Austria Flashcards
The first record of Trockenbeerenauslese in Austria dates back to when?
1526, predating Spätlese in Germany by over 200 years
What viticultural research institute focused attention on grape crossings and higher yields?
At Klosterneuburg, built in 1860
What was a viticultural breakthrough with worldwide ramifications created in the 1950s in Austria?
mechanization of the vineyards followed Dr. Lenz Moser’s development of the wire trellising system
What was 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- Diethylene glycol—a colorless, odorless, poisonous chemical—gave a light wine some added texture
What is antifreeze actually?
ethylene glycol NOT Diethylene glycol
What was Austria’s response to the Antifreeze scandal?
they drafted some of the strictest wine laws in Europe and quickly refocusing on quality
From north to south, what are the four major winemaking regions?
- Niederösterreich
- Wien (Vienna)
- Burgenland
- Styria (Steiermark).
Define weinbaugebiete
winemaking regions
Niederösterreich and Burgenland contain about __% of the country’s vineyards
90
With nearly 30% of the total vineyard acreage, the indigenous Grüner Veltliner is the most cultivated white variety, followed by what?
Welschriesling, Müller Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Riesling, and Chardonnay
Austrian synonyms for Chardonnay?
Morillon and Feinburgunder
What red grapes are planted in Austria?
Zweigelt, followed by Blaufränkisch itself, Blauer Portugieser, and Blauburger
What is Zweigelt?
a Blaufränkisch x St. Laurent crossing developed in Austria in 1922
What is Blauburger?
Blaufränkisch x Blauer Portugieser
What are the 3 levels of quality?
Wein, Landwein, and Qualitätswein
Rules for Qualitätswein, the highest caliber of quality and regional specificity in Austria?
sourced from a single Weinbaugebiete or one of the 16 smaller wine regions and may be produced from one or more of 35 permitted grapes
Qualitätswein must also pass what?
a tasting panel and chemical analysis, indicated by a State Control Number (Prüfnummer)
Qualitätswein wines include what on the bottle?
the red and white banderole on the capsule
What did the generic category of “Wein” replace?
Tafelwein in time for the 2009 vintage
What are the rules for the Wein level?
may carry a vintage date/varietal on the label, but may not exhibit a more exclusive statement of origin than Österreich
Landwein production is restricted to what?
the same 35 varietals permitted for Qualitätswein, but the wines are labeled with one of three broad geographic areas
What are the 3 broad geographic areas (Weinbauregionen) allowed for Landwein?
Weinland, Steierland, or Bergland
For Landwein, the “Weinland” area covers what?
areas defined as Niederösterreich, Wien and Burgenland
For Landwein, the “Steierland” area corresponds to what?
Steiermark
For Landwein, the “Bergland” area corresponds to what?
around 500 ha of vineyard land scattered throughout the remainder of Austria’s mountainous countryside
What do all three levels of quality share?
a maximum yield of 67.5 hl/ha but minimum must weights increase with each level of quality
Qualitätswein may be further subdivided into what 2 categories?
Prädikatswein and Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
Austrian Prädikatswein shares many characteristics of its German counterparts, with what?
a similar progression of late harvest designations and a typically sweeter profile
What min. alcohol is required for wines labeled by prädikat?
5%
In Austria, Kabinett wines are considered a subset of what?
Qualitätswein rather than a beginning rung on the ladder of Prädikatswein
Even at the Kabinett level winemakers are prohibited from practicing what?
both chaptalization and the addition of Süssreserve
Austria’s Prädikatswein hierarchy includes the additional categories of what?
strohwein and ausbruch
What is strohwein?
a dried grape wine of at least Beerenauslese ripeness
What is ausbruch?
a sweet specialty of Rust in Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
Most of Austria’s lusciously sweet wines are produced where?
around the lake of Neusiedlersee in Burgenland
The vast majority of the country’s white wines are what?
fermented dry
Dry wines are the focus of what?
the DAC system
What is 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/Italian systems
From the 2013 vintage onward, what 9 DACs have been developed?
