Austria

Question 1

how is the climate and the grape growing conditions?

Answer 1

1) The alps cover the western parts of austria and consequently the wine producing areas are found at the eastern end of the country
2) a cool continental climate
3) the most northernly regions can experience cooler winds whereas the those closest to the hungarian border are warmed by warmer easterly winds

Question 2

gruner veltliner:

Answer 2

1) high quality grape that has given austria a point of difference in the market
2) it tends to produce fresh, but unexciting wines if yields becomes too high
3) when grown with care it can produce full bodied concentrated wines with naturally high acidity
4) in youth it can give aromas of citrus and stonefruit complemented by a hint of white pepper
- - when ages delayers aromas of honey and toast
5) the most of the producers ferm and matured in stainless steel, but oak is also common
- - some even mature their gr v in barriques

Question 3

Welschriesling:

Answer 3

1) when dry: fresh and symple
2) green apple and high acidity
3) but!!! susceptible for nobel rot so high quality desert wines

Question 4

Riesling:

Answer 4

1) less widely planted and the best examples comes from tfrom Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal
2) mostly dry, with med to full body with a ripe peachy primary fruit character

Question 5

which other white grap varieties are planted in Asutria?

Answer 5

1) Chardonnay
2) Muller Thurgau
3) Sauvignon blanc—- top in sudsteiermark

Question 6

zweigelt:

Answer 6

1) Blaufrankisch x st laurent

2) very deeply coloured wines with soft tannins and bramble fruit

Question 7

Blaufrankisch:

Answer 7

1) the most highly regarded black from austria

2) med tann, high acidity and a peppery sour cherry flavour

Question 8

St Laurent:

Answer 8

1) similar in character as pinot noir
2) oak ageing is common
3) sometimes blended with other uropenean rasses like C.S PN or merlot

Question 9

for PDO wines the four federal states are:

Answer 9

1) Niederostenreich (lower austria north)
2) Burgenland
3) steiermark
4) Wien (vienna)
- — first two accounts for the vast majority of the production

Question 10

Niederösterreich:

Answer 10

1) largest region for both production and export
2) the major vineyards lies on the banks of the Danube and further north towards the slovenian border
3) of the 8 subregions Wachau is one of the most prestigious for dry wines from riesling and gv
- - steep often terraced, south facing vineyards next to the Danube maximise exposure to the sun and allow riesling and gr veltliner to ripen succesfully
4) Wachau has not chosen to become a DAC
- - Kamptal DAC and Kremstal DAC are also very known for its quality and in similar style and quality from either gruner veltliner or riesling

Question 11

Burgenland:

Answer 11

1) east of Austria near the hungarian border
2) well known for its high quality sweet wines and red wines
3) dry wines: chardonnay, welschriesling, pinot blanc gr vel
4) the neusiedlersee a vast shallow (oppervlakkig) lake
that is known for its optimal conditions for its borytisied sweet wines: the grapes are grown on the low laying ground near the lake to benefit from the mist in autumn
– botrytis wines almost every year guarantied
5) the best reds comes from the hills more south away from the lake
- zweigelt is the most planted variety
– blaufrankisch, st laurent, merlot, cab sauv pinot noir
— neusiedlersee is a dac for zweigelt
—-there are 3 dac for blaufrankisch, the largest of which is mittelburgenland

Question 12

austrian wine law:

Answer 12

1) there are 4 federal states and a further 16 smaller areas that qualify for pdo status
2) qualitatswein comes from the 4 federal states and permit 35 different grapevarieties
—– some can have a pradiat like germany:
only these are for med sweet to sweet wines and there are 2 extra:
1) ausbruch; is between BA and TBA
2) Strohwein of schilfwein: grapes are dried during the winter and are laid out on beds of straw or reeds to concentrate the sugars

3) DAC: Districtus Austriae Controllatus