Ruster Ausbruch is a rare, specialty sweet dessert wine which hails from Austria. First, let's look at the name itself: Ruster is pronounced "rooster", like the bird, and it simply means that the wine comes from the town of Rust (pronounced roost), which is in the Burgenland region of Austria. Ausbruch is pronounced ahs-brook, and comes from the German word Ausbrechen, which means to "break out." There are a number of dessert wines from different countries called Ausbruch, and it refers to the method used to select the grapes during harvest: grapes which have been affected by botrytis cinerea (also known as noble rot) are "broken out" of the bunch to be used, leaving the clean, un-affected grapes behind. When you come across a sweet wine labeled "Noble," it is this precious mold they are talking about.

The quality of these wines depends upon how meticulously this selection process it is done. The simplest way involves taking two buckets and making one pass at the vines, roughly separating the merely ripe grapes from those affected by noble rot.

The more labor intensive way involves going through the vineyard day after day, sometimes as much as a dozen times, and only picking the most perfectly noble-rotted grapes with each pass and leaving the rest on the vine until they, too, reach rotted perfection. With this method, even the most experienced picker will collect only about enough grapes to produce 20 liters of wine with each pass. In fact, winemaker Michael Wenzel of the Wenzel Winery tells of a year when it took a team of 7 harvesters working full-time for 10 days to pick enough grapes for a mere 300 liters of this precious wine.

Production then goes something like this: maceration generally takes between a half to 2 days, depending upon the quality of the nobly rotted grapes. Next comes a gentle run through the press. The must is then left to ferment until it reaches around 12% alcohol, which takes approximately four months. The wines are then aged in wooden casks or oak barrels, the length of time and type of barrel used depending upon the style of the vintner

Precious few Ruster Ausbruch wines are currently imported to the United States, and they can be difficult to locate at your local wine shop. Two outstanding producers to look for are the Feiler-Artinger winery, which just celebrated its 100-year anniversary, and the Wenzel winery, whose family have been making wine in Rust since 1647. Both can be found online at the Austrian specialty wine shop Winemonger, which offers at least 6 different varieties of Ruster Ausbruch dessert wine at last count. Two other good resources for locating these wines are wine-searcher.com and winezap.com.

Last year, Wine Enthusiast magazine named the 2001 Wenzel SAZ Ruster Ausbruch wine to it's "Top 100 Wines in the World" list, a wine which vintner Michael Wenzel describes this way: "This is the flagship of our Ruster Ausbruch wines. "Saz" stands for the historically important lage [vineyard area] on our property. The idea was to create a Ruster Ausbruch from grapes that have been the traditional combination used for hundreds of years: 60% Furmint, 40% In the glass it is a beautiful sparkly yellow. The nose is immensely fruity, with notes of apricot and citrus fruits. An explosion of fruits. On the palate you are overwhelmed by the finesse of the acid that carries the wine and builds the backbone for long cellaring potential. The 2001 Saz was aged for 18 months in new wood barrels."

What is the cellar potential for a Ruster Ausbruch? Vintner Kurt Feiler, from the Feiler-Artinger winery, describes their passage into maturity this way: "The Ruster Ausbruch has a cellaring potential of up to 50, 60 years. It shows well in the first 2 years, then closes down in year 3 for about a year, and then opens back up with fruit and more complexity on the palate; more rounded and integrated. It will hold at this perfect taste for another 15 years and then slows development as it moves into its ripening period. The sweet impression of the sugar reduces during this final period, developing a more crispy, slightly drier finish. For our Ruster Ausbruch blends every grape is picked single varietal, at different times, and then after fermentation they are blended. This also helps us to control the final feeling."

One might be tempted to serve such a sweet dessert wine alongside the dessert course, but both Michael Wenzel and Kurt Feiler recommend different route: pair these wines with something savory, such as a blue-veined cheese or some prepared foie gras. If you do elect to serve it with dessert, they would recommend keeping it simple and not-too-sweet, such as a white cake or ripe fruits. Or better yet, serve a glass of Ruster as the entire dessert course. This is one dessert wine that can certainly stand alone, and deserves to do so.

These rare and exquisite wines are a must for the dessert wine connoisseur, and a knockout for the sweet wine novice.

About the Author

Emily Schindler is a wine importer based in Los Angeles. To read more of her wine writing, or to find the wines she imports, go to http://www.winemonger.com

Another short Wine Tours review

Ruster Ausbruch: the Exquisite Dessert Wine from Austria


Ruster Ausbruch is a rare, specialty sweet dessert wine which hails from Austria. First, let's look at the name itself: Ruster is pronounced "rooster"...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Recommended Wine Tours Items

Soothing Spirits


Brought together in a handsome wonderful box, Burg Layer Schlosskapelle Spaetlese - the great fruity white wine from Germany, and Dingo Ridge Shiraz - the wonderful dry red wine from Australia is a perfect choice for all wine lovers. A wonderful holiday gift! GB2MIX GB2MIX


Price: 49.95 USD



Current Wine Tours News

Swedish Hill dominates wine contest (Albany Times Union)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:21:20 PDT
A beautifully balanced, dry and fruity vidal wine ($10.99) from Swedish Hill Winery on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes is the 2008 Governor's Cup winner at the annual New York Wine and Food Classic.In its 23rd year, this wine competition sponsored by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation is considered the Oscars for New York wines. This year, there were a record 775 entries. Vidal, a ...

