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WSET 4 > Austria > Flashcards

Austria Flashcards

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1
Q

History of winemaking in Austria

A

Cistercian monks 10-12th century brought Burgundian wine culture and helped establish terraced hills in Wachau

1900 first law was established (prohibiting hybrids)

1970’ scadal - antifreeze agent to increase alcohol and sweetness

Exports dropped by 30%

Re-establish reputation for premium wines

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2
Q

Climate

A

Cool continental

Cool northerly winds (northern vineyards)

Warm Adriatic influence (Steiemark)

Pannonian climate (Burgenland -east)

Cool breezes from Alps (vineyards on Danube - west)

Spring frost issues

Hail in Steiemark

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3
Q

Soil Austria

A

2 main types:

Thin soil over rock (granite or gneiss - crystaline bedrock material known as Urgestein) - Riesling

Richer soils such as loess (Gruner)

Some volcanic material around Steiemark and Kamptal

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4
Q

Traditional training system for high production

A

Lenz Moser

Cordon trained to hight of 1.4m (wider rows to avoid shading)

allows for mechanization and little maintenance

Replaced by Guyot (single or double) with VSP

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5
Q

Irrigation

A

May be required in some drier regions such as Niederosterreich

Low disease pressure

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6
Q

Rainfall

A

Low disease pressure

Between 450 and 850

Irrigation may be required in some places

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7
Q

Maximum yield through Austria

A

67.5 hl/ha

average 52 hl7ha

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8
Q

Gruner Veltliner

A

31% of plantings

Does not thrive on dry soils
Suitable on clay or loess

Vigorious (required good canopy management)

Thick skins (can be very phenolic after skin contact)

Med+ (high) acidity
Typically unoaked
Citrus, green fruit, peach, pepper

Suitable for ageing

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9
Q

Welchriesling

A

Not related to Riesling

High acidity
Neutral aromatics, no oak

Usually made into fresh wine for early drinking

Thin skins suitable for desset wines
Pronounced tropical fruit aroma and high acidity with ability to develop in bottle

Also used for Sekt

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10
Q

Riesling

A

only over 4%

mainly Niederosterreich

Warm sites on thin soils

Almost always full bodied with med alcohol, ripe stone fruit, high acidity

Becoming nutty, honeyed, petrol notes

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11
Q

Zweigelt

A

Most planted black variety (14%)

Crossing of Sankt Laurent and Blaurankisch (ripens earlier and more easily, can be high yielding)

Vigorous

Potassium defficiency can lead to withenig of grapes before they ripen - loss of crop

Not susceptible to frost or rot

Med+ (high) tannins
Red fruit (cherry)
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12
Q

Blaufrankisch

A

Med+ (high) tannins
Deep colour
Black fruit
Ageworthy

Buds early (vulnerable to frost) Ripens late (needs warmth)

Thick skin - not prone to rot

Can overproduce (green aromas)

Burgenland (Leithaberg DAC, Mittelburgenland DAC)

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13
Q

Sankt Laurent

A

deep ruby colour

Medium tannins

Red cherry

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14
Q

White winemaking

A

Mostly to preserve primary fruit

short period of skin contact (aroma)

Ferment in neutral vessel

Temperature control

Gruner and Riesling usually do not go through malo

Stored in old wood or steel

Leaving on fine lees for six months or longer (texture)

Dry styles

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15
Q

Red winemaking

A

Large open-top with punch down or pump overs

Stored in stainless or old oak 300-600L or larger to soften tannins without extracting oak

Some aged in barriques

Some use acacia (oxygenation without vanilla flavours)

Lots of experimenting

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16
Q

Austrian wine law

A

Mix of Germanic and Romanic system linked to origin (DAC - Districtus Austriae Controlatus)

EU rules (PDO and PGI)

  • Taffelwein - without GI
  • Landwein - with PGI
  • Qualitatswein (including Pradikatswein) - PDO (undergoes govenment inspection)

Tafelwein and Landwein only 12%

Within Qualitatswein

  • Klassik (vintage declared, showing varietal character)
  • Reserve (dry, min 13%, typically harvested and released later)

Pradikatswein (based on must weight and time of harvest)

  • Kabinet is not included in Austria
  • Spatlese
  • Auslese
  • Beerenauslese
  • Trockenbeerenauslese
  • TBA in Rust - labelled Ausbruch
  • Eiswein
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17
Q

Ausbruch

A

Trockenbeerenauslese in Rust

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18
Q

Pradikatswein in Austria

A

Kabinet is not included in Austria

  • Spatlese
  • Auslese
  • Beerenauslese
  • Trockenbeerenauslese
  • TBA in Rust - labelled Ausbruch
  • Eiswein
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19
Q

Regionaly typical Qualitatswein - DAC

A

Promoting regional typicity (not guarantee of quality)

Only specific grapes for each DAC

Tasted by pannel (untypical wines are regected)

New-ware wines might not be eligible even though their quality is high

Regional (Gebietswein)
Village (Ortswein)
Single vineyard (Riedenwein)

20
Q

Gebietswein

A

Regional appelation

21
Q

Ortswein

A

Village

22
Q

Riedenwein

A

Single vineyard

23
Q

Regional wine

A

Gebietswein

24
Q

Village wine

A

Ortswein

25
Q

Single vineyard wine

A

Riedenwein

26
Q

2 important grower associations

A

Osterreichische Traditionsweinguter (OTW)

Vinea Wachau

27
Q

Osterreichische Traditionsweinguter (OTW)

A

Group of producers form Kemptal, Kremstal, Traisental, Wagram, Vienna and Carnuntrum

Classified their vineyards as Burgundy based on soil and climate

Single vineyard wines use Erste Lage Logo

28
Q

Vinea Wachau

A

Classified single vineyards based on soil and climate

Registered trademarks for white wine:

