13 Intro to Austria

Question 1

Austria Stats

Answer 1

• Location: Eastern Austria
• Climate: Continental - cold winters, warm summers, moderated by Danube
• Topography: rolling hils east of alps, south-facing slopes; terraced vineyards
  –> Danube is critical for “Lower Austira” (located in teh North)
• Grapes: >70% White
• Vinification: Wines are very dry or very sweet (no in between) & no new oak; some sparkling

Question 2

Austria Grapes

Answer 2

White
- Grüner Veltliner: yield smaller berries & so you can get more phenolic bitterness, which can be confused for acidity
- Riesling: hihgly regardled, but ~5% of plantings

Red
- Zweigelt - clone of other 2 reds, to help make hearty & survive winter
- Blaufränkisch
- St.-Laurent - can be a little medicinal, but very good in thecold

Question 3

Austria wine classification

Answer 3

No geographic indication
- Wein

Geographic indication
- Landwein (PGI) - regional wines, rarely exported
- Qualitätswein (PDO) - Includes DAC wines
- Prädikatswein (PDO) - same definition as Germany, rarely produced in Austria

Question 4

Austria Wine Growing Regions

Answer 4

• Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
• Burgenland
• Steiermark (Styria)
• Wein (Vienna)

Question 5

Niederösterreich Sub-Regions

Answer 5

• Kremstal DAC (Vally of Krems River)
• Kamptal DAC (Valley of Damp River)
• Wachau - Dry wine classification (as of 2020) - Historically, best known & most respected vineyard

Question 6

Wachau Dry Wine Classification System

Answer 6

• Steinfeder: 11.5% max alcohol
• Federspiel: 11.5-12.5% alcohol
• Smaragd: 12.5% min alchol, can have botrytis

Alcohol levels dependent on grape ripeness