12 - Austria Flashcards
Describe the climate of Austria (4)
Outline how its regions differ (3)
Most grape growing in east along the relatively flat areas near the Danube and the Pannonian plain
Cool, continental climate with spring frost an issue in many areas
Water stress in low rainfall years - poor soil
Spring frost an issue, winter freeze occasionally
Nierderosterreich –> Weinvirtel - cool northerly breezes or cold air from Alps
Burgenland - warmer due to Pannonian plain, Neusiedlersee provide some, limited moderation and mist
Steiermark - warmed by the wind from Adriatic, hail can be an issue
What are two most common soil types and which varieties are usually planted on them?
Which other soil types are present?
Thin soil over rock e.g. granite or gneiss –> Riesling
Richer soil e.g. loess –> Gruner (needs more water)
Other soils: limestone, schist (both in Leithaberg) gravel, volcanic material (Styria, parts of Kamptal)
Outline trends in vineyard management including:
- training systems
- methods of harvesting
Training
Lenz Moser - cordon, high trained, enables machine harvesting and low maintenance, best suited to high vol - why?
Guyot with VSP has become more popular –> focus on quality production
Harvesting
Machine harvest popular except for slopes/terraced vineyards around Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal –> terraces require 3-5x labour hours as flat land
Why is the % of organic vineyards relatively high?
14% organic + 9% sustainable
Moderate rainfall 450mm in Weinviertel to 850mm in Steiermark
Low disease pressure
Compare max and average yields
Max is 67.5
Average is 49 –> focus on quality
Outline Austria’s five most planted grapes
Describe the characteristics of Gruner Veltliner
Needs water –> loess
Very vigorous - soil type, canopy mngt
Thick skins - avoid excessive skin contact
Dry, med(+)-high acid
- Citrus and green fruit, acceptable-good, inexpensive
- Pronounced peach, ageable, VG-outstanding, premium
Describe the characteristics of Zweigelt
Early ripening - rot
High yielding
Vigorous
Vulnerable to potassium deficiency - grapes wither before ripening
Resistant to frost, rot
Med(+) acid, med tannin, red fruit, range from fruity and unoaked of acceptable-good/inexpensive-mid to full-bodied, oaked and very good/premium
Describe Welschriesling and the related regions/styles
High acid
Neutral aroma
Planted in Steirermark - fresh, neutral, unoaked, dry, acceptable-good, inexpensive
Planted near Neusiedlersee - noble rot BA or TBA with high acid, pronounced tropical and dried fruit, VG-outstanding and premium
Also used to make Sekt - high acid, neutral
Describe Blaufränkisch
Early budding / late-ripening - generally only found in Burgenland
Thick skin –> rot –> Neusiedlersee
High yields
Range of style including pronounced black fruit, oak and high tannin
Leithaberg DAC and Mittelburgenland DAC in particular
Describe where Riesling is planted in Austria and the styles of wine it produces?
Mainly in Niederösterreich
Best on warm sites with thin soils
Dry, high acid, med alcohol, full body, stone + tropical fruit with nuts, honey and petrol after age
VG-outstanding, premium
Describe the typical winemaking process for white wines (6)
Aim: preserve fruit and varietal character
Skin-contact optional - aromas and flavour extraction
Neutral vessel with temp control
Malo blocked - difficult anyway due to low pH and retain varietal
No new oak
Fine lees for six months for texture
Describe the typical winemaking process for red wines (3)
Lrrge open-top vessels w/ punch downs and pump-overs - scale
Some producers using ambient yeast
Maturation in SST or old oak, often larger, new oak occasionally - acacia also used (no vanilla)
Outline Austria’s wine hierarchy of geographic indicators
- Wein – Wine without Geographic Indication
- Landwein – Wine with Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)
- Qualitätswein – Wine with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) - 90% of production
- Undergoes gov’t inspection for quality
- Klassik: vintage and varietal character
- Reserve: >13% ABV (dry)
- Pradikat system also: same as Germany excluding Kabinett and including Ausbruch
- DAC system of 16 regions introduced in 2002
Outline the DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) system
16 DACs e.g. Kamptal
Permitted varieties only and have to meet typicity test via tasting panel
Quality hierarchy distinguishes regional (Gebietswein), village (Ortswein) and single-vineyard wines (Riedenwein)
What are the two producer groups attempting to certify quality?
Outline the trademark systems they have created.
Österreichische Traditionsweingüter - group of producers in Kamptal, Kremstal, Wagram and Vienna who classify vineyards based on soil type and climate. 81 Erste Lage vineyards which may display 1ÖTW on label (dry)
- Application to include in law has been made
Vinea Wachau - in Wachau, system of single-vineyard classification based on trademarks (as above) and classification for dry whites:
- Steinfeder – Fruity with <11.5%; the lightest style.
- Federspiel – A more concentrated with alcohol ranging 11.5–12.5%
- Smaragd – Highly concentrated with ripe fruit flavours, >12.5%
How large is Niederosterreich? Which sub-regions are located inside it?
Largest region - 2/3 white, mainly GV
• Weinviertel in the north
• the regions along the Danube that are west of Vienna (Wachau,
Kremstal, Kamptal and Wagram
• the warmer Pannonian plain in the southeast including Thermenregion
Describe Wachau’s growing environment, style of wine produced, and production structure.
