A Feast for Wasps

Although Carinthia has some vineyards, its wines are much less known than the wines of Styria or Lower Austria. Even then, I very much doubt that Heuriger Grinzing, located close to the Klopeinersee, serves Carinthian wine. The Grüner Veltliner I got was a cheapest sort, as sold in three-liter bottles placed on the lowest shelves in supermarkets.

Grinzing is also an incredibly inappropriate name, almost guaranteed to put off everyone who values authentic Heurige. That does not seem to matter for the tourists visiting the lake. Actually, Grinzing’s location is perfect, encouraging a short hike or a bike ride. It also offers big portions of filling dishes at very reasonable prices, including a fairly competent Brettljause.

Completely eggless and cheeseless, the Brettljause featured three of four types of Speck, of which one – with a lot of fat and a slightly crunchy crust – was the highpoint of the dish. Very finely minced Verhackertes was great, too, especially when combined with the supplied fresh bread and butter. Schweinsbraten tasted slightly old, but was edible, but Liptauer disappointed by a total lack of love that had gone into its preparation.

Most likely, all the ingredients were of a supermarket origin, but they were arranged on the board quite nicely, creating an impression of authenticity. I did not dislike the Brettljause and would have enjoyed it more were it not for extreme heat and a lack of wind and the huge number of wasps. I had to be careful not to accidentally swallow a wasp together with a slice of Speck, and killed at least a dozen of the bastards with a snap of my fingers.

Grinzing Heuriger is an obvious destination while holidaying at the Lake Klopein, and as long as you keep your expectations low and choose a wasp-free season, it is quite OK.