| Location: | Buschenschank-Weingut Wallig |
| Website: | https://www.wallig-wein.at/ |
| Address: | Retzer Gasse 11, 3741 Pulkau |
| Status: | Open (last checked on 8 March 2026) |
| Eaten: | "Heurigenplatte," ¼ Primus, 1/8 Chardonnay, 1/8 Gelber Muskateller |
I am not as young as I used to be, and I am fully aware that my Brettljause obsession and all the wine and beer that usually accompany it do nothing to slow down my aging process, yet often a visit to a Heuriger serves as a heartening reminder that I still (hopefully) have a long(-ish) way to go. Austrian young generation – even the dwindling drinking part of it – usually does not frequent wine taverns, except for a family gathering to celebrate their great-grandparents’ platinum wedding anniversary. A few Heurige are exceptions to this rule, of course, but Buschenschank Wallig is not one of them. Upon my entry, I immediately felt that my mere presence had reduced the average age of this pretty packed tavern’s visitors by at least five years. I would not be surprised if most of them still had vivid memories of WWII (though not of what they had done yesterday).
The first impression that Wallig’s Brettljause made was promising: it was varied and some of the ingredients looked tempting, but its overall presentation could have used more work. Simply slicing meats and piling them up on a plate with no appreciation of symmetry is sort of reasonable – they won’t be attractive once inside the stomach anyway – but a bit more attention to making things look neat would not have hurt. As for the taste, the ingredients were a mixed bag. The Schweinsbraten, the black pudding, and the Geselchtes were fresh and most likely came from local producers. The headcheese and the Speck were possibly industrial, but gratifying, though the headcheese severely suffered from the absence of horseradish. The ham and the cheese, however, were straight out of a supermarket.
Out of three spreads, only the meaty one was halfway tasty. The Liptauer was uninspiring, while the white creamy spread had no flavor at all. Probably knowing that, the cook had both of them sprinkled with fine pepper powder, but even that trick failed to make them less dull. The garnish of pickled peppers and cucumbers plus fresh tomato and cucumber slices was pitiful, and the one-eighth of an egg served with the Brettljause looked pathetic.
On a positive side, bread rolls were fresh and warm, and Wallig’s wines were high quality and super-cheap. If you are looking for affordable wine to serve at a party, Wallig is a good deal. The Brettljause, on the other hand, is OK but not memorable enough to inspire another visit.