The summers are sweet in Mostviertel. Tucked between Salzburg and Vienna, the region is one of the world’s premier producers of Perry. The beverage, commonly called pear cider, is among the most refreshing of alcoholic summer drinks. Perry has a consistent mild sweetness. It is like alcoholic fruit juice. The area can provide a lovely extended vacation, weekend trip, or even a day trip from Vienna. Hotels in Vienna are only too happy to facilitate a trip to the countryside and provide advice on the closest cider inn.
Mostviertel is home to the largest unbroken area of pear orchards in all of Europe. It is estimated that there are 300,000 pear trees in the region, not in grid-like plantations, but spread picturesquely over gentle rolling hills. The trees can live to be up to 200 years old, growing ever gnarlier, and in that span will produce up to 1,000 kilograms of fruit.
The pears are picked each autumn, then washed, crushed, and pressed. They are then left for two to eight weeks so that they can ferment. The liquid, which is called “most” and thus provides the name for the region, is then filtered and ready to be enjoyed. Perry has relatively low alcohol content, making it ideal for consuming over a hot and long summer day without sending yourself to bed early.
The Cider Route that winds 200 kilometers past 20 cider inns, 21 cider taverns, and 24 farms, is one of the best ways to experience the culture, see the beauty, and enjoy the beverages of Mostviertel. It is best to visit at the end of April, when the pear trees are covered with white blossoms, of at the other end of summer at harvest time (August to November), when the Autumn Perry Festival is generously pouring out its libations.
Once you return to your hotel Vienna Austria provides excellent dining options so you can restore all the calories you spent walking the hills of Mostviertel. Just be sure to wash down the schnitzel with a lovely glass of regional Perry.
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