Austria Flashcards
Where did the style of Trockenbeerenauslese originate?
TBA was first recorded in Austria in 1526, 200 years before Spatlese in Germany
What was the major Austria viticulture research centre and what kind of innovations did it focus on?
Klosterneuberg, established in 1860.
The centre focused its attention on grape crossings, higher yields and mechanising vineyards
Dr Lenz Moser developed wired trellising in the 1950s.
This pushed Austria towards a mass production focused wine region.
What was the chemical that famously ruined Austrias wine reputation, what year and what was the response?
Diethylene glycol - antifreeze
1985
Added to give light wines added texture
In response Austria drafted some of the strictest wine laws in the world and have established themselves as a serious quality region of the old world
What is a weinbaugebiete?
Austrian major wine region
What are the major wine regions of Austria (north to south)
4 weinbaugebiete
- Niederösterreich
- Wien (Vienna)
- Burgenland
- Styria (Steiermark)
Niederösterreich and Burgenland contain 90% of all production
What are the grapes of Austria?
White •Gruner Veltliner •Welschriesling •Muller-Thurgau •Weisburgunder •Riesling (Morillon) •Chardonnay (Feinburgunder)
Red •Zweigelt(blaufrankisch X St. Laurent) •Blaufrankisch •Blauer Portugieser •Blauburger(Blauer Portugieser X Blaufrankisch)
What is Sussreseerve?
A german/Austrian term for the addition of unfermented grape must free of microorganisms to a wine as a sweetening component
What is a DAC and who uses it?
DAC or Districtus Austriae Controllatus is the Austrian appellation system
What are the levels of quality in Austrian wine?
3 main
•Wein (replaced by Tafelwein in 09
•Landwein
•Qualitatswein
Qualitatswein is broken down further into the categories of pradikatswein and DAC
Pradikatswein also includes
•Strohwein - dried grape wine of at least BA
•Ausbruch - sweet speciality of Rust
Explain the 3 major levels of quality in Austria
- Wein - generic category replaced by Tafelwein in 09. May be labeled vintage and varietal but no more.
- Landwein - must be one of the 36 approved varietals, must be labeled as one of the 3 Weinbauregionens (Weinland, Steierland or Bergland)
- Qualitatswein- one of 36 varietals, from a single weinbaugebiete or one of the smaller 16 regions, must past tasting panel and chemical analysis. Kabbinet is considered an extension of this level.
All levels have a max yield of 9000kg/ha
What is Weinbauregionen?
Weinbauregionen is the large areas declared as the regions from which Landwein production may occur.
Weinland - Niederösterreich, Wein and Burgenland
Steierland - Steirmark
Bergland - 500Ha of stuff just around Austria
Where is Austria’s sweet wine production mostly cantered around?
The lake of Neusiedlersee in Burgenland
How many DACs are there?
14
What is the Austrian sekt committee and what do they do?
The Austrian Sekt committee is a group formed in 2013 to bring international attention to high quality Austrian sparkling wine.
Austrian Sekt with PDO is differentiated by carrying the offical seal on the capsule with the words “Geschutzter Ursprung, geprufte Qualität” or protected designation of origin and certified quality”
What are the 3 levels of quality in Austrian sparkling?
- Klassik- min 9 months on lees, tank, transfer and traditional method, all colours, all levels of dosage.
- Reserve- 18 months min, traditional method, grown and vinified in one of the federal states, vintage may be listed, only 12g/L of RS (Brut, extra brut, Brut natural)
- Grosse Reserve- 30 months min on lees, cannot be released until 3 years after harvest, traditional method, grown in a single wine village, hand harvested, vintage may be listed, only 12g/L of RS (Brut, extra brut, Brut natural)
- Hauersekt - may be added to a Grosse Reserve Sekt to indicate that it is a grower wine. Must list village, Vintage and grape varietal
What is Hauersekt and what kind of wine does it produce?
Hauersekt - may be added to a Grosse Reserve Sekt to indicate that it is a grower wine. Must list village, Vintage and grape varietal
What is the largest Weinbaugebiete in austria?
Niederösterreich- over twice what is planted in Burgenland (second largest)
What is the climactic features of Niederösterreich?
Niederösterreich in Austria is set mostly on the Pannonia Plain, former seabed with Loess soils(slit sized fast draining).
The continental climate is hot, dry summers and freezing winters.
Most of the subzones are located along the Danube river and its tributaries
What are the subzones of Niederösterreich?
8 Subzones •Weinviertel •Carnuntum •Traisental •Wagram •Kremstal •Kamptal •Wachau •Thermenregion
Where are the vineyard lands of Austria located in the country?
Along the western boarder
What is Weinviertel and what kind of wine does it produce?
Weinviertel is Niederösterreich’s largest sub region in Austria. It is located in the north western side of the region in the hills, the region is disconnected.
Weinviertel was Austria’s first DAC.
