Austria Flashcards
History of Austrian wine?
Antifreeze agent discovered in large producers wines in 1985
Production dropped from 30mil L to 5mil L in a year
Rebounded, and now triple the value - premiumization
Climate of Austria:
Cool continental
Spring frost
Water stress concerns
Soils in Austria:
Riesling: Thin soils over rock
Gruner: Loess or clay
Vineyard management in Austria:
Traditionally: Lenz Moser system - high cordon training with wide rows to avoid shading
Now: Guyot with VSP
Machine harvest where possible
14% organic
Irrigation required in certain areas
67.5hL/ha
Describe Gruner Veltliner:
32% of all plantings
Very vigorous
Does well in less fertile soils with water retention
Thick skins containing rotundone (peppery)
High acidity
TYpically not oaked
Describe Zweigelt:
14% of all plantings
Sankt Laurent + Blaufrankish crossing
Early ripening
High yielding
Vigorous
Potassium deficiency leads to withering before ripening
Medium tannin, med+ acid
Describe Welschriesling:
No relation to Riesling
High acid
Neutral, dry, fresh
Thin skins
Can be used for sweet wines and Sekt
Describe Blaufrankisch:
M+/High tannins
High acid
Deep color, dark fruit
Early budding
Late ripening
High yielding
Winemaking in Austria:
Short skin contact
Neutral vessels
6+ months on lees
Acacia vats common - no vanilla but oxygenation
Wine labeling in Austria:
Regulated by DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus)
Wein
Landwein (with PGI)
Qualitatswein (PDO - 90% of production)
Klassik - vintage + varietal character
Reserve - dry wine with min. 13% ABV
Wine region heirarchy:
16 DAC wine growing regions
Gebietswein (regional)
Ortswein (village)
Riedenwein (single vineyard)
OTW: Osterreichische Traditionsweinguter - founded in 1992 to classify vineyards based on soil and climate
Four principal wine regions in Austria:
Niederosterreich
Burgenland
Steiermark
Wien
Describe Niederosterreich:
Lower Austria
2/3 white, predominantly Gruner
Sub-regions: Weinviertel (N), Wachau (W), Kremstal (W), Kamptal (W), Wagram (W), Pannonian plain (SE)
Describe Wachau:
Riesling on gneiss soils
Gruner on loess soils
Low rainfall, controlled irrigation
Stone terraces - retain heat, radiate at night
Wachau DAC must be hand harvested
Mostly family-owned estates
What is Vinea Wachau:
Producer group designating single vineyard sites
Three classifications for dry whites:
Steinfeder - fruity, light (max 11.5%)
Federspiel - more concentrated (11.5-12.5%)
Smaragd - highly concentrated and ripe (min 12.5%)
Describe Kremstal:
DAC must be Riesling or Gruner
Reds (Zweigelt) labeled as Niederosterreich - 25% of production
Warmer than Wachau
Describe Kamptal:
Over 50% Gruner; Zweigelt, Riesling, Pinot Noir
Less humidity with warming and cooling breezes
DAC Gruner or Riesling only
Describe Weinviertal:
Dry
High diurnal range
DAC is Gruner only - most peppery style in Austria
Reserve - min. 13%, oak and/or botrytis grapes allowed (dry wine)
Describe Burgenland:
Flat, warm
Blaufrankish, Zweigelt, Gruner, Welschriesling
Subregions: Neusiedlersee, Leithaberg, Mittelburgenland
Describe Neusiedlersee:
Flat, warm, humid
Consistent noble rot
Welschriesling for TBA style wines
2020: Ruster Ausbruch DAC for TBA wines
Neusiedlersee DAC for red Zweigelt wines
Describe Leithaberg:
Red DAC - min. 85% Blaufrankisch, oak required
White DAC - Weissburgunder, Chard, Gruner, or Neuburger
Describe Mittelburgenland:
Blaufrankisch most common due to warmer climate
DAC, DAC+vineyard, DAC reserve
all min. 85% Blaufrankisch
Describe Steiermark:
Steep hills with terraces
Winter freeze, spring frost, hail (netting used)
Crisp, dry whites
Welschriesling, Sauv Blanc, Weissburgunder
Large diurnal shift
Wine business in Austria:
20% export - Germany most important
Austrian Wine Marketing Board handles promotion
Heurigen important (small inns/taverns for outdoor drinking)
