Austria Flashcards
What is the general climate of Austria?
cool continental
What northern austrian vineyard is influenced by cool northerly winds?
Weinviertel
What southern Austrian vineyards are warmer and experience more influence from the Adriatic?
Steiermark
Vineyards in the west of Austria, along what river, get cool breezes from the Alps?
Danube
What influences the weather in the east of Austria in Burgenland?
the warm Pannonian climate
What are the 2 soil types in Austria?
- thin soils over rock (granite and gneiss)
- richer loess soils.
Why is Riesling planted on the thin granite & gneiss soils?
It doesn’t require as much water as Grüner Veltliner.
What kind of soil Grüner Veltliner is usually planted on?
soils with a high water holding capacity such as loess or clay.
What is height in metres vines were often trained at using the Lenz Moser system
1.2-1.4m
The percentage of Austrian vineyards certified as sustainable.
9
The percentage of Austrian vineyards following organic or biodynamic practices.
14
The percentage plantings of Grüner Veltliner across Austria.
32
The maximum yields per hectare for all Austrian vineyards.
67.5
Grüner Veltliner skins contain a specific chemical compound. What aroma does this chemical compound often contribute to wine?
Rotundune contributes peppery aromas & flavors
Usually have medium (+) to high acidity and are typically not oaked. Range in style from simple with citrus and green fruit aromas made for early drinking, of acceptable to good quality and inexpensive price to complex with pronounced citrus and peach fruit aromas, which can be aged in bottle. This style is very good to outstanding quality and premium priced.
Grüner Veltliner
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.
Welschriesling
Usually dry, can be full bodied, with 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.
Riesling
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, to full bodied, oaked styles that have the possibility to age. The latter are of very good quality and can command premium prices.
Zweigelt
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, to very good to outstanding wines with pronounced black fruit, spicy oak characters and high tannins that are premium priced.
Blaufränkisch
Typically, similar winemaking techniques are used throughout Austria when making white wines from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. Which winemaking techniques are often used when making these types of white Austrian wines?
Short period of skin contact
Fermentation in old oak
Low fermentation temperatures
Storage in stainless steel
Fermentation in stainless steel
Ageing on the fine lees
Storage in old oak
Identify the three terms used for the following in Austrian wine labelling.
Wein – Wine without Geographic Indication
Landwein – Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)
Qualitätswein – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
Which of the following Prädikat levels does not fall into the Prädikatswein system in Austria?
Kabinett
In 2002 the DAC rules were introduced in Austria to create an appellation system. What are the quality indicating labelling terms and their meanings.
Single vineyard wines: Riedenwein
Regional wines: Gebietswein
Village wines: Ortswein
What are the three registered trademarks from the Vinea Wachau with their descriptions.
Steinfeder
Federspiel
Smaragd
Which Vinea Wachau trademark is for Fruity, dry wine, with a maximum of 11.5% abv; the lightest style.
Steinfeder
Which Vinea Wachau trademark is for a more concentrated, dry wine with alcohol ranging from 11.5-12.5% abv.
Federspeil
Which Vinea Wachau term is for a highly concentrated, dry wine, with ripe fruit flavours; minimum 12.5% abv.
Smaragd
Which Austrian region Only receives around 460 mm of rain per year. Wines are almost always very good to outstanding in quality.
Wachau
Which Austrian region has the Significant producers include Salomon Undhof and Lenz Moser.
Kremstal
Which Austrian region is Named after the river flowing through it. This region surrounds the town of Langenlois. Significant producers include Bründlmayer and Hirsch.
Kamptal
Which Austrian region is known for the wines from Roter Veltliner?
Wagram
Which Austrian region is the largest appellation in Niederӧsterreich and in Austria as a whole.
Grüner Veltliner from this region is the most peppery in Austria.
Weinviertel
Which austrian region has Zierfandler as a local speciality & the most planted white grape is Neuburger.
Thermenregion
Why are the vineyards of Neusidlersee suitable for the production of TBA wines?
Neusiedlersee vineyards are situated around the eastern shores of the shallow lake of the same name and this is the warmest area in Austria. The vineyards are flat, warm and mostly very humid. White grape varieties are planted closest to the lake and particularly Welschriesling, as botrytis is consistent each vintage making it possible to produce TBA wine. Vineyards furthest from the lake are not as humid and planted with black grape varieties.
Why are the vineyards of Leithaberg suitable for the production of TBA wines?
Leithaberg is to the west of Neusiedlersee and a wide range of wine styles are produced. Humidity is high closest to the lake, making it suitable for noble rot to take hold in autumn and produce TBA wines. Further west from the lake, the humidity is less and therefore suitable for black grapes, Blaufränkisch accounts for 20% of plantings. The vineyards stretch into the Leithaberg hills where the diurnal range is enough to ensure acidity is retained during the cooler nights to produce refreshing wines.
How many estates does Austria have?
4000, very fragmented
Are small estates increasing or declining?
declining
Where are half of all Austrian wines sold?
domestically, to the hospitality sector, particularly at Heurigen
What is a Heurigen?
Small inns or taverns that play an important role in domestic hospitality sales
What is the focus of Austrian wine production?
Quality
What % of Austrian wine is exported? & where?
20%
mostly to Germany
