It is hard to believe that almost ten years have passed since my last visit to GenussBauernhof Distelberger (or Mostbauernhof Distelberger, as it called itself in the past). A member of a small elite group of “Mostbaron” Heurige, Distelberger is probably the easiest to reach. A walk from the Amstetten railway station is about 45 minutes long if you follow Google Maps’ recommendations. I did not and reached it in just under two hours, but could enjoy Mostviertel’s landscapes, which are always at their best in April, especially its second half.
One reason for ignoring Distelberger for so long might have been the fact that during my previous visits I have tried two both the “standard” Brettljause and the “higher-end” Baronjause, and thus must have experienced most of what that Heuriger could offer. What I forgot was that one should never discount a Mostbaron so quickly. Usually, Mostbaron Heurige have several Brettljause varieties on their menus, and indeed, today I noticed something called a “Halbe-Halbe” (half-half) Jause, promising a fair combination of meats and cheeses for under 12 euros including bread, which is not at all a shocking price these days.
You can simply compare the photo above with the pictures in the earlier posts to see that the “Halbe-Halbe” was a much more impressive Brettljause than the other two (though of course it is possible that the Heuriger has modified the recipe of its other offerings over the past years). It also tasted fantastic. Nearly everything about it was superb: the strong taste of the Geselchtes, the pleasant saltiness of the Speck, the presence of very different cheeses, the fiery horseradish, the fresh Liptauer and, of course, the typical Mostviertel’s potato spread. A bit more “green” stuff would have been nice, but while salads and Co. can sometimes make boring Brettljausen less boring, in Distelberger’s case that was not necessary: every ingredient was a delight by itself. One of the best touches was the complimentary glass can of homemade pear mustard, which was so special that I bought three of them to take home and give to my friends.
The danger with Mostbaron Heurige – and, because of its convenient location, particularly with Distelberger – is that finding a seat without the reservation may be a problem. I was very lucky to get a table inside; half an hour later, I would not have found one. Finding a spare table in the courtyard is even harder. Nevertheless, this GenussBauernhof is definitely worth a visit more often than once in ten years. If anything, it reminds one how good Brettljausen can be.
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