12. Austria Flashcards
Where are Austria’s vineyards located?
In the east bordering Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia where the Alps flatten
What is Austria’s general climate?
Cool continental
What are the four climatic influences north, east, south and west?
1) North (Weinviertel) - Cool northerly winds
2) East (Burgenland)- Pannonian warmth
3) South (Steiermark) - Adriatic warmth
4) West (Krem, Kamp, Wach) - Cooler Alpine breezes
What is a common weather hazard across Austria?
Spring frost
What are the two main soil types?
1) Thin soil over granite or gneiss
2) Richer soils i.e. loess (silt, loam)
What is gneiss?
Crystalline bedrock (known locally as urgestein)
Why is Riesling planted on thinner soils?
It requires less water than Gruner Veltliner
What was the traditional vine training method in Austria?
Lenz Moser - cordon trained to 1.2-1.4m (higher and wider than many to avoid shading), which is good for volume as it’s easily maintained and mechanised
What is the common form of training and trellising for high quality production today?
1) Guyot
2) VSP
What three regions require hand-harvesting due to their steepness?
1) Kamptal
2) Kremstal
3) Wachau
Why is disease pressure low?
Due to moderate precipitation: 450-850mm
What are Austria’s maximum yields?
67.5hL/ha
What are the three leading white plantings?
1) Gruner Veltliner
2) Welschriesling
3) Riesling
What are the two leading black plantings?
1) Zweigelt
2) Blaufrankisch
What soil(s) is Gruner Veltliner suited to and why?
1) Suited to loess soils or clay where present
2) Has a greater water requirement than Riesling
What is characteristic of Gruner Veltliner in the vineyard?
Can be vigorous on fertile soils so careful canopy management is required to ensure quality
Of which two varieties is Zweigelt a cross?
Sankt Laurent and Blaufrankisch
Describe Zweigelt in the vineyard (2)
1) Vigorous
2) High yielding
When does Zweigelt ripen?
Earlier and more easily (not susceptible to rot or frost) than Blaufrankisch
What does Zweigelt suffer from?
Potassium deficiency where grapes wither before they ripen
What style is Steiermark Welschriesling generally?
Neutral, unoaked and dry of good quality
What premium styles, where and why can Welschriesling be made?
1) BA/TBA
2) Humid Neusiedlersee, Burgenland
3) Thick skins
When does Blaufrankisch bud?
Early - spring frost poses a risk
When does Blaufrankisch ripen?
Late
Describe Blaufrankisch in the vineyard (2)
1) Thick skins - important in humid Burgenland to avoid rot
2) High yielding
What are two prime Blaufrankisch DACs?
1) Leithaberg DAC
2) Mittelburgenland DAC
Where is most Riesling found?
Niederosterreich, namely Kremstal and Kamptal
Describe white winemaking in five steps
1) Minimal skin contact
2) Neutral vessel
3) Temperature controlled
4) No MLC
5) Fine lees up to six months
Why is MLC uncommon in Austria’s whites? (2)
1) To preserve varietal character
2) Difficult to achieve at low pH
Describe red winemaking in three steps
1) Open top fermentation with punch down or pump over
2) Stainless steel or old, large oak
3) Ambient yeasts are common
Why might acacia be used for both red and white?
Allows oxygenation without imparting flavour
DAC stands for what?
Districtus Austriae Controllatus
What are Austria’s PDO and PGI terms?
PDO - Qualitatswein
PGI - Landwein
What are the two sub-categories of Qualitatswein?
1) Klassik - declared vintage and varietal characteristics
2) Reserve - dry, minimum 13%; harvested and released later than Klassik
Austrian wine shares Germany’s Pradikat system except which one level is not included?
Kabinett
What is Ausbruch?
TBA from Rust in Lake Neusiederlersee
How many DACs are there?
17
What is a criticism of the DAC system?
New-wave wines of high quality may be ineligible due to not being considered typical
What are the two important trade associations?
1) Osterreichische Traditionsweinguter (Kamptal, Kremstal, Wagram, Vienna)
2) Vinea Wachau
What is Osterreichische Traditionsweinguter?
An unofficial producer group classifying vineyards based on soil and climate as in Burgundy
What can appear on the label of dry Erste Lage wines?
The ‘10TW’ logo as long as the two most traditional varieties from the region are used
What are the four significant federal states for viticulture?
1) Niederosterreich
2) Burgenland
3) Wien
4) Steiermark
What is the largest federal state for viticulture?
Niederosterreich
Niederosstereich features which four important DACs?
1) Weinviertel
2) Kamptal
3) Kremstal
4) Wachau
What two other regions are within Niederosterreich, but aren’t DACs?
1) Wagram
2) Thermenregion
Along which river are most of Niederosterreich’s vineyard regions?
Danube
How and why are Wachau vineyards planted? (3)
1) On steep terraces of stone that radiate heat
2) South-facing for maximum sunlight
3) Along the Danube - reflects sun
What soil is Riesling planted on in Wachau?
