Austria Flashcards
What river runs through Vienna?
Danube
What scandal happened in 1985 in Austria that changed the face of the Austrian wine industry?
The anti-freeze scandal. Diethylene glycol—a colorless, odorless, poisonous chemical— was added to wine to give a light wine some added texture. There was a huge international backlash, of course
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.
What are Austria’s 4 major wine making regions?
Austria’s 4 major winemaking regions (weinbaugebiete) are Niederösterreich, Wien (Vienna), Burgenland, and Styria (Steiermark).
Niederösterreich and Burgenland contain about 90% of the country’s vineyards
Morillon and Feinburgunder are synonyms for which grape?
Chardonnay
What is the most planted grape in Austria?
The indigenous Grüner Veltliner is the most cultivated white variety at 31% of total acreage, followed by:
Welschriesling Müller Thurgau Weißburgunder Riesling Chardonnay
What are Zweigelt’s parents?
Blaufrankisch X St. Laurent
Zweigelt was developed in 1922 and is the most planted red grape
What are the most planted red grapes in Austria?
Zwegeilt
Blaufränkisch
Blauer Portugieser
Blauburger (Blauer Portugieser x Blaufränkisch)
Are reds or whites more planted in Austria?
As of 2015, 67% of Austrian plantings were white
What are the 3 levels of Austrian wine?
Wein, Landwein, and Qualitätswein
What does a red and white banderole on the bottle’s capsule indicate?
An Austrian Qualitatswein
What are the necessary requirements to qualify as a qualitatswein?
- Sourced from a single Weinbaugebiete or one of the 16 smaller wine regions and may be produced from one or more of 36 permitted grapes
- must pass a tasting panel and chemical analysis, indicated by a State Control Number (Prüfnummer)
- must have the red and white banderole on the bottle’s capsule
How much of Austrian wine is produces at the Qualitatswein level?
2/3
What are the 3 broad geographic areas allowed for labeling Austrian Landwein?
Weinland, Steierland, or Bergland
Weinland covers the areas defined as Niederösterreich, Wien and Burgenland.
Steierland corresponds to Steiermark.
Bergland includes around 500 ha of vineyard land scattered throughout the remainder of Austria’s mountainous countryside.
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.
What is the min ABV for Austrian wines labeled pradikat?
5% abv
What is Süssreserve
A portion of selected unfermented grape must, free of microorganisms, to be added to wine as a sweetening component.
At the Kabinett level of Austrian wine is Süssreserve and/or chaptalization permitted?
No
What is strohwein?
A dried grape wine of at least Beerenauslese ripeness.
What is Ausbruch?
Ausbruch is a sweet specialty of Rust, a free city on the western shore of Neusiedlersee
Around which lake are the majority of Austria’s sweet wines produced.
Around the lake of Neusiedlersee in Burgenland
What type of wines are the focus of the Austrian DAC System?
Dry wines
How many DACs are there in Austria?
As of 2018 there are 13 DACs in Austria
What do DACs regulate?
Each DAC prescribes limited grape varietals, minimum alcohol content and stylistic choices for the producer.
What are the 13 Austrian DACs?
Weinviertel (2002) Mittelburgenland (2005) Traisental (2006) Kremstal (2007) Kamptal (2008) Leithaberg (2009) Eisenberg (2010) Neusiedlersee (2012) Wiener Gemischter Satz (2013) Rosalia (2018) Vulkanland Steiermark (2018) Südsteiermark (2018) Weststeiermark (2018)
What are the three levels of Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin?
Klassik, Reserve, or Grosse Reserve
At what level of Austrian Sekt is traditional method mandated?
Reserve and Grosse Reserve
Klassik can be tank or traditional method
When did Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin become a legal category?
2016
What are the sourcing and aging requirements for klassik, Reserve and Grosse Reserve?
Klassik: 9 mos on lees, traditional or charmat method, grapes sourced from Austria’s federal states
Reserve: 18 mos on lees, traditiontional method only, grapes sourced from Austrias federal states. May be vintage labeled. Can only be Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature
Grosse Reserve: 30 mos on lees. Not released until 3 years after harvest. Traditional method only.
Grapes sourced from single wine village, and hand harvesting is required. Vintage and village can be labeled on bottle. Max 12g RS allowed, so only Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
What does Hauersekt indicate?
On an Austrian sekt, it indicates the wine is made by the grape grower, like that of a recoltant manipulant.
Hauersekt must also list the village/vineyard, grape variety, and vintage
What must appear on the bottles of Austrian Sek with Protected Designation of origin that differentiates it from regular Austrian Sekt?
Bottles must carry the official seal on the capsule with the words Geschützter Ursprung, geprüfte Qualität, meaning “protected designation of origin and certified quality.”
What is the largest wine growing region in Austria?
Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
It contains twice the planted vineyard area of the next leading Weinbaugebiete, Burgenland
What are the 8 sub zones of Niederosterreich?
Weinviertel, Carnuntum, Traisental, Wagram, Kremstal, Kamptal, Wachau, and Thermenregion.
What is Niederösterreich largest sub-zone and Austria’s first DAC?
Weinviertel
What varietal and style of Wine is permitted to be made in Weinviertel?
Gruner Vetliner, 12% min ABV - must be approved by tasting panel
A reserve wine is allowed as of 2009 that allows for a fuller bodied Gruner vetliner with notes of wood and botrytis and needs a min ABV of 13%
What are the production requirements for Traisental, Kremstal and Kamptal?
Similar to Weinviertal. They can produce from Gruner Vetliner or Riesling and can be Classic or Reserve with a corresponding min ABV of 12% or 13%
What rivers are Kremstal and Kamptal located on?
The Krems and Kamp, respectively. Both are tributaries of the Danube
What is Langenlois and where is it located?
Langenlois is one of Austria’s most important wine villages located in the Kamptal region.
The nearby villages Heiligenstein, Lamm, and Dechant vineyards are highly regarded
What does the word Ried indicate on an Austrian wine label?
A top site. It is a traditional labeling that replaces village name on the label.