Austria Flashcards
What is a ‘trinkstuben’?
Wine rooms where the proprietors are able to serve wine of their own production. Early tasting rooms? Started with the opening of the Seitzerkeller in 1327 Vienna
In what centuries did Austrian viticulture peak?
The 15th and 16th centuries - totally 3x of what’s under vine today
What is the “Luther Wine”?
An officially documented top-grade desert wine produced in Donnerskirchen for the first time in 1526. Most likely a TBA.
The ruling prince purchased a large cask in 1653 of which the last drop was finally drunk in 1852.
What was the ‘Josephinisiche Zirkularverordnung’?
The 1784 decree from Emperor Joseph II that granted every individual the privilege of selling or serving food, wine, and cider at all times of the year and at any price they choose - this gave way to the rise of the Heurigen and Buschenschanken.
When was the oldest viticultural college in the world founded and in what town?
Klosterneuberg - 1860
In what years did oidium, peronospora, and phylloxera arrive in Austria?
Oidium - 1850
Phylloxera - 1872
Peronospora - 1878
When did the first Austrian wine law go into effect and what did it cover?
1907: it listed the techniques permitted in winemaking and forbid the fabrication of artificial wines
What year did Austria as we know it take shape and with what event?
1918 with the collapse of the Hapsberg monarchy
Who created Rotburger and when? What is it a crossing of and what is it more commonly known as?
Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt in 1922
- A crossing of Blaufrankisch and Sankt Laurent
- known as Blauer Zweigelt
What year did Austria enter the EU, adopting the wine law of the EU?
1995
What year did an amendment to the wine law in Austria establish the DAC system? What was the first DAC and in what vintage?
The amendment established the DAC system in 2001
The first DAC appeared with the 2002 Weinvertel DAC - a dry and ‘typical’ style of Gruner Veltliner for the designated area
In what year was Austria’s first red wine of designated origin released? What was it, what vintage, and where was it from?
2005 red from Mittelburgenland, released in 2006. This is also the first time DAC wines are arranged into Klassik and Reserve categories.
What is the first Austrian wine to be awarded 100 Parker Points and in what year?
1995 Nikolaihof “Vinothek’ Riesling- awarded in 2014
Austria has 9 ‘generic’ wine growing regions. Name the 4 most important of these. Bonus points for naming the 5 not important ones (for geography’s sake).
Important: Niederösterreich, Burgenland, Steiermark, Wien (Vienna)
Not Important: Karnten, Oberösterreich, Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg
What are Niederosterreich’s 8 specified wine growing regions?
- Wachau
- Kamptal
- Kremstal
- Wagram
- Traisental
- Weinviertel
- Carnuntum
- Thermenregion
What are Burgenland’s 5 specified wine growing regions?
- Neusiedlersee
- Leithaburg
- Rosalia
- Mittelburgenland
- Eisenberg
What are Steiermark’s 3 specified wine growing regions?
- Vulkanland Steiermark
- Sudsteiermark
- Weststeiermark
What is landwein from Wien marketed as?
Weinland
What are Vienna’s 2 specified wine growing areas?
Wien
Wien Gemischter Satz
Which 4 of Austria’s specified wine growing areas do not yet carry DAC status? What are their focal varieties and what does this mean for their varietal choice?
Wachau: Riesling, Gruner
Thermenregion: Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Sankt Laurent, Pinot Noir
Wagram: Gruner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner
Carnuntum: Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch
*this means that they can be bottled by said region but theoretically produce Qualitatswein from 40 varieties
What does DAC stand for?
Districtus Austriae Controllatus
What is Gebietswein?
Regional wine - the lowest tier of DAC wine
Ex: Weinviertel DAC OR Mittelburgenland DAC, with no further place designation
What is Ortswein?
Village level wine within the DAC system
Ex: Sudsteiermark DAC Kitzeck-Sausal (has a communal or grosslage designation attached to the DAC statement)
What is Riedenwine?
Single Vineyard wine within the DAC system
Ex: Kamptal DAC Ried Zobinger Heiligenstein
(DAC + Commune/Grosslage + Single Vineyard)
What is the most narrowly defined designation of origin in the DAC tier?
Riedenwein
List the general wine growing areas in order of highest plantings to lowest: Wien, Burgenland, Seiermark, Niederosterreich. Bonus points for naming an approximate number of hectares for each.
Niederosterreich: 28,145ha
Burgenland: 13,100ha
Steiermark: 4633ha
Wien: 637ha
Name the 13 DACs.