Gneiss
What soil is GV planted on in Wachau?
Loess
Is irrigation required in Wachau?
Often yes
Name a significant Wachau producer and a co-op
1) F.X. Pichler
2) Domaine Wachau
What are Vinea Wachau’s three quality/style classifications?
1) Steinfelder
2) Federspiel
3) Smaragd
Describe Steinfeder
Fruity, dry, maximum 11.5%
Describe Federspiel
More concentration than Steinfeder; 11.5-12.5%
Describe Smaragd
Even more concentrated and riper than Federspiel; minimum 12.5%
Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal DAC wines must be of which two varieties?
1) Riesling
2) Gruner Veltliner
What variety is plated in Kremstal that isn’t found in Wachau and why?
1) Zweigelt
2) Kremstal is further south and slightly warmer
Name a Kremstal producer and a co-op
1) Salomon Undhof
2) Stadt Krems
How are Kamptal’s and Kremstal’s red wines labelled?
Niederosterreich
What two geological factors influence Kamptal?
1) Warm Pannonian breezes
2) Cooling Bohemian Massif air
Name two Kamptal producers
1) Brundlymayer
2) Hirsch
Kamptal and Kremstal reds are labelled how?
Niederosterreich
Why is Gruner Veltliner widely planted in Wagram?
The region is based on loess soil
Does Wagram have any DACs?
No
Besides Gruner Veltliner, what local variety is planted in Wagram?
Roter Veltliner - full-bodied and nutty
Describe Wienviertel (4)
1) Austria’s largest appellation
2) GV dominates plantings
3) Dry - 600mm rain
4) Cooling breezes from the north enhance peppery characters
Wienviertel DAC states wines must be what variety?
Gruner Veltliner
Describe Reserve DAC Wienviertel wines (3)
1) Minimum 13%
2) May see some oak
3) May include botrytis but are still dry
What is the largest region within Niederosterreich for black plantings? Why?
1) Thermenregion
2) Southern Pannonian warmth
Thermenregion’s high quality reds are made from what two varieties?
1) Pinot Noir
2) Sankt Laurent
What is Thermenregion’s most planted white variety?
Neuburger - spicy, floral
What are Thermenregion’s two other white varieties?
1) Rotgipfler
2) Zierfandler
Name the three regions of Burgenland
1) Neusiederlesee
2) Leithaberg
3) Mittelburgenland
What is Austria’s warmest area?
Neusiederlesee
Describe the location of Neusiederlesee
Around the lake of the same name, which reaches 30+ degrees in summer.
Why is Neusiederlesee ideal for botrytis formation? (2)
1) The lake stays warm as air temperature drops in fall.
2) Fog falls, but afternoon sun prevents grey rot allowing for consistent botrytis formation
What variety is used for botrytis wines in Neusiederlesee, and where?
Welschriesling planted around the lake’s edge due to its thin skins
What is Neusiederlesee’s TBA DAC?
Ruster Ausbruch DAC
Neusiederlesee reds are primarily Zweigelt, but can be blended with what three varieties (except for DAC Klassik)?
1) Blaufrankisch
2) Sankt Laurent
3) Pinot Noir
Name a Neusiederlesee producer of TBA
Alois Kracher
Leithaberg DAC reds must (2)
1) Be 85% Blaufrankisch
2) Be oak aged
Leithaberg DAC whites must be what four varieties individually or as a blend?
1) Weissburgunder
2) GV
3) Chardonnay
4) Neuburger
What wine style is common around the lake in Leithaberg?
Ausbruch/TBA
What variety dominates in Mittelburgenland and why?
1) Blaufrankisch (85% DAC)
2) The region is exposed to the warm Pannonian plain
What are the three Mittelburgenland classifications?
1) Mittelburgenland DAC
2) Mittelburgenland DAC + vineyard
3) Mittelburgenland DAC Reserve
What separates Mittelburgenland DAC from Mittleburgenland + vineyard name and Mittelburgenland Reserve?
Named vineyard and reserve wines have higher ABV and more/longer oak maturation
What are three weather hazards in Steiermark/Styria?
1) Winter freeze
2) Spring frost
3) Hail
What three varieties are common in Steiermark/Styria?
High acid:
1) Sauvignon Blanc
2) Welschriesling
3) Weissburgunder
What are Steiermark/Styria’s three DACs?
1) Vulkanland Steiermark
2) Sudsteiermark
3) Weststeiermark
What is Wien’s DAC?
Wiener Gernischler Satz
What is a requirement of Wiener Gernischler Satz DAC?
It must be a dry, unoaked blend of up to 20 permitted varieties
What are Heurigen?
Small inns/taverns specialising in local food and wine
Where is most Austrian wine sold?
Domestic hospitality but with an increase in value exports and volume to Germany
Describe Gruner Veltliner as a berry (2)
1) Thick skins
2) Rotundone (pepper)
What is the dominant business size in Austria?
Highly fragmented with thousands of small estates
What is the trend for Austria’s exports by value?
Steep increase between 2015-2021
