Leo Hillinger Wineshop & Bar

Austria's most famous contemporary winemaker has a boutique in Kitzbühel. Grüner Veltliner flights across Austrian regions. Burgenland reds. The place to understand Austrian wine in a ski resort setting.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Hunt the Wine That Exists Nowhere Else Wine · Free

   You're about to taste Austria's geographic monopoly. Grüner Veltliner exists ONLY in Austria (99% of world production) — if you drink it anywhere else on Earth, it was imported from here. Walk to Kitzbühel old town (Hinterstadt street) and look for the modern black and gold 'HILLINGER' sign at #11 among medieval buildings — the contrast between contemporary wine bar and 700-year-old architecture is deliberate. Go between 12:00-23:00 (Mon-Fri) or 10:00-00:00 (Sat). Walk into the shop section, find a bottle of Grüner Veltliner under €15 (ask staff for 'Weinviertel or Kamptal Grüner under €15'), take it outside to one of the outdoor tables (it's allowed), and taste geography that exists nowhere else. Notice the green apple, white pepper spice — that's terroir you can't get anywhere else on Earth.

   Backup: If too crowded, buy the bottle at WEINHERZ wine shop (also in old town), drink it at your accommodation.

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2. 2 Decode Austria's Terroir in Three Glasses Wine · Price: moderate

   Order a Grüner Veltliner flight across three Austrian regions at the bar itself (not a table) — bartenders are knowledgeable and love teaching. Tell them: 'I want to understand terroir differences — can you pour Wachau, Kamptal, and Weinviertel?' They'll pour three wines representing 200km of Danube valley differences (€24-30 estimated). Taste them blind first: Wachau has flinty stone fruit (river valley minerality, loess soil), Kamptal has white pepper spice (volcanic), Weinviertel is green apple fresh (limestone). Then have the bartender reveal regions and explain what you're tasting. This is the moment you learn to identify Austrian wine regions by taste — a skill you'll use at wine tastings for years. Go during happy hour if possible (check current hours — historically 17:00-19:00). Order the Feuerfleck (bacon/onion flatbread, ~€8-12) to pair.

   Backup: If bar is closed or too crowded (especially during Hahnenkamm race week Jan 23-25), buy three different Grüner Veltliner bottles from the shop section (€10-20 each), taste them at your accommodation with cheese/bread.

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3. 3 Find the Winemaker Who Bet His Olympic Fame History · Free · Optional

   Leo Hillinger was an Olympic snowboarder who walked away from sports to build a wine empire — Michel Rolland, the WORLD'S most famous wine consultant, works with him. His wines are now exported to 30 countries. At the bar (after ordering your flight), look for photos on the walls — Leo's face is everywhere. Engage with the bartender: 'I know Leo was an Olympic athlete — what's the full story?' They love sharing this: how Leo transformed Austrian wine's international reputation, chose Kitzbühel (not Vienna, not his home region Burgenland) for his flagship bar, how après-ski culture meets serious wine here. Ask about the Burgenland estate (90 hectares), the Blaufränkisch specialty, the international expansion. If Leo is there (rare but possible — he visits during Hahnenkamm week), introduce yourself, mention you're exploring Austrian wine, ask for a photo.

   Backup: If staff are too busy to chat, read the placards on the walls — they tell Leo's story. Or visit the Leo Hillinger website on your phone while sitting at the bar for the biography.

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