Austria

Carnuntum

About Carnuntum

A small, mostly-red region east of Vienna along the Danube, named after the Roman town of Carnuntum. Three bands of soil — gravel terraces near the river, calcareous clay around the Hainburg hills, and loess on the higher plateaus — produce Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch with structure and freshness. Several producers (Markowitsch, Glatzer, Gerhard Pittnauer) helped reposition the region as a serious red appellation in the 2000s.

Vintages

11 · 2015–2025

Rating:

95+

90-94

85-89

80-84

<80

PeakReadyHold

Year	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
Red

Outstanding Carnuntum Vintages

The best recent vintages rated excellent or exceptional.

Red

2024

Ready

92Excellent

Dark, intense reds from a frost-shrunk crop; quality that belies the season's chaos.

2026Peak 2027–20312033

2023

Ready

93Excellent

Concentrated, harmonious reds with fine tension.

2025Peak 2027–20312033

2022

At peak

90Excellent

Ripe, compact reds from a dry year; the gravel terraces felt the thirst.

2024Peak 2025–20282030

2021

At peak

94Excellent

Superb, complete reds from the dream year; depth with lift.

2023Peak 2026–20312034

2020

At peak

90Excellent

Cool-classical, mid-weight reds with bright red fruit.

2022Peak 2023–20272029

2019

At peak

94Excellent

An outstanding year: deep, fresh, finely structured reds.

2021Peak 2024–20302033

2018

At peak

92Excellent

Generous, sun-ripened Zweigelt with plush tannins.

2020Peak 2022–20272030

2017

At peak

93Excellent

Dense, dark-fruited reds with velvet texture; a standout warm year.

2019Peak 2022–20282031

2015

At peak

93Excellent

Ripe, polished Zweigelt and structured Blaufränkisch; a complete Carnuntum year.

2017Peak 2021–20272030

What Carnuntum produces

Red

Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch dominate, with growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends. The Rubin Carnuntum quality mark identifies the region's premium reds.

White

Smaller amounts of Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, and Weißburgunder.

Similar styles

Lands in the same glass.

Like the reds

Ladoix

Burgundy, France

Southern Oregon

United States

Morellino di Scansano

Tuscany, Italy

Eola-Amity Hills

Willamette Valley, United States

Saint-Chinian

Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Like the whites

Vulkanland Steiermark

Austria

Carso

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Cinque Terre

Liguria, Italy

Kamptal

Kamptal, Austria

Vézelay

Burgundy, France

What it tastes like

Body

Medium

Acidity

Fresh

Tannin

Fine

Oak

A touch of oak

Ripeness

Ripe

Concentration

Medium

Reds

Medium-bodied and fresh, with fine tannin; black fruit, red fruit and a savoury side.

black fruit · red fruit · savoury · spicy · floral

Body

Medium

Acidity

Bright

Oak

No oak

Ripeness

Fresh

Concentration

Medium

Whites

Medium-bodied and bright; orchard fruit, citrus and spice.

apple and pear · citrus · spicy · herbal · savoury

Cork's estimate.

Climate

PannonianContinentalWarm summersLow rainfall

Pannonian: warm summers, cold winters, low rainfall. The Danube and the Hainburg hills (Pannonian foothills) shape mesoclimates — south-facing limestone slopes ripen Blaufränkisch reliably.

Terroir

LimestoneClayGravelLoessLeithakalk

Gravel river terraces near the Danube; chalky clay-limestone (Leithakalk) around the Hainburg hills; loess and loam on the higher plateaus around Göttlesbrunn and Höflein.

Typical Aromas

Black cherrySour cherryBlackberryTobaccoBlack pepperIronEarth

Explore the aroma wheel

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