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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) > Austria > Flashcards

Austria Flashcards

Learn about Austrian wine law, important regions, classifications + hierarchy, and major grapes + styles.

1
Q

What are Austria’s 4 main wine regions?

A
  1. Niederösterreich
  2. Wien (Vienna)
  3. Burgenland
  4. Styria
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2
Q

What are the 3 most important subregions of Niederösterreich?

A
  1. Wachau
  2. Kamptal
  3. Kremstal
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3
Q

Austria’s easternmost winegrowing area borders what country?

A

Hungary

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4
Q

Austria’s wine growing regions are in which half of the country?:

  • western half
  • eastern half
A

Eastern half

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5
Q

What is Austria’s largest wine growing region?

A

Niederösterreich

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6
Q

Why aren’t wine regions in the western half of Austria?

A

Because the Alps are too rugged and too high in elevation to support grape growing.

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7
Q

What is the climate of Austria?

A

Continental

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8
Q

What are the climate moderators for Austria’s wine growing regions?

A

The Danube River and its tribuaries

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9
Q

What is the landscape of Austria?

A

Rolling foothills, with most vineyards being planted on slopes facing the Danube.

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10
Q

What are the white grapes of Austria?

A
  • Grüner Veltliner
  • Riesling
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11
Q

What distinctive aroma can you find on most Grüner Veltliners?

A

White pepper

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12
Q

What are the red grapes of Austria?

A
  • Blaufränkisch
  • St.-Laurent (also spelled Sankt Laurent)
  • Zweigelt
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13
Q

What are the parent grapes of Zweigelt?

A
  • Blaufränkisch
  • St.-Laurent
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14
Q

Wachau is home to many of Austria’s top vineyards. These top vineyards are planted on:

  • flat riverbanks of the Danube
  • steep slopes overlooking the Danube
A

Steep slopes overlooking the Danube

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15
Q

Grapes destined for inexpensive wines are planted where?:

  • steep hills
  • flatter plains
A

Flatter plains

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16
Q

Austrian wine styles are typically:

  • bone dry or very sweet, nothing in between
  • bone dry to very sweet and everything in between
A

Bone dry or very sweet, nothing in between

Off-dry styles of wine really do not exist in Austria.

17
Q

For the most part, white wines in Austria do or do not see new oak?

What about the reds?

A
  • White wines generally do not see new oak
  • Red wines from Burgenland will sometimes see new oak
18
Q

Austrian wines WITHOUT geographic indication are called:

A

Wein

19
Q

Austrian wines WITH geographic indication have 4 classification levels:

A
  1. Landwein (PGI)
  2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
  3. Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
  4. Prädikatswein (PDO)
20
Q

Austrian Landwein is:

  • usually exported
  • seldom exported
A

Seldom exported

Landwein wines are Austrians’ everyday table wines.

21
Q

What is the DAC?

A

A subset of Qualitätswein that focsuses on dry wines. It also only allows certain grapes, like Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, to be classified as DAC.

22
Q

Austrian prädikatswein focuses on what style of wine?

A

Sweet styles, such as Eiswein, BA and TBA.

23
Q

What does Niederösterreich translate to in English?

A

Lower Austria

24
Q

What wine style does Niederösterreich focus on?

A

White wines made from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner that are dry and unoaked of high quality.

25
Q

What river (and Danube tributary) flows through Kremstal?

A

The Krems River

26
Q

What river (and Danube tributary) flows through Kamptal?

A

The Kamp River

27
Q

What river flows through Wachau?

A

The Danube River

28
Q

Which Niederösterriech subregion is known for having most of the top producers and vineyards?

A

Wachau

29
Q

Wachau classifies its dry wines with its own classification system.

What are those 3 classification levels?

A
  1. Steinfeder (lightest)
  2. Federspiel
  3. Smaragd (richest)
30
Q

What is Steinfeder named after?

A

A grass that grows in Wachau’s vineyards

31
Q

What is Steinfeder’s maximum abv?

A

11.5%

This is a very light bodied wine.

32
Q

What is Federspiel’s abv range?

A

11.5% - 12.5%

Medium bodied wine.

33
Q

What is Smaragd’s minimum abv?

A

12.5%

Fullest body and richest texture of the three, intense and dry.

34
Q

What is Smaragd wine named after?

A

A brightly colored, emerald lizard found in Wachau’s vineyards.

35
Q

Smaragd wines can sometimes be affected by which rot?

A

Botrytis

36
Q

Grapes destined for Smaragd are harvested at _____ ripeness.

A

Spätlese ripeness

Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) (40 decks)

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