Austria

Question 1

Austria - Factors of Wine Production

Answer 1

• Climate: Continental, with cold winters and very warm summers moderated by the Danube River and its tributaries.
• Grape Varieties
  
  • White: Gruner Veltliner, Riesling
  • Red (only 30%): Zwigelt, Blaufrankisch, St. Laurent
• Vinification
  
  • Austrian wines are either very dry or very sweet
  • New oak is rarely used

Question 2

Austria - EU Wine Classification

Answer 2

• Wines without geographic indication
  
  • Wein
• Wines with geographic indication
  
  • Landwein (PGI): Regional wine. Rarly exported.
  • Qualitatswein (PDO): Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC), only specific grapes and wine styles are permitted in these demarcated regions.
  • Pradikatswein (PDO): Similar to germany, wines categorized by ripeness level at harvest. This system is rarely used today.

Question 3

Austria - Austrian Wine Regions

Answer 3

• Niederosterreich (Lower Austria): the most important region, which focus on dry, unoaked, high quality expressions of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.
• 3 important sub-regions
  
  • Kremstal DAC
  • Kamptal DAC
  • Wachau: many of best vineyards are located here on a narrow band of steep banks of the Danube.
• Wachau Classification
  
  • Steinfeder: 11.5% maximum alcohol.
  • Federspiel: 11.5~12.5% alcohol.
  • Smaragd: 12.5% minimum alcohol. Made with very ripe grapes and produce intensely rich, dry white wines.

Question 4

Austria - Which of the following is not one of the four major wine-growing regions of Austria?

Answer 4

• Pfalz
  
  • Wien (Vienna)
  • Burgenland
  • Niederosterreich

Question 5

Austria - Which of the following is Austria’s signature white grape variety?

Answer 5

• Gruner Veltliner
  
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Pinot Gris

Question 6

Austria - Which styles of wine are mainly produced in Austria?

Answer 6

• Either very dry or very sweet
  
  • Off-dry
  • Sparkling and sweet
  • Sparkling and dry

Question 7

Austria - Smaragd is a quality term used in which wine region?

Answer 7

• Wachau
  
  • Wien
  • Mosel
  • Alsace

Question 8

Austria - Which of the following rivers is most important to Austrian viticulture?

Answer 8

• Rhine
  
  • Russian River
  • Mosel
  • Danube