Austria Flashcards
What Scandal rocked Austrian wine? When?
The “antifreeze” scandal in 1985
Diethelyne Glycol was added to some wines to sweeten them.
What was the Reich Hereditary Farm Act? When was it instituted?
1938
Mandated vineyard sizes of between 7.5 and 125 ha
It led to unprecedented mergers, restructurings, and the rise of cooperatives
What was Lens Moser’s contribution to Austrian winemaking?
Hochkultur, or “High Culture”
He pushed for wider rows, lower planting density, and higher training to accommodate mechanization.
He also encouraged the planting of Gruner Veltliner and Zweigelt.
Who was the supposed ringleader of the DEG scandal?
Otto Nadrasky
What is the general climate of Austria?
Continental Climate
Warm to hot summers and cold winters
What does the term “alte reben” indicate?
Old Vines
What is “Hauersekt?”
Grower’s sparkling wine
What measurement is used for Pradikatswein classification?
Klosterneuberg Must Weight scale (KMW)
It is a measurement of 1 gram of sugar per 100 grams of grape must.
1 degree KMW is approximately 5 degrees Oechsle
What system established regional wines in Austria?
What was the first and when?
Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
Weinviertal was the first in 2003
What are the three levels of quality for DAC wine production?
Wein
Landwein
Qualitatswein
Where may grapes for the production of “Wein” be sourced from?
Anywhere in the EU
What is the name of the symbol that verifies strict quality for Austrian wine?
Banderole
Austrian Landwein must hail from where?
Weinland, Burgenland, or Steierland
What are the ABV and RS requirements for Kabinett wines?
max. 9 g/l RS
max. 13% ABV
What is the minimum lees aging for Qualitatswein Sekt?
9 months
What are the required KMW levels for the following wines?
Spatlese
Auslese
Spatlese - 19
Auslese - 21
What are the required KMW levels for the following wines?
Beerenauslese Strohwine Eiswein Ausbruch Trockenbeerenauslese
Beerenauslese - 25
Strohwine - 25
Eiswein - 25
Ausbruch - 30
Trockenbeerenauslese - 30
What is the minimum number of months to dry grapes for Strohwine?
3 months
Which Pradikatswein tiers ban the use of cryoextraction?
Eiswein
What is the minimum ABV for Pradikatswein?
5% ABV
Who was the forefather of Austrian Sekt?
Where did he settle?
Robert Alwin Schlumberger
Voslau, just south of Vienna
What is “Goldeck?”
The first Austrian sparkling wine brand, named after the Goldeggen Vineyard.
It remains one of the largest brands today
Who launched the Hochriegl brand?
What is their specialty?
Johann Kattus in 1890
Sparkling wine
Who introduced the Charmat method?
When?
Karl Infuhr
1949
Who was instrumental in pushing for grower sparkling in Austria?
Gerald Malat in Krems
Prior to 1976, only a handful of large companies were allowed to produce base wines for sparkling.
Hauersekt is the name
A wine labeled “herb” or “extra herb” would be what?
Halbtrocken and Mild would match up with what levels of sweetness?
Brut or Extra Brut
Demi-sec and Sweet
What are the levels of quality for PDO Sekt?
Klassik
Reserve
Grosse Reserve
What are the rules for Klassik Sekt?
All methods, dosage levels, colors, and styles permitted
9 months on lees, 3 in bottle
Vintage allowed
Max. 12.5% ABV
What are the rules for Reserve Sekt?
Hand-harvested
Only traditional method, white and rose permitted. Only red grapes for Rose
18 months on lees, 6 months in bottle
60% juice extraction
max 12g/l dosage
What are the rules for Grosse Reserve Sekt?
The same as reserve, except:
30 months lees, 6 in bottle
Vineyard source and grower allowed on label
50% Juice extraction
No alcohol limits
Where is the majority of fruit for Sekt grown?
Niederosterreich, specifically Weinviertal and Vienna
Who are some notable producers of Austrian Sekt?
