14. Central and Eastern Europe Flashcards
What mountain range cover much of Austria?
The Alps
Only the lower hills and plains of the eastern part of the country are suitable for viticulture.
The majority of Austria’s vineyard land lies in which three eastern states?
Niederosterreich, Burgenland, Steiermark
What is the climate of eastern Austria, where grapes are grown?
Cool Continental
Similar to Baden, which lies to the west on the same latitude.
What is the approximate split between red wine and white wine production in Austria?
1/3 red
2/3 white
Austria’s signature grape variety is:
Gruener Veltliner
Other key white grapes include:
Welschriesling
Muller-Thurgau
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
Riesling
Chardonnay (known here as Morillon)
The second most widely planter grape is Zweigelt (cross between Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent)
Other key red grapes include:
Blaufrankisch
St. Laurent
What is the most widely planted red grape of Austria?
Zweigelt
Zwigelt is a cross between Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent.
Medium body, cherry flavors, peppery finish.
Other key red grapes include:
Blaufrankisch
St. Laurent (similar to Pinot Noir)
Spatburgunder
Portugeiser
Merlot
Which grape is a cross between St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch?
Zweigelt
This is Austria’s most prominent red.
What is Chardonnay known as in Austria?
Morillon
Muller Thurgau is a cross between:
Riesling and Madeline Royale
What is Morilllon?
Chardonnay in Austria
In the US, Brix is used to measure must weight (sugar). In Germany, they use the Oechsle system. What is the name of the system used in Austria?
KMW
Klosterneuburger Mostwaage
1 degree KMW = about 1.2 Brix, about 5 Oechsle
Describe the classification system used for Austrian wines:
Wein
Landwein – PGI Level
Qualitatswein, Pradikatswein, Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) – PDO Level
Wein: May not carry a place of origin other than Osterreich (Austria)
Landwein: Must reflect one of three regions: Weinland Osterreich, Steierland, Bergland
PDO: Account for 2/3 of Austria’s total wine production
What is a wine region in Austria referred to as?
Weinbaugebeit
What does DAC refer to in Austria?
DAC = Districtus Austriae Controllatus
These are classified grape growing regions, considered the highest level of quality in Austria.
Specifications include:
Varietal
Alcohol levels
Aging
Wines produced within these areas that don’t meet the established standards must be labeled with a more generic area.
What is the highest quality designation used for Austria?
DAC
Districtus Austria Contrallatus
Austria - like Germany - uses the Qualitatswein and Pradikatswein terms to refer to PDO level wines. What is one main difference between the definitions in Austria vs Germany?
In Austria, Kabinett is wines are a subset of Qualitatswein instead of Pradikatswein.
The Austrian Pradikatswein also includes guidelines for a dried grape wine known as Strohwein.
Austrian Pradikatswein includes a term for dried grapes wine, what is this term?
Strohwein
What is Strohwein?
An additional guideline in the Austrian Pradikatswein system noting use of dried grapes.
What is Bergwein?
Wine produced from grapes grown on excessively steep hillsides (26 degrees+).
“Mountain Wine”
The largest winegrowing region - both by acreage and volume - in Austria is:_______________.
Niederosterreich
The Danube river flows through this region, and is the home for much of the vineyard land.
What is the name of the river that flows through the Niederosterreich region?
The Danube
What is the largest subregion of the Niederstoetterich?
The Weinviertel DAC
Wines of the Weinviertel DAC must be 100% Gruner Veltliner.
Wines of the Weinviertel must be: ____________________________________.
100% Gruner Veltliner.
In which DAC of Austria must wines be 100% Gruner Veltiner?
Weinviertel DAC.
This is the largest subregion of the Niederosterreich.
What is the name of the lake in Burgenland which creates ideal conditions for the development of Botrytis?
Lake Neusiedl
This is the largest closed basin lake in Europe.
Where is Lake Neusiedl?
In the Burgenland region of Austria. It is the largest closed basin lake in Europe.
It creates ideal conditions for the development of Botrytis in its proximate vineyards.
The Mittelburgenland DAC and Eisenberg DAC both produce spicy red wines from which key grape?
Blaufrankisch
What is a Blaufrankisch wine like?
Typically full body, deep color, spicy aroma reds.
Is Ruster Ausbruch a dry, off dry, or sweet wine?
Sweet
Ruster Ausbruch is one of the most famous wines of Austria. Lake Neusiedl provides the conditions needed for botrytis, there are specific KMW requirements for harvest (30 degrees KMW) - equivalent to TBA levels.
What is the name of the most southern wine producing region in Austria?
Steiermark
This is a mountainous area with a slightly warmer climate than the rest of Austria. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are among the leading varieties.
Steiermark produces less than 10% of Austria’s wine.
Sudsteiermark DAC is part of which larger wine region?
Austria’s Steiermark, the most southernly, warmest region of the country.
Which subregion of the Steiermark region of Austria is noted for vastly different soils throughout?
Sudsteiermark DAC
Soils in the flatter region are largely marine sediment. Soils in the or mountainous regions are marl and conglomerate soils.