- Weinviertel (2002)
- Mittelburgenland (2005)
- Traisental (2006)
- Kremstal (2007)
- Kamptal (2008)
- Leithaberg (2009)
- Eisenberg (2010)
- Neusiedlersee (2012)
- Wiener Gemischter Satz (2013)
Each DAC prescribes what?
limited grape varietals, minimum alcohol content and stylistic choices for the producer
Niederösterreich, or Lower Austria, is the largest what?
winegrowing region in the county
Niederösterreich contains what?
twice the planted vineyard area of the next leading Weinbaugebiete, Burgenland
In southern Niederösterreich, the alpine terrain that characterizes western and central Austria yields to what?
The Pannonian Plain
What is The Pannonian Plain?
a former seabed of loess soils stretching from eastern Austria through Hungary and many countries of the former eastern bloc
What is the climate of Niederösterreich?
continental- hot, dry summers and severe winters; the seasonal divide is much more pronounced than in many of the milder winegrowing climates of Western Europe.
Most of Niederösterreich’s subzones are located where?
along the path of the Danube River (and its tributaries) as it cuts through the region; Weinviertel and Thermenregion provide the exceptions
What are the 8 subzones of Niederösterreich?
- Weinviertel
- Carnuntum
- Traisental
- Wagram
- Kremstal
- Kamptal
- Wachau
- Thermenregion
What is Niederösterreich’s largest subzone and was Austria’s first DAC?
Weinviertel
Where is Weinviertel located?
in the hills north of the Danube and the Pannonian Plain and provides a fresher, lighter wine in this cooler climate
Weinviertel DAC wines must be what?
Grüner Veltliner, with a minimum alcohol of 12%
What must Weinviertel DAC wines show in a tasting panel to be approved?
” fruity, spicy, peppery; no Botrytis note; no wood tone”
What debuted in Weinviertel in 2009?
A Reserve category
Reserve category wines in Weinviertel are what?
fuller-bodied wines, min 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 what?
regulations
Traisental, Kamptal, and Kremstal DACs may be produced from what?
Grüner Veltliner or Riesling, labeled Classic or Reserve, min alcohol content of 12% or 13%.
Traisental, Kamptal, and Kremstal DAC wines may not exhibit what in the Classic examples?
no obvious notes of either botrytis or wood
How do Grüner varietal wines from Traisental, Kamptal, and Kremstal DAC differ from their neighboring Weinviertel?
they show a more delicate spice, rather than the pungent white pepper of Weinviertel
Where are Kremstal and Kamptal 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 where?
in the Kamptal
What nearby vineyards of Langenlois in the Kamptal are highly regarded?
Heiligenstein, Lamm, and Dechant vineyards
While Austrian single vineyard wines are labeled in the German fashion, with the village and vineyard name, many producers observe the old custom of what?
replacing the village with the word Ried, indicating a top site
In 2010, 52 top sites throughout Kremstal, Kamptal, Wagram and Traisental were elevated to what?
The status of Erste Lage by the Österreichischen Traditionsweingüter
What is the Österreichischen Traditionsweingüter?
an association of producers founded in 1992. Although the classification does not yet have legal status, the organization is closely aligning itself to the DAC concept
What varieties are permitted to carry the Austrian Erste Lage logo?
only Grüner Veltliner and Riesling
Key Producers of Kamptal DAC?
Schloss Gobelsberg, Bründlmayer, Brandl, Hirsch, Hiedler
Key Producers of Carnuntum?
Muhr-van der Niepoort, Gerhard Markowitsch, Glatzer
Key Producers of Kremstal DAC?
Stadt Krems, Nigl
Key producer in the Thermenregion?
Johanneshof Reinisch
Key Producers of Traisental DAC?
Markus Huber, Ludwig Neumayer
Key Producers of the Wachau?
Emmerich Knoll, Franz Hirtzberger, Rudi Pichler, FX Pichler, Prager
Key Producers of the Wagram?