Hugl Weine
Weingut Brundlmayer
Weingut Schloss Goebelsberg
With regards to grapes, what do the following terms connote?
Frankisch
Heunisch
Frankisch: Superior quality varieties
Heunisch: High-yielding varieties
What is a Gemischter Satz?
A mixed set, or field blend
It used to be a true field blend of many autochthonous varieties, but replanting after phylloxera was done on a varietal basis. It is rare to find a true field blend now.
For DAC Status: vineyards must be contiguous and each varietal confined to its own area.
What is the most widely planted grape in Austria?
Gruner Veltliner
to nearly a third of vineyards
When and where was Muller-Thurgau created? By who? By what grapes?
1882 at the Geisenheim Research Institute in Rheingau
Hermann Muller
Riesling x Madeline Royale
What is Morillon?
A name for Chardonnay in Styria
What is Samling 88?
Scheurebe
What is Muscat-Sylvaner?
An old name for Sauvignon Blanc
Who makes the #6 Grand Cuvee Nouvelle Vague?
What is it?
Alois Kracher from the village of Illmitz in Burgenland
It is a TBA blend of 50% Welschriesling and 50% Chardonnay
What is the most planted Red Grape in Austria?
Zweigelt
In which region would you expect to find the following grapes?
Blaufrankisch
Blauer Portugieser
Blauburger
Sankt Laurent
Blaufrankisch: Burgenland
Blauer Portugieser: Weinviertal
Blauburger: Weinviertal
Sankt Laurent: Thermenregion/Northern Burgenland
What are the regions of Lower Austria/Niederosterreich?
Wachau Kremstal Kamptal Wagram Weinviertal Thermenregion Traisental Carnuntum
What regions of the Niederosterreich are not DACs?
Thermenregion and Wagram
What river flows through Wachau?
The Danube/The Donnau
What cooperative is central to wine production in the Wachau?
Domaine Wachau
Founded as Coop Durnstein
What are the tiers of quality for wine from the Wachau?
Gebietsweine
Ortswein - Village wine
Riedenwein - single-vineyard wines
What level of quality would a Gemischter Satz from Wachau be?
Gebietsweine
What grapes are permissible for Ortswein?
For Riedenwein?
Gruner Veltliner* Riesling* Pinot Gris Weissburgunder Neuburger Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Muskateller Traminer
When was Vinea Wachau established?
By who?
1983
Wilhelm Schwengler (Coop Durnstein)
Josepf Jamek
Franz Hirtzberger
Franz Prager
What are the KMW/ABV requirements of Wachau wines?
Steinfeder: 15 KMW, max. 11.5% ABV
Federspiel: 17 KMW, 11.5-12.5% ABV
Smaragd: 18.2 KMW, min. 12.5% ABV
What influences the climate of the Wachau?
Warm air from the western Pannonian Plain
Nightly cool air from the north
How many meters in elevation results in a degree C drop?
150 meters = 1C
Is irrigation allowed in Wachau?
Yes, it was authorized in 1983
Gruner Veltliner needs plenty of water, and the volcanic soils that make up much of Wachau’s geology tend to drain quickly and retain heat.
What defines Emmerich Knolls winemaking style?
Ambient Yeasts
No Temperature Control
Neutral Barrels
All combine to make a more textured wine
Is new oak allowed for Wachau wine production?
Not for Ortswein, Riedenswein, or Vinea Wachau wines.
What is the oldest winery in Austria?
Nikolaihof
The estate dates back almost 2,000 years
In general, what soils do Riesling and Gruner Veltliner favor in the Wachau?
Riesling: “Urgestein,” thin top-soil over granite and gneiss. These also tend to be soils at the top of hills.
Gruner: loess, windblown soils from the Alps, and loam. These tend to be soils on lower sites.
What event had a large impact on the 1995, 1998, and 2000 vintages in Wachau?
Botrytis, leading to a large quantity of Beerenauslese wines.
