Austria Flashcards
Austria produces _______% of the world’s fine wine.
Less than 1%
Austria Factors of Production
Location: Southeast of Germany and northeast of Italy. The wine growing region is on the eastern edge of the country along with the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary
Climate: The climate is continental with cold winters and very warm summers moderated by the Danube River and its tributaries
Topography: Rolling foothills east of the Alps
Viticulture: Steep terraced vineyards overlooking the Danube River and its tributaries in some areas but also vast plains in lower-lying areas.
Vinification: Austrian wines are either very dry or very sweet as there is no tradition of off-dry styles. New oak is rarely used for whites.
Austria Grape Varieties
Grüner Veltliner Riesling Red only 30% of plantings Zweigelt Blaufränkisch St.-Laurent
What is Wein?
Austrian wines without geographic indication
What is Landwein (PGI)?
Regional wines, rarely exported
What is Qualitätswein (PDO)?
Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) Only specific grapes and wine styles are permitted in these demarcated regions. The focus is on dry wines.
What is Prädikatswein (PDO)?
Similar system to Germany where wines are characterized by ripeness level at harvest. The system is barely used today, aside from the very sweet styles such as BA, TBA and Eiswein
What is Niederösterreich?
Lower Austria and the largest wine-growing region, with many sub-zones along the Danube River and it’s tributaries. The focus is on dry, unoaked, high qualtiy expressions of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.
What are the three sub regions of Niederösterreich?
Kremstal DAC
Kamptal DAC
Wachau
What are the classifications for Wachau dry wines
Steinfeder (up to 11.5% alcohol)
Federspiel (11.5% to 12.5% alcohol)
Smaragd (over 12.5% alcohol)
Which river is most important to Austrian viticulture?
Danube
