23 - Austria Flashcards
Climate in Austria
Cool Continental
Description of climate & weather in Austria
- summers, winters
- wind
- variation in weather
- Cool Continental
- short summers
- very harsh winters
- the more northerly regions: cooling northerly winds
- closest to the Hungarian border: warmed by easterly winds
- much less variation in annual weather patterns than in northern Europe
the wine producing areas in Austria are found at the …
eastern end of the country
… cover the western parts of Austria
the Alps
Grape varieties in Austria (6+6)
- Grüner Veltliner
- Welschriesling
- Riesling
- Chardonnay
- Müller-Thurgau
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Zweigelt
- Blaufränkisch
- St Laurent
- Pinot Noir
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
the most widely planted variety in Austria
Grüner Veltliner
Grüner Veltliner in Austria
(grape, char., wm)
- the most widely planted
- high-quality grape
- too high yields: fresh but unexciting wines
- limited yield: capable of producing full-bodied, concentrated wines with naturally high acidity
Characteristics
- youth: citrus or stone fruit, sometimes with hints of white pepper
- age: develops layers of honey & toast
Wm
- majority of producers ferment & store in ss, old oak casks are also commonly used
- some producers may mature a proportion of their best wines in new oak barriques
the second most planted white variety in Austria
Welschriesling
Welschriesling in Austria
(char., style)
dry style:
- usually fresh but simple
- citrus & green apple flavours
- high acidity
susceptibility to botrytis
- capable of producing high-quality dessert wines
Riesling in Austria
(planted, best, char.)
- less widely planted
- best examples tend to come from Wachau, Kamptal & Kremstal
Characteristics
- dry
- medium- to full-bodied
- ripe, peachy primary fruit
- best: capable of maturing in bottle
other widely planted white varieties in Austria & growing reputation
- Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau & SB
- the last of which has a growing reputation particularly in the southern region of Steiermark
the most widely planted black variety in Austria
Zweigelt
Zweigelt in Austria
(parents, char.)
- Blaufränkisch x St Laurent
- deeply coloured reds with soft tannins & bramble fruit
Blaufränkisch in Austria
- the most highly regarded of the Austrian black varieties
- medium tannins
- high acidity
- peppery, sour cherry flavour
St Laurent in Austria
- Austrian speciality
- wines similar in character to PN
- oak ageing is common
blending of black varieties in Austria
a number of producers are blending Austrian varieties with international varieties
- Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, St Laurent
- PN, CS, Merlot
Austrian wine laws.
The vast majority of wine made in Austria is …
PDO
PGI wines in Austria are labelled
Landwein
wines without a geographical indication in Austria are labelled
Wein
Austrian wine law hierarchi
- without GI: Wein
- PGI: Landwein
- PDO: Qualitätswein or DAC
A Qualitätswein may also be labelled with a Prädikat level
PDO Wines in Austria.
Number of federal states and smaller areas that qualify for PDO status
- 4 federal states
- 16 smaller areas
Qualitätswein in Austria.
Number of federal states and smaller areas that are designated for the production of Qualitätswein
- 4 federal states
- 7 smaller areas
DAC in Austria.
Number of federal states and smaller areas that have elected to become DAC
- 0 federal states
- 9 smaller areas
Number of federal states and smaller areas
1. PDO
2. Qualitätswein
3. DAC
- 4-16
- 4-7
- 0-9
how many grape varieties are permitted in Qualitätswein in Austria
35
style of Qualitätswein in Austria
the wines can be made in any style
how does the Prädikat labelling system work in Austria?
- in the same way as the Prädikatsweine in Germany
- in Austria these terms are mainly reserved for medium-sweet & sweet wines
- two additional Prädikate
–> Ausbruch (between BA & TBA)
–> Strohwein or Schilfwein
what is Strohwein?
- bunches of grapes are laid out on beds of straw during the winter, to concentrate sugars
- in Austria
what is Schilfwein?