  • Steinfeder (fruity, dry, min 11.5%)
  • Federspiel (more concentrated, up to 12.5%)
  • Smaragd (concentrated, dry, ripe fruit aroma, min. 12.5%)
29
Q

4 Main regions in Austria

A

Niederosterreich

Burgenland

Steiemark

Wien

30
Q

Sub regions in Niederosterreich

A

Wachau

Kremstal

Kamptal

Wagram

Weinviertel

Thermenregion

31
Q

Wachau

A

Along north bank of Danube

Steep terraces (best south facing) retain heat and radiate it back at night

Danube reflects heat

Riesling on gneiss soils, Gruner on loess soils

only around 460mm of rain - irrigation often necessary

In some years noble rot develops (humidity from Danube)

Almost exclusively premium wines

no DAC

F.X. Pichler, Franz Hirtzberger
Domaine Wachau co-op

32
Q

Expression of Vinea Wachau classified wies

A

Dry (less than 9g/l of RS)

citrus, stone fruit, tropical fruit (Smaragd)

Light to full bodied

Sometimes above 14% alcohol for Gruner

No oak influence

Medium + (high) acidity

Can improve with bottle age

33
Q

Kremstal

A

Influenced by warm Pannonian plain

DAC only for Gruner and Riesling

Reds (not DAC) labelled Niederosterreich from Zweigelt - fruity, easy style with minimal oak

Salomon Undhof, Lenz Moser
co-op Weingut Stadt Krems

34
Q

Kamptal

A

River Kamp flowing through

50% Gruner (then Zweigelt and Riesling)

Influenced by warm Pannonian plain and cold air from Bohemian Massif.

Large diurnal range - high level of acidity

DAC only Gruner and Riesling (reds labelled Niederosterreich)

Fruity easy Zweigelt

Brundlmayer, Hirsch

35
Q

Wagram

A

Both north and south from Danube on gently rolling hills.

Strong warming influence from Pannonian plain.

Dominated with loess - Gruner Veltliner

(Other Roter Veltliner - full body, nutty with age)

No DAC - Gruner in Klassik and Reserve style (subtle oak influence)

Most wine are dry with a bit of eiswein and late harvest

36
Q

Weinviertel

A

Largest appellation

More than half of Gruner (only allowed grape in DAC)

400-600mm rain

Cooling breezes from north - high diurnal range - very peppery aromatics, high acidity

DAC allows Gruner only. Reserve must be min 13% and allows some botrytis and berrel ageing

Green fruit aroma, strong pepper tones, medium + body, high acidity

Sohn & Kracher

37
Q

Thermenregion

A

Warm air from Pannonian plain - dominated by red wine (50%)

High quality Sankt Laurent and Pinot Noir (red fruit, spice from oak, high acidity) can improve with age

White varieties

  • Neuberger (spicy, floral)
  • Zierfander (aromatic, peach, honey, spice)
  • Rotgipfler (full bodied, peach)
38
Q

Generaly found grapes in Burgenland

Climate

A

Warmer area in Austria (Pannonian influence)

Dominated by balck varieties - Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt

Gruner (not as high quality as Niederosterreich - too warm) and Welschriesling (botrytised wines)

39
Q

Regions in Burgenland

A

Neusiedlersee

Leithaberg

Mittelburgenland

40
Q

Neusiedlersee

A

Around shallow lake (Neusiedlersee), flat warm, humid.

Lake keeps warm temperature in autumn, creating morning fog followed by afternoon sunshine

Consistent noble rot every vintage - TBA styles from Welschriesling

High acidity, aroma of marmelae, usually not oaked, capable of ageing

Black varieties: Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. DAC for Zweigelt

DAC Klassik - must be 100% Zweigelt (minimal influence of oak)

Reserve wines - min. 60% Zweigelt and can be blended with Blaufrankisch, Pinot Noir or Skt Laurent - typically aged in oak

Krutzler, Alois Kracher

41
Q

Leithaberg

A

large number of styles

Rust - Ausbruch TBA produced

Leithaberg hills provide diurnal range - higher acidity

DAC for reds - min. 85% Blaufrankisch, must be aged in oak

DAC for whites - Weissburgunder, Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, Neuburger

42
Q

Mittelburgenland

A

Exposed to Pannonian plain - warm climate - dominated by Blaufrankisch

DAC min 85% of Blaufrankisch

3 different styles:

  • DAC - stainless or large oak
  • DAC + Vineyard designation - slightly higher min. alcohol, typically aged in large oak or barriques
  • DAC Reserve -slighly higher min. alcohol, longer min. maturation and typically aged in large oak or barriques
43
Q

Steiermark

A

also known as Styria

steep hills, some terraced vineyards

Cold winters - freeze can be issue, hail, frost as well (netting against hail is used)

Known for crisp dry white wines with high acidity (high diurnal range) for immediate drinking

Welschriesling, Weissburgunder, Sauvignon Blanc

DAC for subregions:

  • Vulkanland Steiermark DAC
  • Sudsteiermark DAC
  • Weststeiermark DAC
44
Q

Wein

A

Around and in the city

DAC is white wine called Wiener Gemischter Satz

  • must be blend (20 grapes permitted)
  • must be dry and unoaked
  • can be labelled with indication of vineyard site
45
Q

Wine business

A

Highly fragmented sector, no large co-op, big number of individual growers

More than half sold in hospitality sector

Heurigen - small inns with simple food and local wine

People pay more for Austrian wine than for imported wines

Move towards quality

Export around 20% - Germany, Switzerland, USA

Promotional body - Austrian Wine Markeing Board

46
Q

Heurigen

A

Small inns with simple food and local wine from current vintage

WSET 4 (32 decks)

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