The Weinviertel, or "Wine-Quarter" is a large region to the north of Vienna, extending as far as the border with the Czech republic. It's an oddball region in that, although it is Austria's largest wine region, it doesn't really seem like wine country as you travel around it. It's not a vinous monoculture as are some of the other regions; vines are scattered amongst other crops, and are often nowhere to be seen. They thrive in those parts of the region where conditions are favourable, which is far from everywhere. You can often drive for miles without seeing a vine. It's a relatively flat region, with undulating hills rather than anything more dramatic. Wines are principally white, with Grüner Veltliner dominating, but many varieties are grown, and production of really good quality reds is on the increase. Despite being the largest Austrian wine producing region, it's been a bit of a backwater, with the result that it's a good place to get value for money. It's a fascinating region architecturally, with mediaeval gems of towns such as Retz, with its's stunning renaissance and baroque centre, and miles of underground wine cellars, which can be visited. In 2003, Weinviertel was the first region to adopt a new classification system - "Weinviertel DAC" - where DAC stands for "Districtus Austriae Controllatus". This is a bit like the French AOC system, and DAC is now being adopted in other Austrian regions.