Austria Flashcards
Who influenced the development of the vine Austria in the 13th century?
Charlemagne and the Cistercian Monks
by the 13th century the city of (blank) had become a major center for wine trade along the Danube River.
Vienna
A viticultural research institute at (where) built in 1860, focused attention on grape crossings and higher yields, and mechanization of the vineyards followed (who) development of the wire trellising system in the 1950s—a viticultural breakthrough with worldwide ramifications.
Klosterneuburg
Dr. Lenz Moser’s
When was the scandal that would decimate the country’s wine industry?
1985
What was the scandal of 1985?
Diethylene glycol—a colorless, odorless, poisonous chemical—gave a light wine some added texture. The “antifreeze” scandal of 1985 surfaced when one of the guilty parties tried to claim the chemical as a legitimate winery expense on his tax return. Customers cancelled orders worldwide. Bottles tested positive for the chemical in nearly every export market, and the press decried the matter, asserting that Austrians had diluted their wines with antifreeze. The association stuck and damaged the image of Austrian wines for years.
How did Austria respond to the antifreeze scandal?
Austria responded by drafting some of the strictest wine laws in Europe and quickly refocusing on quality. In a very short time, Austria has earned a renewed reputation as one of the classic winemaking nations of the world.
Where are the majority of Austria’s vineyards?
Austria’s vineyard area is mostly confined to the eastern portions of the country.
From north to south, the four major winemaking regions, or weinbaugebiete, are….
Niederösterreich
Wien (Vienna)
Burgenland
Styria (Steiermark)
Which two regions contain about 90% of the country’s vineyards?
Niederösterreich and Burgenland
What are the main white grapes of Austria?
Grüner Veltliner is the most cultivated white variety, followed by
Welschriesling
Müller Thurgau
Weißburgunder (pinot Blanc)
Riesling
Chardonnay (Morillon and Feinburgunder)
What are the main red grapes of Austria?
Zweigelt (Blaufränkisch x St. Laurent)
Blaufränkisch
Blauer Portugieser
Blauburger (Blauer Portugieser x Blaufränkisch)
What year was Zweigelt crossing created?
1922
Austrian wine law defines three levels of quality. What are they?
Qualitätswein
Landwein
Wein
What is the highest level of quality?
Qualitätswein, the highest caliber of quality and regional specificity in Austria, is sourced from a single Weinbaugebiet or one of the 17 smaller wine regions and may be produced from one or more of 40 permitted grapes.
What must happen in order for a wine to be accepted as Qualitatswein?
Qualitätswein, which accounts for about 80% of Austria’s total production, must pass a tasting panel and chemical analysis, indicated by a State Control Number (Prüfnummer) and the inclusion of the red and white banderole on the bottle’s capsule.
What are the qualifications for wein?
Wein—a generic category
may carry a vintage date and a variety on the label, but may not exhibit a more exclusive statement of origin than Österreich.
What are the qualifications for landwein?
Landwein production is restricted to the same 40 varieties permitted for Qualitätswein, but the wines are labeled with one of three broad geographic areas (Weinbauregionen): Weinland, Steierland, or Bergland.
Weinland covers the areas defined as Niederösterreich, Wien and Burgenland, Steierland corresponds to Steiermark, and Bergland
True or False: All three levels of quality share a maximum yield of 9,000 kg/ha (67.5 hl/ha) but minimum must weights increase with each level of quality.
All three levels of quality share a maximum yield of 9,000 kg/ha (67.5 hl/ha) but minimum must weights increase with each level of quality.
Qualitätswein may be further subdivided into the categories. What are they?
Prädikatswein and Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
What are the Austrian Pradikatswein characteristics?
A minimum alcohol content of 5% is required for wines labeled by prädikat.
What are the qualifications for Kabinett Qualitatswein?
Min. KMW - 17°
ABV - Max. 13%
No chaptalization or süssreserve.
Maximum 9 g/L RS
What are the qualifications of Spätlese Prädikatswein?
Min. KMW - 19°
% abv - Min. 5%
Wines may not be released until March 1 of the following year. No chaptalization or süssreserve.
What are the qualifications of Auslese Pradikatswein?
Min. KMW - 21°
% abv - Min. 5%
Wines may not be released until May 1 of the following year. No chaptalization or süssreserve.
What are the qualifications of Beerenauslese Pradikatswein?
