“It should be a passion, not a science,” is what Hannes Reeh always likes to say whenever he talks about drinking wine. The vintner combines long-standing family tradition and true Burgenlander authenticity with New World wine expertise. The result of his work: approachable wines that win over amateurs and connoisseurs alike. He does all that in an area unlike any other in Austria: in the midst of the Pannonian heathland or Heideboden, east of Lake Neusiedl.

A natural paradise, characterised by vast plains, salt ponds – and covered in lush grapevines. Just a few kilometres away from the Hungarian border lies the village of Andau, one of the sunniest and driest places in the country. And on the edge of this village is the winery of Hannes Reeh.

The Pannonian climate is ideal for good wine; here is where extraordinarily ripe grapes grow that yield elegant, full-bodied wines. Red wines such as Zweigelt and Cabernet Sauvignon especially thrive on the Heideboden. But other grape varieties, too, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc enjoy the geological and weather-related advantages of the region.