DAC wines must be Gruner Veltliner with a min alc of 12%, a tasting panel must show a distinct pepper note and no obvious sign of wood or Botrytis.
Reserve category (est 2009) is a fuller bodied category with 13% min alc, may have notes of botrytis and wood.
What is Traisental and what kind of wine does it produce?
Traisental is a sub region of Niederösterreich in Austria. It has similar DAC wine regulations as Kamptal and Kremstal.
- Gruner Veltliner or Riesling
- labeled as Klassik(12%) or Reserve(13%) depending on min alc regulations
- No obvious botrytis or wood notes in Klassik
- Gruner must show a delicate spice note, less pungent that Weinviertel
What is Kamptal and what kind of wine does it produce?
Kamptal is a sub region of Niederösterreich in Austria. It has similar DAC wine regulations as Traisental and Kremstal.
- Gruner Veltliner or Riesling
- labeled as Klassik(12%) or Reserve(13%) depending on min alc regulations
- No obvious botrytis or wood notes in Klassik
- Gruner must show a delicate spice note, less pungent that Weinviertel
Many of Austria's most important villages are located in Kamptal •Langenlois •Heiligenstein •Lamm •Dechant
What is Austria’s most important village located in Kamptal?
Langenlois
What is Kremstal and what kind of wine does it produce?
Kremstal is a sub region of Niederösterreich in Austria. It has similar DAC wine regulations as Kamptal and Traisental.
- Gruner Veltliner or Riesling
- labeled as Klassik(12%) or Reserve(13%) depending on min alc regulations
- No obvious botrytis or wood notes in Klassik
- Gruner must show a delicate spice note, less pungent that Weinviertel
How are Austrian single vineyard wines labeled?
Labeled in the German fashion
- Village and vineyard
Although many producers are going the old fashion route of replacing the village with Ried to indicate a top site.
What is the Austrian association who dictate the quality of sites?
The Osterreichischen Traditionsweinguter is an association of producers established in 1992. While not a legal organisation, they are closely aligned to the DAC.
They have declared 81 vineyards Erste lage
These wines may only be Riesling or Gruner Veltliner
What is Wachau and what kind of wine does it produce?
Wachau is the western most subregion of niederosterriech in Austria.
It is a band of steep slopes like the Mosel. Cool northern winds and the Danube river moderate an otherwise severe climate. These influences temper the hot summer nights allowing the wines to retain their natural acidity.
The unique area produces the most age worthy wines in Austria.
The vineyard Achleiten in Weissenkirchen is the top site.
Instead of pradikatswein they use their own unique scale.
Vinea Wachau is a group of growers who uphold production of natural wine making. They represent more than 85% of all wine making in the region.
What is the substitute for pradikatswein in Wachau?
3 classes
•Steinfeder - max alc 11.5
•Federspiel - alc between 11.5 and 12.5
•Smaragd - min alc 12.5 (equivalent to spatlese)
All must be fermented dry.
Smaragd can reach high levels of alc, show botrytis and show a high degree of extract.
What is the Vinea Wachau and what kind of wine does it produce?
The Vinea Wachau are a group of growers in Wachau that uphold the tenets of natural wine making outlined in the Codex Wachau.
- No Additives(include chaptalization)
- No Aromatization(includes use of new bariques)
- No “Fractionation”-(techniques such as de-alcoholization)
All wines must be bottles in region and grapes must come from Wachau
Founded in 1983 they now represent more than 85% of Wachau wine.
What is Wagram and what kind of wines does it produce?
Wagram is a sub region of Niederosterriech in Austria. East of Kremstal, Kamptal and Wachau.
Gruner Veltliner is the main grape but Roter Veltliner(unrelated red grape) produced as a white wine is the regions speciality
What is Carnuntum and what kind of wine does it produce?
Carnuntum is a sub region of Niederosterriech in Austria. Settled south bellow Vienna, it’s climate is similar to Burgenland.
Red wines dominate this region with Zweigelt being top. Germischter Satz - traditional field blend is popular here as well
What is Gemischter Satz and what kind of wine does it produce?
Gemischter Satz is a traditional Austrian field blend made from growing complementary vines together in the vineyard and harvesting/fermenting them together.
Wiener Gemischter Satz is a wine produced through this in Wein(Vienna). To be DAC the wine must
- Min 3 quality white varietals
- Max proportion of one varietal is 50%
- Min proportion of third varietal must be 10%
- Wines without vineyard must be dry and show no prominent use of oak.
What is Thermenregion and what kind of wine does it produce?
Thermenregion is a sub region of Niederosterriech in Austria. It is located south of Vienna away from the cooling influence of the Danube river. The region has very hot dry summers.
The rare white grapes Rotgipfler and Zierfandler are grown here and are sometimes blended into Spatrot-Rotgipfler
What is österriech?
Another name for Austria
What is Burgenland and what kind of wine does it produce?
Burgenland is the second largest wine producing region of Austria. It’s southern location gives it a hot continental climate that is tempered by the cooling influence of Neusiedlersee lake (a large shallow lake.