Min. KMW - 25°
% abv - Min. 5%
Wines may not be released until May 1 of the following year. No chaptalization or süssreserve.
What are the qualifications of Eiswein Pradikatswein?
Min. KMW - 25°
% abv - Min. 5%
No chaptalization, cryoextraction or süssreserve.
What are the qualifications of Trockenbeerenauslese Prädikatswein?
Min. KMW - 30°
% abv - Min. 5%
No chaptalization or süssreserve.
Dry wines are the focus of the DAC system, a newer indication of origin for Qualitätswein designed to align Austrian regions with wine profiles in the mind of the consumer, in the tradition of the French and Italian systems. As of 2022, there are (blank) DACs
17
What are the 17 DAC’s?
Niederosterreich: 7
Weinviertel (2002), Kremstal (2007), Kamptal (2008), Traisental (2006), Carnuntum (2019), Wachau (2020), Wagram (2022)
Wein: 1
Wiener Gemischter Satz (2013)
Burgenland: 6
Mittelburgenland (2005), Leithaberg (2009), Eisenberg (2010), Neusiedlersee (2012), Rosalia (2018), Ruster Ausbruch (2020)
Steiermark: 3
Vulkanland Steiermark (2018), Südsteiermark (2018), Weststeiermark (2018)
In 2022, three distinct Sekt Austria PDOs were recognized:
Sekt Austria, Sekt Austria Reserve, and Sekt Austria Grosse Reserve
What are the qualifications for Sekt Austria?
- the grapes come from one of Austria’s federal states and the wine spends at least nine months on the lees, in the case of traditional method wines
- six months for those produced using tank method.
- Tank, transfer, and traditional methods are all allowed, and all dosage levels/styles and colors may be produced.
What are the qualifications for Sekt Austria Reserve?
Starting at the Reserve level, traditional method, hand-harvesting, and whole-cluster pressing are mandated.
Grapes must be grown and vinified in one of Austria’s federal states, and 18 months on the lees is required at minimum.
The finished product may only be Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature, and an indication of the village in which the wine was produced may appear on the label.
What are the qualifications for Sekt Austria Grosse Reserve?
At the top of the tier is Grosse Reserve.
Here the rules become more stringent: grapes must come from a single wine village, such as Langenlois, and this must be stated on the label.
Vineyard names may also appear on the label.
The wine must sit on the lees for a minimum of 36 months.
Like Reserve, Grosse Reserve may not hold more than 12 grams per liter of residual sugar, meaning the wines must be Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature.
True or False: To differentiate Sekt Austria with Protected Designation of Origin from general Austrian Sekt, bottles must carry the official red and white seal on the capsule with the words Geschützter Ursprung, geprüfte Qualität, meaning “protected designation of origin and certified quality”, along with an indication of the quality level.
True
Which is the largest Weinbaugebiet?
Niederösterreich
What is the climate of the Niederösterreich?
continental climate ushers in hot, dry summers and severe winters
Most of Niederösterreich’s subzones are located along the path of the (what river) (and its tributaries) as it cuts through the region
Danube River
There are 8 subzones in the Niederösterreich. What are they?
North to South
Weinviertel
Carnuntum
West to East
Wachau
Kremstal
Kamptal
Wagram
East of Wagram
Traisental
West of Carnuntum
Thermenregion
Which is Niederösterreich’s largest and first subzone?
Weinviertel
Where is Weinviertel located?
located in the hills north of the Danube and the Pannonian Plain and provides a fresher, lighter wine in this cooler climate.
What are the qualifications for a DAC wine?
DAC wines must be produced from Grüner Veltliner, with a minimum alcohol of 12%.
They are approved by a tasting panel, which must determine that the wines show a distinct peppery note, and no obvious wood or botrytis tones.
A reserve category for DAC showed up in Weinvertel when?
2009
What does the reserve DAC category mean in the Weinvertel?
A Reserve category for Weinviertel debuted with the 2009 vintage; these fuller-bodied wines show a minimum alcohol of 13% and may reveal hints of both botrytis and wood, supported by the richer character of the wine.
Traisental, Kamptal, and Kremstal DACs have very similar regulations for DAC wines. What are they?
The wines may be produced from either Grüner Veltliner or Riesling, and may be labeled either Classic (Klassik) or Reserve with a corresponding minimum alcohol content of either 12% or 13%.