RYAN PATRICK VINEYARDS ROCK ISLAND RED - 2005

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:21:16 PDT
Columbia Valley, Washington State red blend of 57% Merlot, 37% Cabernet and 6% Cabernet Franc. 14.3% alcohol. TASTING NOTES: Ruby red color with black cherry and vanilla on the nose. Creamy, charred oak with black fruit, mocha, black cherry soda and plum on the finish. Fairly smooth but there is a lot of backend heat still present. SCORE & RECOMMENDATION: 88 PTSMy expectations were high. What was in the bottle did not meet them. Don't get me wrong, this is a good wine but I was a tad disapp

2008 New York Wine & Food Classic Winners

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:49:04 PDT
Boy, Bedell Cellars is having a good week. Their unreleased 2006 Musee won "Best Red Wine" at the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic this week. Swedish Hill Winery was also named "Winery of the Year" for 2008, partly the result of their 2007 Vidal Blanc winning the Governor's Cup as the best wine overall, beating out 774 other wines. The full list of class and category winners is below. Each class winner was eligible to win the Best of Category when the wines were re-tasted. Best of Class

Wine Blending @ El Gaucho

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:36:10 PDT
Monday night I participated in a new type of event being offered at El Gaucho in Seattle. In my quest to learn more about wine I attended a "Wine Components" class. As we arrived we were presented with a glass of sparkling wine and had access to light appetizers. Most people moved directly to a place at a table, some taking time to mingle first. After 15 or 20 minutes of settling in the program began. The program was produced by team of players: El Gaucho, of course; Spring Va

Messina Hof Private Reserve 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT
For the price ($17) a very tasty wine but a better buy might be its stable mate the Cab Franc. read more

Tasting Room: Carmenère makes an elegant table wine (Savannah Morning News)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:12:21 PDT
Back in April, my Wine of the Week choice was Primus (2005), a blend of Carmenère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile's Veramonte Estate. It showcases Carmenère, a distinctive grape that has found its home in Chile.

Wine can fight germs

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:44:23 PDT
University of Rochester researchers used polyphenols from fermented grape skins added to a petri dish teeming with strep, saw production of the germs reduced by 85%. Extracts from Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir worked the best. Bonnie - this is one reason why many of the Fench wealthy and daily wine drinkers didn't get the plague!


Gift Ideas
Wine Refrigerators
Dutty Wine | Elderberry Wine

Labels: Wine Commercials | Wine Companies

Posted by John Jackson | 0 comments

Provence is often overlooked by companies that offer traditional wine tasting tours, in spite of the excellence of its wines. If you?re a true wine lover and wine fan, this beautiful location in France offers the most fascinating scenery and, not to mention, some of the best vineyards around.



In Provence, as everywhere in the Mediterranean, you?ll find the people full of warmth, spontaneity and a ?joie de vivre?. As you will soon discover, any of these master oenologists (winemakers) will be delighted to introduce you to the wines they have become famous for; and share a little of the region?s history with you.



In Provence your days will be filled with sunshine and warmth, and lush nights, scented with jasmine, lavender and wild thyme - whether you stay in a bustling, crowded metropolis with all the modern conveniences, or a turn-of-the-century country guest house filled with 17th and 18th century antiques.



However, little do outsiders know that winemaking in Provence is a serious business. Many of the winegrowers here have won the rights to include the prestigious ?AOC? designation (Appellation d?Origine Controlee) on their bottles of wines. This label assures the buyer of a guaranteed vintage from the designated region. In order to win the right to become designated as an appellation wine, winegrowers much pass rigorous tests and inspections.



If you are thinking of traveling to the south of France in the near future, think about including a trip to one of the vineyards of the 60 winegrowers in the "Cotes de Provence" region. A small, yet beautiful area, it takes in the departments of the Var and part of the Bouches-du-Rhone.



Located in the heart of Provence?s winemaking region, the ?Maison des Cotes de Provence? boasts an outstanding selection of appellation wines. The Cotes de Provence winegrowers are experts in utilizing traditional methods when harvesting and bottling their wines. Their deep respect for the soil, the climate and the different varieties of grapes they use comes through in the quality and taste of each bottle.



During your visit to Provence, you can also arrange to take a wine tasting course at one of the vineyards where you will learn a complete understanding of wine: its robe (color), its bouquet (perfume), its body (strength) and everything you need to know about service, conservation and more. Not only will you be able to taste the finest wines, but you will also learn invaluable winemaking tips you can?t learn elsewhere.



For the true wine lover, Provence is definitely a place to visit ? both for the fantastic wines and unforgettable scenery!

About the Author: Mark Anthony is an avid wine lover. He owns a number of wine-related sites, including French Wine Secrets, Italian Wine Secrets and Napa Wine Secrets.