Styria, in southeastern Austria, is a heart-thumpingly beautiful part of the country, a carpet of rolling hills peppered with pleasant villages and vineyards that turn fluorescent green at golden hour. In the higher elevation portion, the hills are of volcanic origin, giving rise to one of the most Heavy Metal appellation titles in Europe, Vulkanland. If Austrian wine is often characterized as spicy, wines from Steiermark’s Vulkanland are logically even spicier. Weingut Frauwallner, outside the hilltop town of Straden, is one of the foremost wineries of the region, their vineyards tucked into the forested hillsides of the area. Among their wide range of wines, the Welschriesling is the largest production and the touchstone grape of the region, with a fascinating nose of lemon and pear, verbena, chamomile, smoky soil, and white pepper. The palate is as bright as Styrian sunlight (editor’s note: Do a google image search for Styrian vineyard if you don’t have any plans). Light and crisp flavors of lemons, apples, and a strong floral character that turns to granitic mineral cut on the finish. Serve this with the first course at any gathering, with ash rubbed cheese or peppery sausages.