- bunches of grapes are laid out on beds of reeds during the winter, to concentrate sugars
- in Austria
what is DAC?
- Districtus Austriae Controllatus
- 9 of the smaller wine regions in Austria have elected to become DAC
- if the producers in a region can agree on a grape variety (or varieties), a style of wine (and a set of regulations to go with it) that they think best reflects their area, then the region can be awarded DAC status
- once this has happened, only wines that conform to this style can use the name of the appellation
- other wines made in these areas that do not conform to this style can only be labelled with the name of the relevant federal state
Federal states in Austria (4)
- Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
- Burgenland
- Steiermark (Styria)
- Wien (Vienna)
the 2 federal states in Austria that account for the vast majority of production
Niederösterreich & Burgenland
the largest region for production in Austria
Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
the largest region for export in Austria
Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
the majority of the vineyards in Niederöstrreich lies
- on the banks of the Danube and further north towards the Slovak border
what/where is Danube
river in Austria that goes through Niederösterreich
how many sub-regions does Niederösterreich have?
8
what is the sub-region in Niederösterreich most renowned for high-quality dry wines made from either Grüner Veltliner or Riesling?
Wachau
- where is Wachau
- what is Wachau renowned for?
- in Niederösterreich
- high-quality dry wines made from either Grüner Veltliner or Riesling
the vineyards of Wachau
- steep, often terraced, south-facing vineyards next to the Danube maximise exposure to the sun
what allow Grüner Veltliner & Riesling to develop highly concentrated flavours in Wachau?
Steeop, often terraced, south-facing vineyards next to the Danube maximise exposure to the sun
is Wachau a DAC?
No.
To date, Wachau has not chosen to become a DAC and has instead relied on its own classification system
3 DAC in Niederösterreich
- Kamptal DAC
- Kremstal DAC
- Weinviertel DAC
- where is Kamptal DAC & Kremstal DAC?
- what wines do they produce?
- lie just north of Wachau
- produce wines in a similar style & quality from either Grüner Veltliner or Riesling
largest vine-growing area in Austria
Weinviertel DAC
the firs Austrian DAC
Weinviertel DAC
Grapes in Weinviertel DAC
only Grüner Veltliner
the two levels of Weinviertel DAC
- Klassik wines: must be made in a light, fresh & fruity style with no discernible oak flavours
- Reserve wines: must have a higher minimum alcohol & are allowed to be matured in oak
where is Burgenland?
- to the east of Austria, along the border with Hungary
what is Burgenland best known for?
top-quality sweet wines & red wines
what type of wines are made in Burgenland?
- top-quality sweet wine
- red wine
- dry whites
what grapes are used in Burgenland to make dry white
principally Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner & Chardonnay
lake in Burgenland
Neusiedlersee
what/where is Neusiedlersee?
a vast shallow lake in the north of the province Burgenland in Austria
where are the vineyards for sweet wine in Austria?
- on the low-lying ground near the lake Neusiedlersee in Burgenland
why are the vineyards for sweet wine production on the low-lying ground near the lake Neusidlersee in Burgenland?
to benefit from autumn mists that come from the lake & the wetland regions on its margins
is botrytis guaranteed every year in Burgenland by Neusiedlersee?
almost every year
the most widely used grape varietie for sweet botrytised wine in Austria
Welschriesling
the best red wines in Austria come from
the higher ground away from the lake & in the hills further south (Burgenland, Neusiedlersee)
the most widely planted blacke grape variety in Burgenland
Zweigelt
black grape varieties grown in Burgenland (6)
- Zweigelt
- Blaufränkisch
- St Laurent
- Pinot Noir
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
DAC for Zweigelt in Burgenland
Neusiedlersee DAC
the largest DAC for Blaufränkish in Burgenland
Mittelburgenland DAC
How many DACs for Blaufränkish in Burgenland
3