Stift Klosterneuburg, Bernhard Ott, Wimmer-Czerny, Leth
Key Producers of Weinviertel DAC?
R & A Schwarzböck, Pfaffl
What is Niederösterreich’s westernmost subregion?
the Wachau
The Wachau is a narrow band of what?
steep slopes between Melk and Krems along the banks of the Danube, which moderates the otherwise severe continental climate.
What enables the Wachau wines to retain high natural acidity?
The river and cool northern winds chill the summer nights significantly
In the style of the Mosel, much of the Wachau’s best vineyard land encompasses what?
terraced slopes on the north bank of the river
What is the soil structure of the Wachau?
a combination of loess and gföhler (gneiss), with a proportion of alluvial sand in the lower vineyard sites near the river’s edge
The unique climate, soil, and aspect of the Wachau yield Austria’s most what?
extracted, ageworthy white wines; Grüner Veltliner/Riesling
Instead of the typical Prädikatswein hierarchy, producers in the Wachau have developed their own categories of classification:
Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd
What does the Steinfeder category entail?
(a local grass found in the vineyards) is the lightest style, with a min must weight of 15° KMW and a max alcohol of 11.5%
What does the Federspiel category entail?
(a falconer’s tool) has a min must weight of 17° KMW and a final alcohol range of 11.5%-12.5%.
What does the Smaragd category entail?
(an emerald lizard who basks on the terraces) has a min alcohol of 12.5%, min must weight of 19° KMW—the approximate equivalent of 95° Öchsle, or Spätlese ripeness
Wachau Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd wines must be what?
dry
Smaragd wines can reach what?
high alcohol levels, and show a high degree of extract
Inevitably Smaragd wines can display what?
tones of botrytis
What is home to the some of the Wachau’s most pedigreed vines?
The vineyard of Achleiten, in the village of Weissenkirchen
What trio are amongst the Wachau’s finest estates?
FX Pichler, Prager, and Emmerich Knoll
FX Pichler, Prager, and Emmerich Knoll are all members of what organization?
Vinea Wachau
What is Vinea Wachau?
an organization of estates sworn to uphold the tenets of natural winemaking as spelled out in the Codex Wachau
What are the tenets of the Codex Wachau?
- no additives (including chaptalization)
- no aromatization (including the use of new barrique)
- no “fractionation” (techniques such as de-alcoholization)
All wines released by members of the Vinea Wachau must be what?
bottled in the region and vinified from grapes grown in the Wachau
Founded in 1983, the Vinea Wachau members control what?
more than 85% of the region’s vineyard acreage
To the east of Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal is the region of what?
Wagram
What was the Wagram known as prior to 2007?
Donauland
The Wagram follows the course of the __ as it passes out of ___.
Danube, Vienna
Grüner Veltliner is the main grape of the Wagram, but what is a specialty?
Roter Veltliner, an unrelated red grape produced as a white wine
What lies within eastern Wagram?
The institute at Klosterneuburg
____ and ____ are both located south of Vienna
Carnuntum, Thermenregion
Far from the Danube, Thermenregion experiences what?
the full force of the hot Pannonian summers
What rare white grapes are cultivated in the Thermenregion?
Rotgipfler and Zierfandler, produced varietally or as the blended Spätrot-Rotgipfler
Carnuntum’s climate is similar to what?
that of sunny, neighboring Burgenland
Carnuntum production is oriented towards what?
red wines, particularly Zweigelt
What are still popular in Carnuntum?
Gemischter Satz
Where are Austria’s best red and sweet white wines produced?
Burgenland, the other half of Weinland Österreich
What does Burgenland border and share many viticultural and climactic traits with?
Hungary, regions such as Sopron
The hot continental, Pannonian climate in Burgenland is tempered by what?
the cooling influence of the Neusiedlersee
What is the Neusiedlersee?
a large, shallow lake dividing the subzones of Neusiedlersee and Neusiedlersee-Hügelland to the west
What are the other two subzones of Burgenland located in the south?
Mittelburgenland and Südburgenland
As of the 2011 vintage, Burgenland claims what 4 DAC zones?
