{"id":71268,"date":"2024-04-30T07:49:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T06:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=71268"},"modified":"2025-10-19T17:39:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T16:39:27","slug":"schlumberger-wine-cellars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/schlumberger-wine-cellars\/","title":{"rendered":"Schlumberger wine cellars"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"#tickets\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergertickets.jpg\" alt=\"Historical building fa\u00e7ade\" class=\"wp-image-71264\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>I started my visit to the Schlumberger sparkling wine cellars expecting a PR exercise. But my cynicism soon melted away thanks to the historical ambience and informative tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Public tour includes a winetasting afterwards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Info &amp; anecdotes on wine history &amp; production<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cellars alone are an intriguing experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Friendly staff too<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-attractions-c60335\/tickets-for-schlumberger-cellar-world-fast-track-p977976\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Schlum\" rel=\"sponsored\">tour of the cellars<\/a>*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/vienna-wine\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2414\">Wine and Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/traditional-food-drink\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1654\">Traditional food &amp; drink<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tour &amp; tasting<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger2.jpg\" alt=\"Front of the Schlumberg wine cellars\" class=\"wp-image-71262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger2.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger2-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The historical building fa\u00e7ade)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Falling in love has many consequences. For German-born Robert Alwin Schlumberger back in 1842, it meant moving to Vienna to set up home with his Austrian wife, Sophie Kirchner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately for the Viennese, Schlumberger was not just a man in love but also an expert winemaker with a background in champagne production in France. He bought up some cellar space and started doing what he knew best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Successfully, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Schlumberger&#8217;s sparkling wine appeared on Queen Victoria&#8217;s wine list at the Great London Exposition of 1862. And the menu at the 1955 signing of the Staatsvertrag granting Austria its post-WWII independence also featured the beverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the company is (among other things) Austria&#8217;s leading producer of sparkling wine. And Schlumberger still uses those original cellars, which you can visit on a self-guided tour before tasting a glass or more of bubbly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The tour<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar.jpg\" alt=\"Wine cellar with candlelit barrels\" class=\"wp-image-71260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Along here for the tour; press photo courtesy of Schlumberger and \u00a9 Bildagentur Zolles\/Robert Zolles)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The roughly 45-minute tour includes an audio guide or smartphone equivalent (with English as a language option) that directs you through the public areas of the cellars and gives you an overview of several key topics, notably:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The history of the cellars and Schlumberger<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The traditional production processes (from grape to end product)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Schlumberger sparkling wines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Those public areas include both working cellars and items illustrating what you learn through the guide. So you might find rack after rack of sparkling wine bottles, but also wall displays on the history of winemaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone expecting some dark or claustrophobic ambience is in for a pleasant surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cellars themselves are broad, tall, and utterly pristine. The ambient lighting is also rather stylish with real candles in places.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar1.jpg\" alt=\"Worker riddling wine bottles\" class=\"wp-image-71285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumbergercellar1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(If you&#8217;re lucky, you might even see a worker in action. In this case, turning bottles. You see these racks and the wine press behind them near the start of the tour; press photo courtesy of Schlumberger and \u00a9 Bildagentur Zolles\/Robert Zolles)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These old brick-lined chambers feel like stepping into another world when compared to the road outside, with its modern subway station and bridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can almost hear the echoes of some besuited worker from the 1800s, wondering if the post from Bohemia has arrived yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I found myself surprised by much of what I learned of the labour-intensive production processes and the strong sense of tradition that pervades sparkling wine production at Schlumberger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The guide mixes in little anecdotes along with more factual explanations of terms like &#8220;tirage&#8221; and &#8220;riddling&#8221; or why each bottle has an indentation at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The tastings<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger1.jpg\" alt=\"Bottles of sparkling wine\" class=\"wp-image-71261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/schlumberger1-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Our tasting voucher and some wines we already had at home)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic tour package includes a voucher for a glass of Sparkling Brut at the tasting bar that doubles as a ticket counter. Upgrade alternatives differ only in terms of tasting options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We bought a Classic Tour ticket, for example, which got us an additional two sparkling wine varieties to try (Ros\u00e9 Brut and Gr\u00fcner Veltliner Brut).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No plastic or paper cups here, but proper glasses and decent-sized portions filled from bottles by staff more than willing to answer questions in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tickets\">Tickets &amp; tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned above, tickets for or from Schlumberger for tour timeslots include a voucher for one or more varieties of sparkling wine to try once you&#8217;ve visited the cellars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)<\/p><div data-tiqets-widget=\"availability\" data-layout=\"full\" data-orientation=\"vertical\" data-product-id=\"977976\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"AW_Schlum\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A few tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Temperatures in the cellars are kept at around 13-15\u00b0C. I was in shorts and a t-shirt and felt a little bit chilly by the end, so consider taking a pullover or jacket<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The cool interior also makes this one of the best options for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/weather\/how-to-keep-cool\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"74122\">avoiding summer heat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Last time I checked, the cellars opened relatively late. This makes the tour a strong option when looking for unusual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/evening\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"71635\">evening activities<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Schlumberger&#8217;s wine comes from the Lower Austria and Burgenland provinces, but Vienna itself has a surprisingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/vienna-wine\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2414\">large number of vineyards<\/a>. Viennese wine is very much &#8220;a thing&#8221;. And numerous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/cafespubsbars\/heuriger\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"30836\">traditional wine taverns<\/a> serving in-house wine exist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Another wine-tasting option in the city is over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-attractions-c60335\/tickets-for-wine-tasting-at-schonbrunn-palace-p1067003\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Schlum\" rel=\"sponsored\">near Sch\u00f6nbrunn palace<\/a>*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get to Schlumberger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Schlumberger cellars are a short walk from Spittelau station, not far from the centre. Take the Heiligenst\u00e4dter Stra\u00dfe exit from the complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you do, though, go out through the exit on the east side of the station and admire the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/spittelau\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"21470\">neighbouring incinerator<\/a>. You can thank me later for the tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subway: take the U4 or U6 to Spittelau. The U4, for example, leaves from Schottenring and Schwedenplatz in the old town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tram: take the D to Spittelau. The D runs around one side of the old town, where you can jump on board at stops like Karlsplatz \/ Oper, Burgring, Parlament, Schottentor or B\u00f6rse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Heiligenst\u00e4dter Str. 39, 1190 Vienna | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schlumberger.at\/de\/kellerwelten\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Take a tour of the Schlumberger sparkling wine cellars with an optional tasting afterwards<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":71263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-71268","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-eatingdrinking","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71268"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86484,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71268\/revisions\/86484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}