Again, there can be no obvious notes of either botrytis or wood in the Classic examples.
Grüner varietal wines from these three DACs show a more delicate spice, rather than the pungent white pepper of Weinviertel.
Where are Kremstal and Kamptal located?
located in western Niederösterreich, along the Krems and Kamp Rivers, tributaries of the Danube.
Langenlois, one of Austria’s most important wine towns, is located in the (where)?
Kamptal
What does Ried mean?
village, this word indicates a top site
As of 2019, there are 81 vineyard sites that can use this designation on the bottle label. Although the classification does not yet have legal status, the organization is closely aligning itself to the DAC concept, and only (grape and grape) are permitted to carry the Austrian Erste Lage logo.
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling
When was the Österreichischen Traditionsweingüter founded and what is it?
1992
group of winemakers focused on quality
Where are many of the best vineyards found in Austria?
Wachau
What is Niederösterreich’s westernmost subregion?
Wachau
Where is the Wachau located?
The Wachau is a narrow band of steep slopes between Melk and Krems along the banks of the Danube, which moderates the otherwise severe continental climate.
What does the Danube river do to the Wachau vineyards?
The river and cool northern winds chill the summer nights significantly, enabling the wines to retain high natural acidity.
Where are the Wachaus best vineyards?
Much of the Wachau’s best vineyard land encompasses terraced slopes on the north bank of the river, in the style of the Mosel.
What is the soil type of the Wachau?
The soil structure is a combination of loess and gföhler, or gneiss, with a proportion of alluvial sand in the lower vineyard sites near the river’s edge.
Name some famous producers from the Wachau?
FX Pichler
Prager
Emmerich Knoll
What is the Vinea Wachau and when was it founded?
an organization of estates sworn to uphold the tenets of natural winemaking as spelled out in the Codex Wachau: no additives (including chaptalization), no aromatization (including the use of new barrique), and no “fractionation” (techniques such as de-alcoholization).
All wines released by members must be bottled in the region and vinified from grapes grown in the Wachau.
Founded in 1983, the Vinea Wachau members control more than 85% of the region’s vineyard acreage.
Prager and Knoll are a part of it
Wachau is a relatively recent addition to Austria’s DAC system and has introduced a few unique rules. What are they?
Wines are categorized in a three-tier hierarchal system, in which regional wines (Gebietsweine) can have up to 17 varieties (including a Gemischter Satz blend), village wines (Ortsweine) are permitted 9 varieties, and single-vineyard wines (Riedenweine) must be from Riesling or Grüner Veltliner.
Consistent with Vinea Wachau rules, no chaptalization or oak character is allowed in Reidenweine, and all grapes—regardless of the tier—must be hand-harvested.
Wachau producers may choose to continue following the rules and philosophies set by the Vinea Wacha, applying stylistic categories created in the late 1980s on their labels: Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd.
When were the stylistic categories created in the Wachau?
1980’s
What are the stylistic categories of the Wachau?
Steinfeder
Federspiel
Smaragd
What are the characteristics of Steinfeder?
Steinfeder (named for a local grass found in the vineyards) is the lightest style, with a minimum must weight of 15° KMW and a maximum alcohol of 11.5%.
What are the characteristics Federspiel?
Federspiel (referencing a falconer’s tool) has a minimum must weight of 17° KMW and a final alcohol range of 11.5 to 12.5%.
What are the characteristics Smaragd?
Finally, Smaragd (taking its name from the emerald lizard who basks on terraces) has a minimum alcohol of 12.5%
and a minimum must weight of 19° KMW—the approximate equivalent of 95° Öchsle, or Spätlese ripeness.
As these wines must be dry, Smaragd wines can reach high alcohol levels, show a high degree of extract, and display notes of botrytis.
What is to the east of Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal and awarded DAC status in 2022?
Wagram
What was Wagram known as prior to 2007?
Donauland
Where is Wagram?
Wagram lies just upstream from Vienna along the Danube.
What are the main grapes of Wagram?
Grüner Veltliner is the main grape in the region, but Roter Veltliner, an unrelated red grape produced as a white wine, is a specialty of Wagram
The institute at Klosterneuburg lies within eastern (blank)
Wagram
Where are Carnuntum and Thermenregion located?
South of Vienna
What is the climate of the Termenregion?
Thermenregion experiences the full force of the hot Pannonian summers.