What are some notable vineyards used by Emmerich Knoll?
Schutt Loibenberg Kellerberg Kreutles Pfaffenberg (Kremstal)
What figure is featured on bottles by Emmerich Knoll?
St. Urban, patron saint of winemaking
What are Vinothekfullung?
Special Gruner Veltliner and Riesling bottles from Emmerich Knoll in good vintages.
Comes from a blend of Loibenberg and Kreutles, and botrytised fruit can be included.
What is “Unendlich?”
Riesling produced by F.X. Pichler first in 1998.
It is composed of the best grapes from across several vineyards.
They also make “M” or monumental cuvees for both Gruner Veltliner and Riesling
What was the first Austrian wine estate to be Demeter certified?
Nikolaihof
What are some top vineyards for Nikolaihof?
Steiner Hund
Vom Stein
Im Weingebirge
Describe the climate of Kremstal
More open and exposed to warmth from the Pannonian Plain and more protected from cool northern winds, it tends to produce riper wines.
It also has more rainfall than the Wachau, so botrytis is more common.
Who are some notable producers in Kremstal?
Salomon Undhof Nigl Proidl Malat Stadt Krems
What is the minimum ABV of Kremstal wines:
Kremstal DAC
Kremstal DAC with Ried
Reserve
What is the maximum RS allowed?
12%
12.5%
13%
9 g/l RS
Nigl’s “Privat” bottling is made from grapes from what vineyard?
Seftenberger Piri
It is a 10ha area across 3 plots
Both Gruner and Riesling are made
What are some notable vineyards within Kremstal?
Hochacker
Pellingen
Goldberg
Pfaffenberg
Who makes the “Das Beste” range of wines?
Malat, from Gruner Veltliner and Riesling harvested from multiple sites
A very ripe bottling, it can sometimes have up to 15 g/l RS
Who is a quality producer of Roter Veltliner?
Weingut Mantlerhof
From Reisenthal
What is arguably the most important vineyard in Kamptal?
Who produces wine there?
Heiligenstein, near the town of Zobing
Brundlmayer
Schloss Goebelsburg
Hirsch
It is a 270-million year old formation of Permian sandstone (a mix of sandstone and volcanic rock). Especially good for Riesling.
What three villages claim portions of Gaisberg?
Langenlois
Zobing
Strass
What are some notable vineyards in Kamptal?
Zobing Heiligenstein
Gaisberg
Lamm
Loiserberg
What are “Heurigen?”
Local taverns that traditionally serve young, uncomplicated wines from local growers.
Historically, they were licensed to sell only food and wine of their own production. This ultimately served as an impediment to the growth of a quality wine industry (since the wine was not intended for export).
What regions were formerly included in the broader Donauland?
Until when?
Traisental and Wagram
Until 1995
Who are some well regarded producers from Wagram?
Anton Bauer
Bernhard Ott
Josef Fritz
Who are some top producers from Traisental?
Markus Huber
Ludwig Neumeyer
Who are some notable producers of wine from Weinviertel?
Roman Pfaffl
Weinrieder
What grapes are allowed for the production of Carnuntum DAC wines?
Blaufrankisch Zweigelt Chardonnay Gruner Veltliner Pinot Blanc
True or False: Riesling is allowed for the production of DAC wines in the Weinviertal?
False
Who are some notable producers in Carnuntum?
Muhr-van de Niepoort
Johannes Trapel
Gerhard Markowitsch
What is “Rubin Carnuntum?”
100% Zweigelt
min. 18 KMW (12.5% ABV)
6 months in wood
What two botrytis-prone grapes are a specialty of Thermenregion?
What town is prized for them?
Rotgipfler
Zierfandler
Gumpoldskirchen in the north
What city is most closely associated with Heurigen?
Vienna
What does the DAC for Vienna focus on?
What are the rules governing it?
Gemischter Satz
Blends with a minimum of 3 white wine grapes.
No grape can be more than 50%, and each must be at least 10% of the blend.