The region produces the finest red and sweet wines of Austria. The major grapes are
Blaufrankisch
Zweigelt
St Laurent
What are the DAC zones of Burgenland?
5 DAC zones •Mittelburgenland •Leithaberg •Eisenberg •Neusiedlersee •Rosalia
What is Mittelburgenland and what kind of wines does it produce?
Mittelburgenland is a DAC zone of Burgenland in Austria.
It may produce red wines from Blaufrankisch that must be aged until August the next year.
Reserve wines require one additional year of aging and .5% higher alc
DAC regulations require large format or used oak but some producers are experimenting with new bariques
What is Leithaberg and what kind of wine does it produce?
Leithaberg is DAC zone of Burgenland in Austria, located in the free town of Eisenstadt.
It was the first DAC to allow both red and white wines.
White wines are varietal or blends of GV, Chard, Neuburger or Weissburgunder.
Reds are min 85% Blaufrankisch. The DAC stipulate the use of old or large format oak but experimentation is being done
What kind of wine does Blaufrankisch produce?
Blaufrankisch is a medium weight red wine with supple texture, deep colour and spicy red and black fruit flavours
AKA Lemberger (Germany) AKA Kekfrankos (Hungary)
What is Neusiedlersee DAC and what kind of wine does it produce?
Neusiedlersee DAC is a DAC zone of Burgenland in Austria. Named after the large shallow lake it is around it. The lakes cooling influence and its ability to produce fog defines its grape growing.
Despite its reputation for Austria’s finest sweet wines under DAC bottlings it may only produce red wines based on Zweigelt. Both classic and reserve (one extra year of aging) bottlings are permitted.
The village of Illmitz is home to Alois Kracher estate - legendary producer of eiswein, BA and TBA. His Scheurebe wines define the grape
The free city of Rust is located on the western shore and is famous for the hproduction of Ausbruch.
What is rust and what kind of wines does it produce?
The free city of Rust is located on the western shore and is famous for the hproduction of Ausbruch.
Ausbruch is its own level of pradikatswein in Austria, the production is similar to Tokaji where it is created through the addition of richly concentrated botrytis affected grapes to a less concentrated must from the same vineyard.
Furmint grapes where traditionally used but modern examples tend to lean more towards Chardonnay, Muskateller, Pinot Blanc, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Traminer and Pinot Gris
What is Rosalia and what kind of wines does it produce?
Rosalia is a DAC zone of Burgenland in Austria. The region produces red and rose wines.
Red wines of either Zweigelt of Blaufrankisch at min 12% alc and max 4g/L residual sugar.
Reserve level single vineyards (Rieds) May be indicated on label.
Reserve wines must have min 13% alc
Dry rose made from one or a blend of red Qualitatswein grapes. Rose may not be varietal labeled but it may be vineyard labeled
What is Styria and what kind of wines does it produce?
Styria is the most southern weinbaugebiete of Austria set in the mountianous lands south of Burgenland. The region accounts for 9% of total wine from the country.
It's major grapes include •Welschriesling •Weisburgunder •Traminer •Sauvignon Blanc
•Rose from Blauer Wildbacher
It has 3 sub regions and its own 3 tiered wine quality scale.
What are the 3 subregions of Styria and what are their specialities?
3 subregions / DACs
•Sudsteiermark - Sauvignon Blanc
- Vulkanland Steiermark - Volcanic slopes Welschriesling, Weissburgunder and Traminer
- Weststeiermark - Home of the now reabsorbed Schilcherland DAC that produced rose from Blauer Wildbacher. These wines could be Klassic or Ried if vineyard was listed
What are the tiers of quality for wines from Styria?
System of Origin Steiermark (est 2018) from lowest to highest
- Regional wines
- Ortswein (Village wine)
- Reidenwein (Single vineyard wine)
Both Ortzwein and Reidenwein longer aging and a focus on the best varietals in the region
What is Heuriger and what kind of wine does it produce?
Heuriger is an Austrian nouveau wine consumed at pubs of the same name in Wein (Vienna)
What is Sturm and what kind of wine does it produce?
Sturm is an Austrian half fermented sparkling grape juice produced in Wein/Vienna as a traditional meal accompanying around harvest time.
FRESH
What is Wein(Vienna) and what kind of wine does it produce?
Wein/Vienna is the capital city of Austria and the only capital in Europe to have a wine region in its city limits.
It produces several weird wines
•Weiner(Viennese) Gemischter Satz - min 3 grape co-grown field blend
•Heuriger - nouveau wine for pub consumption
•Sturm - half fermented sparkling grape juice.
What is Langenlois and what kind of wines does it produce?
Langenlois is the largest wine production village of Kamptal. This is the home of Brundlmayer and has a proud history of Gruner Veltliner, Riesling and Zweigelt production. This is also the site that contains the original plantings of Zweigelt (now partially owned by brundlmayer) from Dr Zweigelt in 1922
