25 by the glassKrems
The sky bar and wine lounge at Steigenberger Hotel & Spa Krems, perched on a vineyard rise above the old town with UNESCO landscape views. The Smaragd bar runs a focused all-Austrian wine list with evening flights.
The list: Curated Wachau and Lower Austria wine bar with sky roof terrace. Structured Smaragd vs Federspiel comparison flights and a short list of international benchmarks.
Pours: Wachau Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau Riesling Smaragd, Wachau Federspiel
20 by the glassUnterloiben
A carefully renovated country inn in Unterloiben with a Wachau-focused wine list and upscale tavern cuisine. The wine selection centres on Tegernseerhof and Dürnstein producers; Friday to Tuesday kitchen service.
The list: Wine list rich in Wachau Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, with a particular focus on wines from Weingut Tegernseerhof. Paired with refined tavern cuisine.
Pours: Tegernseerhof Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau Riesling, Federspiel selections
30 by the glassDürnstein
The historic wine cellar bar of the only 5-star hotel in Lower Austria, housed in a 17th-century castle overlooking the Danube. Over 400 years of accumulated Wachau bottles available in the cellar bar, which is accessible to day visitors.
The list: 400-year-old historic cellar showcasing hundreds of Wachau bottles. Bar list spotlights Vinea Wachau Smaragd producers alongside a curated international selection.
Pours: Dürnstein Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau Riesling Smaragd, Loibenner Riesling
20 by the glassDürnstein
The bar and restaurant of the 4-star Hotel Richard Löwenherz, occupying a former convent in the heart of Dürnstein. Third-generation Thiery family hospitality pairs fine Wachau wines with regional cuisine in a historic riverside setting.
The list: Focused Wachau and Austrian wine list served alongside Danube-view fine dining. Speciality in Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Dürnstein and Loiben appellations.
Pours: Dürnstein Riesling Smaragd, Loibenner Grüner Veltliner, local Federspiel
15 by the glassDürnstein
The intimate vine-room wine bars at Gartenhotel & Weingut Pfeffel, a family wine estate hotel 900 metres west of Dürnstein. Own-estate Wachau wines pour alongside garden-to-table cuisine; the bar offers rare blind tastings of house apricot and pear spirits.
The list: Two cosy wine parlours in the hotel serving exclusively own-estate Wachau wines in all three classifications: Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd. Blind tastings of house spirits at the bar from 21:00 with 3-night stays.
Pours: Pfeffel Grüner Veltliner Smaragd, Pfeffel Riesling Federspiel, house Marillenbrand
12 by the glassWeißenkirchen
A classic Wachau Heuriger opening on weekdays from 15:00 and weekends from 11:00. The garden overlooking the apricot orchards and terraced vineyards of Weißenkirchen makes this the quintessential Wachau wine-tavern experience.
The list: Own-estate Weißenkirchen wines from Heuriger Denk plus the daily rotating Thal Wachau selection, covering the full Vinea Wachau classification spectrum.
Pours: Weißenkirchen Grüner Veltliner, Weißenkirchen Riesling, Federspiel selections
