Sturm Season in Austria

Once late summer starts in Austria and Germany, bottles of sturm and federweisser start to appear. This is a magical beverage known by many regional names. The science of sturm means it is still most easily procured by flying to one of these countries and enjoying it on site in a vineyard at the foothills of the Vienna Woods or on a boat trip down the Rhine. You must act quickly because this season only lasts for approximately two months. By early November, bottles of Sturm are scarce.

This particular brand of young wine is not just a drink — it is a process. In late summer, fresh-pressed grape juice is mixed with yeast and sugar. As it goes on the market, this sweet and slightly carbonated wine has an alcohol content of about 4 percent. As the season continues through September and October, the fermentation process continues until the wine has reached about a 10 percent alcohol content.

Sturm gets its name in German from its stormy appearance, the result of its incomplete fermentation process. The same amount of sturm in August will be significantly stronger come late October. So sit back and let the clouds roll in and enjoy however many glasses you can handle.