Austria Flashcards
What is the climate of Austria?
Cool continental climate
Describe the typical soil types in Austria?
The two major soil types are thin soils over rock (granite or gneiss) and richer soils like loess
Explain what kind of soil Riesling is usually planted.
Riesling tends to be planted on thinner soils as it doesn’t require as much water as Grüner Veltliner.
Explain what kind of soil Grüner Veltliner is usually planted.
Grüner Veltliner tends to be planted on soils with a high water holding capacity such as loess or clay.
The height in meters vines were often trained at using the Lenz Moser system. Is the training system for high or low volume production?
1.2 -1.4, high volume
The percentage of Austrian vineyards certified as sustainable
9 %
The percentage of Austrian vineyards following organic or biodynamic practices
14%
The percentage plantings of Gruner Veltliner across Austria
32%
The maximum yields per hectare for all Austrian vineyards
67.5%
What are the top planted varieties in Austria?
- Gruner Veltliner
- Zweigelt
- Welschriesling
- Blaufrankisch
- Riesling
What are the characteristics of Gruner Veltliner?
- Usually have medium (+) to high acidity and are typically not oaked.
- simple with citrus and green fruit aromas made for early drinking - acceptable to good quality and inexpensive price
- complex with pronounced citrus and peach fruit aromas, which can be aged in bottle - very good to outstanding quality and premium priced.
What are the characteristics of Welschriesling?
- Usually has high levels of acidity and can have somewhat neutral aromatics.
- Often made into fresh, neutral, unoaked, dry wines, of acceptable to good quality and inexpensive in price.
- Can be affected by noble rot, and then used for sweet wines production.
What are the characteristics of Riesling?
- Usually dry, can be full bodied,
- medium levels of alcohol,
- ripe stone fruit and sometimes tropical fruit flavours, with high levels of acidity.
- Ageworthy and can become nutty, honeyed and have petrol notes.
- Typically very good to outstanding in quality and command premium prices.
What are the characteristics of Zweigelt?
- Usually have medium (+) level of acidity with medium tannin levels.
- Red fruit, particularly cherry, dominate the flavours and aromas.
- Styles range from easy drinking, fruity unoaked wines that are acceptable to good quality and inexpensive to mid-priced,
- full bodied, oaked styles that have the possibility to age - very good quality and can command premium prices.
What are the characteristics of Blaufrankisch?
- Usually have medium (+) to high tannins,
- high levels of acidity,
- deep colour and black fruit flavours.
- Can produce some of Austria’s most age-worthy and intense red wines.
- The wines range from simple, fruity wines with little or no oak ageing, that are good in quality and mid-priced
- very good to outstanding wines with pronounced black fruit, spicy oak characters and high tannins that are premium priced.
What winemaking techniques are often used when making Austrian Riesling and Gruner Veltliner?
- Aging on the fine lees
- Fermentation in stainless steel
- Low fermentation temperatures
- Storage in old oak
- Short period of skin contact
- Storage in stainless steel
- Fermentation in old oak
What is the full name of the DAC?
Districtus Austriae Controllatus
What are the 3 categories of wine in Austria?
- Wein: Wine without Geographic Indication
- Landwein: wine with Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)
- Qualitatswein: Wine with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
What does Klassik indicate?
Wines with a vintage declared and showing varietal character
What does Reserve indicate?
Dry wines with a minimum 13% abv, typically harvested and released later than the standard wines
What are the difference of Pradikat wines between Germany and Austria?
Austrian Kabinett does not fall into the Pradikatswein system. In addition, TBA wines from the city of Rust are labelled Ausbruch