There are locations that are perfect for certain seasons. For me, Kamptal is totally an end of winter/early spring place. It’s too hot in summer, too boring in winter, and in autumn, let’s face it, there are much nicer places to visit. On warm mid-February days like today, however, one almost believes that the winter is decisively over and wonders why so few Heurige are open, and why none of them serve wine and food outside.
Baumgartner was fortunately open but so popular that all the tables inside were either occupied or reserved. I was lucky to find one free for the next hour and a half, but the need to constantly check my watch created more stress than necessary, making me finish my wine and my Brettljause too fast. Honestly, the ambience did not particularly encourage to eat slower either, with the table too small to provide space for the Brettljause, bread basket, wine and my Kindle at the same time, and the waiters and customers continuously walking to and fro.
Ignoring the above (which became quite easy after the second Viertel), the Heurigenjause of Baumgartner was a typical Brettljause of Weinviertel: heavy on meats, poor on cheeses and served on a normal plate rather than a wooden board. On the meat side, it was quite brilliant thanks to their variety and the quality of the salty Surbraten. The cold game Leberkäse (made out of a wild boar, I guess) was also a nice touch. Finally, having a potato spread in addition to a Liptauer made a very positive difference.
While Kamptal still remains an early spring destination for me, if you want to try Baugartner’s Heuriger, I suggest you go there later, when the weather is warmer and you can sit outside. Try to make sure that it is not a very busy day, come half-hungry, and eat your Brettljause slowly, enjoying the view of the vineyards and the flavor of the sweetish and very pleasant wine. You will have a much better experience than I had.
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