- Kamptal
- Kremstal
- Traisental
- Wagram
- Weinviertel
- Wiener Gemischter Satz
- Leithaberg
- Rosalia
- Neusiedlersee
- MIttelburgenland
- Vulkanland Steiermark
- Eisenberg
- Sudsteiermark
What scale is used in Austria to measure must weight? How does it work?
Klosterneuburger Mostwaage
Developed by Baron Von Babo in 1896. Indicates the density of sugar content as a percentage… 1 °KMW = 1% Sugar
What is ‘Aufbessern’ and ‘Anreichern”?
The chaptalisation or enrichment of must. Permitted limit is 2% of volume.
What is the conversion rate from KMW to Oechsle?
1° KMW = 5° Oeschle approximately
What is the Traubenmost?
Grape must
What is Sturm? What are its 3 official areas of origin?
Partially fermented grape must
(means ‘storm’, taking its name from the stormy cloudiness of the still fermenting must). It is defined by the fact that it is sold for consumption still fermenting.
*Weinland, Steierland, Bergland
What is Perlwein? What parameters define it?
- Between 1 and 2.5 bars pressure
- Bottled and filled in a container with a max content of 60 liters
- Must exhibit at least 9% abv
- CO2 can be natural or added- if added, is labelled as such
What is Schaumwein? What parameters define it?
Designates sparkling wine made via primary or secondary fermentation, containing at least 3 bars pressure and 8.5% alcohol
73 Ochlse ° is how many KMW?
84 °? 94°? 105°? 127°?
15 17.1 19 21 25
Convert these KMW points to Oeschle: 15 17.1 19 21 25
73° 84° 94° 105° 127°
Name 5 methods that can be used to make Schaumwein?
Methode Rural (Asti/primary ferment) Methode Ancestral (pet nat) Methode Champenois (secondary) Charmat (Secondary) Transfer Method (Secondary)
What would the term ‘Bergwein’ designate on a label?
Wine from a hillside vineyard with more than 26% slope
What parameters define Österreichischer Sekt and Sekt g.U?
At least 3.5 bar pressure
If using either designation, must be from the 40 permissible grape varieties
What is the minimum KMW° for Wein, Landwein, Qualitatswein? What is the minimum alcohol and tartaric acid for all?
10
14
15
*min 8.5% alc; min 4 g/l tartaric acid
What 5 criteria must an Austrian wine labelled as Kabinett meet?
- min. 17° KMW
- no chaptalisation
- Max. 9 g/l unfermented sugar
- 13% max potential alcohol
- no sweetening of the wine has taken place
What does Pradikatswein mean to Austria?
Pradikatswein are Qualitatswein produced according to specific levels of ripeness and/or harvesting and processing. Pradikatswein can be labelled by region (Burgenland) or any designated area that isn’t a DAC (Wachau)
What is the Mostwagerbescheinigung?
A wine inspection certificate confirming the quality of harvested grapes for Qualitatswein
Define Spatlese according to the Austrian Pradikat system?
Perfectly ripe grapes
Min. must weight at 19° (aka 94.2° O)
Define Auslese according to the Austrian Pradikat system?
- Selection of grapes… must be fully ripe and not spoiled/diseased
- min. must weight of 21° KMW (105° O)
Define Beerenauslese according to the Austrian Pradikat system?
- wine from overripe and botrytis-affected grapes
- min. must weight 25° KMW (127.3° O)
Define Eiswein according to the Austrian Pradikat system?
Wine produced from grapes harvested while solidly frozen and pressed while still frozen
- min. must weight of 25° KMW (127.3° O)
Define Strohwein/Wchilfwein according to the Austrian pradikat system?
Wine produced from fully ripe and sugar-rich grapes that were dried on mats of reed or straw - or hung - for a minimum of 3 months prior to vinification.
- min must weight of 25° KMW (127.3° O)
Define Trockenbeerenauslese according to the Austrian Pradikat system?
Wine produced from late-harvested grapes predominately affected by botrytis and extremely shriveled
- min must weight 30° KMW (156°O)
What TBA wine is produced in the free city of Rust?
Ausbruch
What does the term Hauersekt indicate?
That tirage, disgorgement and expedition are performed by the grape grower
What 5 parameters define an Austrian Sekt Klassik?
- grapes are all from 1 federal state
- min 9 months on lees
- not released pre Oct 22 of next year
- extant alcohol is stated on label, max 12.5%
- Mandatory indicativo of federal state as the PDO w/out a more detailed geographic designation
What 7 parameters define an Austrian Reserve Sekt?
- harvest/pressing at a max yield of 60% and from 1 federal state
- manual harvest/whole cluster pressing
- min 18 months on lees
- must be traditional method
- not released before Oct 22 of 2nd year
- no more than 12 g/l RS
- must state PDO w/out further geo designation