in most of the Kellergassen we visited, there were several self-service cellars. Her Ladyship certainly doesn’t take after her shopaholic Mummykins, but this type of shopping appeared to be right up her alley. Or cellar lane. The cellar owners certainly make shopping this way very convenient. Decent wine glasses are usually provided, and you are politely requested to pour yourself a glass from the various varieties on offer, then drop the 50c to €1.50 per glass into the money box provided. You can, of course, also buy the wine by the bottle or carton. One establishment even offered a self-service credit card payment system. It’s nice to see that the honour system is still going strong here.

Some of the self-service shops also offered other local produce. The Oldies were particularly delighted with a jar of honey from Unterstinkenbrunn, ‘Under Stinky Well’. It certainly tasted a lot better than it sounded!

Saurüssel, Pig’s Snout wine is another local speciality which sounds like something you might turn your nose up at. Judging by the quantities that the Oldies put away though, they weren’t put off one iota!