The wine-growing community in the Austrian province of Burgenland is located on the western shore of Lake Neusiedl, close to the border with Hungary. It is known as the "secret wine capital of Austria". With 1,700 inhabitants, Rust (also known as the "town of storks") is the smallest town in Austria with its own municipal charter. Since 1991, Rust has been home to the Austrian Wine Academy, where you can train to become a wine academic.

The area was first mentioned in 1317 in a deed of gift from the Hungarian King Charles Robert I of Anjou-Neaples (1278-1343) for his retainer Desiderius Hedevary as "possessio Ceel vocatum circa stagnum Ferthew" and in 1385 as "Rusth" (Hungarian Szil = elm, elm). In 1479, the "Zech" (guild of winegrowers) and the confirmation of special wine export privileges by the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus (1440-1490) came into being.
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