What are the main grapes of the Thermenregion?
The rare white grapes Rotgipfler and Zierfandler are cultivated here, produced varietally or as the blended Spätrot-Rotgipfler.
What Carnuntum’s climate?
Carnuntum’s climate is similar to that of sunny, neighboring Burgenland, and production is oriented toward red wines,
What are the main grapes of Carnuntum?
production is oriented toward red wines, particularly Zweigelt. Gemischter Satz—traditional field blends—are still popular in Carnuntum.
What style of wines is Burgenland known for?
produces Austria’s best red and sweet white wines
Where is Burgenland located?
Burgenland borders Hungary, and shares many viticultural and climactic traits with regions just across the border,
What is the climate of Burgenland?
The hot continental, Pannonian climate in Burgenland is tempered by the cooling influence of the Neusiedlersee, a large, shallow lake which, formerly, divided the subzones of Neusiedlersee and Neusiedlersee-Hügelland to the west.
There are 6 DAC’s of Burgenland. What are they?
West to East
Rosalia
Leithaberg
Neusiedlersee
North to south
Mittelburgenland
Eisenberg
Rust
What is the main grape of Mittelburgenland?
Blaufränkisch
What are the aging requirements of Blaufränkisch in Mittelburgenland DAC?
which may be sold from August 1 in the year following the harvest.
Reserve wines undergo an additional year of aging and have a higher minimum alcohol content—13% as opposed to 12.5%.
What is the capital of Burgenland and where is it located?
Eisenstadt, is located within Leithaberg
What is special about Leithaberg?
first DAC to allow both red and white wines.
What are the main white grapes of Leithaberg?
White wines may be blends or single varietal, produced from Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, Neuburger, or Weissburgunder.
What is the main red grape of Leithaberg?
The red wines are comprised of a minimum 85% Blaufränkisch, with stipulations similar to those of Mittelburgenland on new wood.
What is Blaufränkisch called in Hungary and Germany?
Kékfrankos - Hungary
Lemberger - Germany
In Rosalia DAC, monovarietal wines from either Blaufrankisch or Zweigelt may be produced, as long as the wines have a minimum alcohol content of (blank)% abv and a maximum of (blank) residual sugar.
12%
4g/l
What is the abv for Rosalia DAC reserve wines?
13%
True or False: The Rosalia DAC became official in 2018, but wines may be released with the Rosalia DAC retroactively, with the 2017 vintage.
True
True or False: White grapes are almost all on the decline in the Burgenland region.
True
The village of Illmitz in Neusiedlersee is home to the (who) estate, whose eiswein, BA and TBA bottlings are legendary.
Alois Kracher
What grape is used in Alois Kracher’s TBA?
Scheurebe
On the western shore of Neusiedlersee is the free city of (blank), famous for the production of Ausbruch, a traditional sweet wine dating to the 17th century.
Rust
Production for Ausbruch bears similarities to the process of what?
Tokaji: richly concentrated botrytis-affected must is added to less concentrated must—from fruit harvested in the same vineyard—and the two are fermented together, then aged in barrel before release.
What grapes are used for Ruster Ausbruch?
Furmint grapes were traditionally used, but modern Ruster Ausbruch is more often produced from Chardonnay, Muskateller, Pinot Blanc, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Traminer and Pinot Gris.
True or False: In 2020, Neusiedlersee DAC was expanded to include sweet whites in addition to Classic and Reserve red wines based on Zweigelt.
True
Steiermark is also known as?
Styria
Where is Styria located?
is a mountainous region to the south of Burgenland.
What are the 3 subregions of Styria, or Steiermark?
West to East
Weststeiermark
Südsteiermark
Vulkanland Steiermark
What is Styria’s most cultivated grape?
Welschriesling, a grape unrelated (and inferior) to the noble Riesling, is the region’s most cultivated variety, and, along with Weissburgunder and Traminer, performs well in the volcanic slopes of Vulkanland Steiermark.
Sauvignon Blanc shines in the Südsteiermark; Manfred Tement is a leading light in the appellation, excelling with both unoaked and barrique-aged versions.
In 2017 Styria held one DAC zone, (blank)
Schilcherland DAC.
The Schilcherland DAC promoted the racy rosé produced from the ancient grape, (blank)
Blauer Wildbacher
In 2018 Styria earned three DACs corresponding to its wine regions: Vulkanland Steiermark DAC, Südsteiermark DAC, and Weststeiermark DAC, the latter of which reabsorbed the schilcher wine style.
