Austria

Question 1

What percentage of the world’s wines are from Austria?

Answer 1

Less than 1%, but quality is exceptionally high.

Question 2

Where is Austria located?

Answer 2

Central Europe.
Southeast of Germany.
Northeast of Italy.

Question 3

What covers a majority of the western part of Austria?

Answer 3

The Alps.

Question 4

Where are a majority of vineyards planted in Austria?

Answer 4

The eastern edge of the country along the borders of Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.

Question 5

What is the climate in Austria?

Answer 5

Continental.

Cold winters, very warm summers.

Question 6

What moderates the climate in Austria?

Answer 6

The Danube River and its tributaries.

Question 7

What is the topography of Austria?

Answer 7

Rolling foothills east of the Alps.

Question 8

What are the primary grape varietals of Austrias?

Answer 8

Gruner Veltliner, Riesling (white)

Zweiglt, Blaufrankish, St. Laurent (red)

Question 9

What are the percentages of wine styles made in Austria?

Answer 9

White wine = 70%

Red wine = 30%

Question 10

What is the viticulture of Austria?

Answer 10

Steep, terraced vineyards overlooking Danube.

Some vineyards planted on vast planes in lower lying areas.

Question 11

How are most Austrian wines fermented?

Answer 11

Either dry or very sweet.

New oak rarely used for whites.

Question 12

What is the important river that runs through Austria’s wine regions?

Answer 12

Danube River.

Question 13

What are the four main regions of Austria?

Answer 13

Niederosterreich (“Lower Austria”
Wien
Burgenland
Styria

Question 14

What are the three important sub-regions of Nierderosterreich?

Answer 14

Kremstal DAC
Kamptal DAC
Wachau

Question 15

Where is Kremstal DAC located?

Answer 15

Niederosterreich

in the valley of the Krems River

Question 16

Where is Kamptal DAC located?

Answer 16

Niederosterreich

ithe valley of the Kamp River

Question 17

Where is Wachau located?

Answer 17

Niederosterreich

on a narrow band of steep slopes on the banks of the Danube

Question 18

What region is home to some of Austria’s best vineyards?

Answer 18

Wachau

Question 19

What are the three categories of

the Wachau dry wine classification?

Answer 19

Steinfeider
Federspiel
Smaragd

Question 20

Steinfeider classification:

Answer 20

11.5% maximum alcohol

Named for local grass in vineyards.

Question 21

Federspiel classification:

Answer 21

11.5%-12.5% alcohol.

Named for a falconer’s tool.

Question 22

Smaragd classification:

Answer 22

12.5% minimum alcohol

Named for emerald lizard that suns itself in the vineyards.

Question 23

What are wines without geographic indication called in Austria?

Answer 23

Wein.

Question 24

What are the levels of EU Wine Classification

of wines from Austria?

Answer 24

Landwein (PGI) - Regional wines

Qualitatswein (PDO)
- DAC: Terroir based system of quality similar to the AOC or DOC. Only specific grapes/wines are permitted here with a focus on dry wines.

Pradikatswein (PDO)
- Similar system to Germany, ripeness at harvest, rarely used aside from BA/TBA/Eiswein (sweet wines).

Question 25

What is Landwein (PGI) in Austria?

Answer 25

Regional wines

Question 26

What is Qualitatswein (PDO) in Austria?

Answer 26

A terroir based system of quality similar to the AOC or DOC. The sub set for Austria is the DAC and has a focus on dry wines.

Question 27

What is the Pradikatswein (PDO) in Austria?

Answer 27

A similar system to what Germany uses, but is rarely used except for sweet wines (TBA, BA, Eiswein).