- Mittelburgenland
- Leithaberg
- Eisenberg
- Neusiedlersee
What does Mittelburgenland DAC produce?
red wines from Blaufränkisch
Mittelburgenland DAC Blaufränkisch ageing requirements?
March 1 in the year following the harvest, min alc- 12.5%
Reserve- additional year, min alcohol 13%
Although many producers in the region are experimenting with barriques, the Mittelburgenland DAC regulations stipulate what?
large casks or used wood in the event of barrique-aging
Where is Leithaberg located?
in the district of Eisenstadt within Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
What was the first DAC to allow both red and white wines?
Leithaberg
What may Leithaberg DAC whites be?
blends or single varietals produced from GV, Chard, Neuburger, or Weissburgunder
What are Leithaberg DAC red wines composed of?
min 85% Blaufränkisch, with stipulations similar to those of Mittelburgenland on new wood.
Where is Eisenberg located?
Südburgenland
What are the Eisenberg DAC red wines produced from?
Blaufränkisch
What is Blaufränkisch known as in Germany?
Lemberger
What is Blaufränkisch known as in Hungary?
Kékfrankos
Describe the profile of Blaufränkisch
medium weight, with supple texture, deep color and spicy red and black fruit flavors
What is Burgenland’s most exciting and most planted red grape?
Blaufränkisch
What other red grape has significant acreage in Burgenland?
Zweigelt
What is Zweigelt’s parent that is being cultivated with increasing frequency?
the thin-skinned, low-tannin St. Laurent
Where does the Alois Kracher estate lie?
In the village of Illmitz in Neusiedlersee
What wines does Aloiz Kracher make?
eiswein, BA and TBA bottlings
What is among Scheurebe’s finest expressions to date?
The late Alois Kracher’s TBA Scheurebe
On the opposite shore, in Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, is what town, famous for the production of ausbruch?
Rust
What is ausbruch?
a traditional sweet wine dating to the 17th century
Grapes destined for ausbruch are harvested at what?
a minimum 27° KMW (approximately 138°Öchsle)
How does production of ausbruch bear similarities to the process of 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 were traditionally used in Ruster Ausbruch?
Furmint grapes
What grapes are used in modern Ruster Ausbruch?
Chardonnay, Muskateller, Pinot Blanc, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Traminer and Pinot Gris
Neusiedlersee gained DAC status in 2012 for what?
Classic and Reserve red wines based on Zweigelt
Where is Styria, or Steiermark?
a mountainous region to the south of Burgenland
What are the 3 subregions of Styria?
- Südsteiermark
- Weststeiermark
- Südoststeiermark
What region contains approximately 9% of the nation’s vineyards, and there are no DAC zones as of 2010?
Styria
What is Styria’s most cultivated varietal?
Welschriesling, a grape unrelated (and inferior) to the noble Riesling, followed by Weissburgunder
What performs especially well in the Südsteiermark?
Sauvignon Blanc
What producer is a leading light in Südsteiermark?
Manfred Tement, excelling with both unoaked and barrique-aged versions of SB
In the Weststeiermark, what ancient grape comprises over 95% of the red grape acreage and is often vinified as Schilcher?
Blauer Wildbacher
What is Schilcher?
a racy style of local rosé
Where does Wien lie?
on the Danube River
What Niederösterreich subzones surround Wien on 3 sides?
Thermenregion, Carnuntum, Weinviertel, and Wagram
With over 700 ha of vines, Wien is the only capital city in Europe to have what?
its own wine appellation within city limits
What is commonly produced by Viennese winemakers, as is heuriger?
Gemischter Satz
What is Gemischter Satz?
a nouveau wine consumed in its infancy in taverns of the same name
Wien DAC wines are what?
white and produced from a blend of at least 3 varieties.
Wiener (Viennese) Gemischter Satz received its own DAC when?
for the 2013 vintage
What is Sturm?
The even-fresher Sturm—a half-fermented, sparkling grape juice—usually accompanies harvest-time meals