What is Styria’s three tired pyramid called?
System of Origin Steiermark
What is the pyramid of the System of Origin Steiermark?
At the base of the pyramid is Regional Wine; above that is Ortswein, which corresponds to village wines; the top of the pyramid holds Reidenwein, or single vineyard wines. Both Ortswein and Reidenwein require longer aging and a focus on the best grape varieties of the region.
Where is Wien?
Wien lies on the Danube River and is surrounded on three sides by the Niederösterreich subzones of Thermenregion, Carnuntum, Weinviertel, and Wagram.
True or False: Vienna (Wein)
With nearly 600 ha of vines, it is the only capital city in Europe to have its own wine appellation within city limits.
Gemischter Satz is commonly produced by Viennese winemakers, as is heuriger. What kind of wine is this?
a nouveau wine consumed in its infancy in taverns of the same name.
Which geographical feature separates Austria and Germany?
The Alps
What scale is used to measure must weight In Austria?
Klosterneuburger Mostwaage Scale
Which country to the east of Austria is linked with it by history, climate, and common grape varieties?
Hungary
Ausbruch is a specialty of which locale?
Rust
What river runs through Kamptal?
Kamp river
Order the following regions from coolest to warmest (1 = coolest, 3 = warmest).
Kamptal
Weinviertel
Mittelburgenland
Coolest to warmest
Weinviertel
Kamptal
Mittelburgenland
Which of the following wine regions is also known as “Lower Austria”?
Niederösterreich
True or False: Riesling Kabinett may be produced in Austria.
True
What event led to the fundamental reorganization of the Austrian wine industry in the 1980s?
Antifreeze scandal
Which of the following international red grapes would you be least likely to encounter in Austria?
Grenache
Which river runs through Wachau?
Danube
Weissburgunder is a synonym for which grape?
Pinot Blanc
What is the most widely planted red grape in Austria?
Zweigelt
True or False: Austrian “Reserve” wines may utilize new oak, while “Klassik” wines may not.
True
True or False: The majority of wine in Austria is produced under the DAC designation.
False
True or False: Austrian Sekt is most often made in the traditional method.
True
What is the minimum alcohol by volume required for Kamptal Reserve Riesling?
13%
Ausbruch has to be harvested at what minimum ripeness level?
30° KMW
Lamm is an Erste Lage vineyard specializing in what grape variety?
Gruner Veltliner
True or False: Leithaberg is the only DAC in Burgenland that allows white wine.
False
Weinland, Steierland and Bergland are geographic designations for what level of Austrian wine classification?
Landwein
Spätrot is produced by blending which two grape varieties?
Rotgipfler and Zierfandler
Which Burgenland DAC does NOT produce Blaufränkisch-based red wines?
Neusiedlersee
Langenlois, Zobing, and Kammern are villages in what region?
Kamptal
Nigl, Solomon, and Christoph Hoch are producers in what region?
Kremstal
True or False: Riesling and Welschriesling are varieties that are genetically related to each other.
False
Schilcher is a specialty of which DAC?
Weststeiermark
Which of the following grapes is most likely to undergo carbonic maceration?
Zweigelt
According to the Codex Wachau which of the following statements are true? (Select all that apply)
Grapes must be hand harvested.
Reverse osmosis and cryo-extraction are not allowed.
Emmerich Knoll, Prager, and Hirtzberger are all producers in what region?
Wachau
Schloss Gobelsburg, Bründlmayer, and Hirsch are producers in what region?
Kamptal
Where is the Heiligenstein vineyard located?
Kamptal
What is the minimum KMW level Smaragd Riesling may be picked at?
19° KMW
Lake Neusiedlersee is bordered by which two European countries?
Austria and Hungary
Select all countries that border Niederösterreich.
Czech Republic
Slovakia
1 KMW is equivalent to approximately how many degrees Öchsle?
5
Alois Kracher is a producer in what region?
Neusiedlersee
When was drip irrigation authorized in the Wachau?
1983
What is the most celebrated vineyard in Kamptal?
Zobinger Heiligenstein
What is the soil type known as Perm in the Kamptal?
weathered sandstone, volcanic conglomerates
*** This is the only place in Austria where Riesling is grown on Perm soil