Growing environment
- north bank of Danube
- many vineyard south facing
- steep, terraced vineyards
- low rainfall 460mm –> irrigation allowed
- gneiss for Riesling, loess for GV
Style
- variety of grapes, Riesling and GV for top wines including single-vineyard
- mainly dry (Noble Rot occasionally but not wanted by most)
- Dry, high acid, citrus and stone fruit - tropical, light - full, possible for GV >14%
- VG - outstanding
- Smaragd cable of ageing for decades
Production
Mostly family-owned estates, co-op Domaine Wachau important too
Describe Kremstal’s growing environment and the style of wine produced.
Growing environment
- East of Wachau
- Warmed by Pannonian plain esp. in vineyards south of Danube
Style
- GV and Riesling for DAC - dry with med(+)-high acid, med-full body, good-outstanding/mid-premium
- Black grapes e.g. Zweigelt labelled Niederösterreich (25% of plantings) - med(+)-high acid, med tannin, med body, red and black fruit, VG/mid
Describe Kamptal growing environment, style of wine produced, and production structure.
Growing Environment
- Similar to Kremstal, less humidity
- Warm air from Pan, cool air off Bohemian Massif at night - diurnals
Styles
GV (50% of plantings), Riesling for DAC - HQ
Zweigelt - generally fruity, easy-drinking, oak matured as well
Some PN
Describe Wagram’s growing environment and styles of wine
Growing environment
- Both sides of Danube
- Gently rolling hills
- Strong warmth from Pan
Styles
Roter Veltliner - full-body, nutty with age
GV - both Klassik and Reserve; dry, high acid, med body, HQ
Eiswein and late-harvest sweet wines
Describe the growing environment of and styles produced in Weinviretel
Growing environment
- Largest sub-region so varies
- Fairly dry 400-600mm
- Cool breezes from north promote diurnals
Styles
- GV for DAC (50%) - very peppery due to northerly winds, citrus and green fruit, high acid, med-med(+) body, good-VG/inexpensive-premium
Describe the growing environment of and styles produced in Thermenregion, including its four local grape varieties
Growing environment
- Warmth from Pan
- Not part of DAC
Styles
PN - HQ
Sankt Laurent - med(-) body, med tannin, red cherry, oak, good-VG/mid-priced
Neuburger - floral and spice
Rotgipfler - peach, full body
Zierfandler - peaech, honey, spice (often blended with above)
Describe the general climate within Burgenland and the varieties grown.
Flat and warm - Pannonian
55% plantings are black grapes - Blau and Zweigelt
Range of styles
GV and Welschriesling most planted white
GV - lesser quality (ripens faster)
Welsch - used for botrytised - can be outstanding
Describe the growing environment and wine produced in Neusiedlersee
Growing environment
- Eastern side of lake
- Shallow lake - humidity, some moderation –> fog in autumn on lake and surrounding marshlands
- Conditions for NR are consistent each year
- Warmest region in Austria
Styles
Sweet wine from Welch - usually TBA - sweet, high acid, marmalade/no oak, VG-outstanding/premium
Dry reds from Zwei or Zwei/Blau blend - 100% Zwei for DAC
Klassik - 100% Zwei, red fruit, med acid, med-full body, good-VG/mid
Reserve - >60% Zwei, usually aged in oak, good-VG/mid-premium
Describe the growing environment and wine produced in Leithaberg
Growing environment
- Western side of Neu
- Hills provide diurnals
- Western shores are humid –> TBA called Ruster Ausbruch
- Further west is dry and warm
Styles
- Ruster Ausbruch DAC - TBA from around Rust
- Leithaberg DAC (red) - >85% Blau, med(+)-high acid, med(+)-full body, HQ
- Leithaberg DAC (white) - blend or single varietal Weissburgunder, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner or Neuburger in range of styles depending on blend, good-VG
Why is Blaufrankisch grown so widely in Mittelburgenland?
How is it classified by quality level?
South of Leithaberg and exposed to Pan so warm - Blau is 50% of plantings
DAC styles need >85%
- DAC – typically aged in stainless steel tanks or large oak casks
- DAC + Vineyard designation – slightly higher minimum alcohol level and typically aged in large oak casks or barriques
- DAC Reserve – slightly higher minimum alcohol level, a longer minimum time maturing and typically aged in large oak casks or barriques
Describe the growing environment in Steiermark.
What kind of wines are made?
Outline the introduction of its DAC system.
Growing environment
- Steep hills and terraces
- Very cold winters
- Frost and hail are also an issue
- Warmed in summer by Adriatic
Wines
Best known for crisp, dry whites for early drinking from Welsch, SB, Weissburgunder at mid-price
DAC system for three sub-regions: range of grapes for region, local specialities specified for villages and single-vineyards
What is Wiener Gemischter Satz?
DAC for field blend wines from Wien
Most made for immediate consumption locally
Dry and unoaked
Med(+) - high acid, light-body, acceptable-VG, generally cheap but with some premium
How has the structure of production in Austria changed in the past 30 years?
- Remains fragmented - 4000 estates
- Smaller estates have declined while >5ha estates has grown
Where is most Austrian wine sold?
80% domestic
- >50% sold hospo including Heurigen which sell local wine, cheaply
20% exported
- Decline in bulk production in last 15 years
- Germany largest by far, Switzerland, USA next
How did the Austrian anti-freeze scandal impact wine production?
Exports fell from 30mL to 5mL in a year
Austrian Wine Marketing Board established
Shift to HQ wine for domestic and export market
Today: 53mL exported and value has increased 3x