Single-vineyard bottlings don’t need to be trocken.
What figure is most closely associated with the rise of quality Gemischter Satz?
Fritz Wieninger
What is the warmest region in Austria?
Burgenland.
It is an extension of the Pannonian Plain.
What are the historic villages on Lake Neusiedl?
Rust
Seewinkel
What are the DACs of Burgenland?
Neusiedlersee Leithaberg Mittelburgenland Eisenberg Rosalia Ruster Ausbruch
What wines are allowed by the Neusiedlersee DAC?
Zweigelt blends and white pradikatswein (Chardonnay, Welchriesling, Weissburgunder)
Reserve reds must be min. 60% Zweigelt
What is Schilfwein, and who pioneered it?
Reed wine, or straw wine
Willi Opitz
What is Hans Tschida known for producing?
Seewinkel producer known for BA and TBA wines.
He also makes a Zweigelt Schilfwein
What are the rules governing the production of red wine in the Leithaberg DAC?
min. 85% Blaufrankisch, with Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Zweigelt
They must be aged a minimum of 2 years
When did Ruster Ausbruch achieve DAC status?
2020
Who are some notable producers of Ruster Ausbruch?
Heidi Schrock
Ernst Triebaumer
Feiler-Artinger
Who is said to have revived Ruster Ausbruch in the 1950s?
Gustav Feiler
What wines may be produced in Rosalia DAC?
Red: min. 85% Blaufrankisch or Zweigelt
Rose is also covered by the DAC, though variety or blend may not be indicated.
Ried wines are permitted for Red Reserve and Rose
What are some other names for Blaufrankisch?
Lemberger
Kekfrankos
What is the minimum ABV for a beverage to be legally classified as wine?
5.5% ABV
What grapes are allowed in the Mittelburgenland DAC?
What are the quality levels?
Min. 85% Blaufrankisch
DAC: 12.5% ABV to 13% ABV
Single Site: 13% to 13.5% ABV
Reserve: min. 13% ABV
Mittelburgenland is defined by what geographic features?
What are their effects?
Sopron Mountains to the north, Bucklige Welt Hills to the west, Koszeg Mountains the the south. They create a natural amphitheater.
It is protected from the wind, very sunny, and collects warmth from the Pannonian Plains.
What are the most celebrated vineyards in Mittelburgenland?
Hochacker in Horitschon
Hochberg in Neckenmarkt
Goldberg in Deutschkreutz
Who are some notable producers of Mittelburgenland and their stand out cuvees?
J. Heinrich
-“Cupido,” Blaufrankisch from the Goldberg Vineyard.
IBY
-Durrau Reserve
Moric
-Neckenmarkt or Lutzmannsburg Blaufrankisch
What is “Uhudler?”
A foxy-scented non-vinifera Rose and specialty of Heiligenbrunn that officials want to phase out by 2030.
Who are some notable producers in Eisenberg DAC?
What is a notable cuvee they make?
Jalits
-“Diabas,” Reserve Blaufrankisch
Krutzler
-“Perlwolff,” Blaufrankisch with a dash of Cab Sauv
What is the most important red grape of Weststeiermark and what is it used for?
Blauer Wildbacher
It is used for the production of Schilcher roses.
Where is the “Schmecke das Leben” group located?
A group of natural wine minded producers in Styria.
Name a quality producer of Sauvignon Blanc from Styira
Sattlerhof in Sudsteiermark, who was early to champion dry wines.
Weingut Temet in Sudseiermark, who was early to champion Sauvignon Blanc.
What is the most famous village of Vulkanland?
What is its specialty?
Kloch
Basalt to the west and tuff to the east (both volcanic soils). Due to their high iron content, the soils appear red in color and gather heat.
Traminer, in both off-dry and dessert styles
How large is a Viertal mug? Where would you expect to be served wine in one?
250ml
In a Heurigen in Vienna
What is “Sturm?”
Almost fermented grape must often drunk in early Autumn
