AUSTRIA

Question 1

AUSTRIA-IN GENERAL

Answer 1

• VINE PROD. AREAS: AT THE EASTERN END OF THE COUNTRY
• THESE VINS: COOL CONTINENTAL CLIMATE/ SHORT SUMMERS & VERY HARSH WINTERS
• MORE NORTHERLY REGS: COOLING NORTHERLY WINDS
• AREAS CLOSEST TO HUNGARIAN BORDER: WARMED BY EASTERLY WINDS/ MUCH LESS VARIATION IN ANNUAL WEATHER PATTERNS THAN IN NORTHERN EUROPE

Question 2

NIEDERÖSTERREICH

Answer 2

NIEDERÖSTERREICH (LOWER AUSTRIA)

• LARGEST OF THE REG. FOR BOTH PROD. & EXPORTS
• MAJORITY OF VINS. LIE ON THE BANKS OF THE DANUBE RIVER & FURTHER NORTH TOWARDS THE SLOVAK BORDER

SUB REGIONS

-WACHAU

• MOST RENOWNED FOR HQ, DRY WINES OF GRÜNER VELTLINER OR RIESLING
• WACHAU: NOT CHOSEN (DAC)=INSTEAD ITS RELIED ON ITS OWN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
• STEEP, OFTEN TERRACED SOUTH FACING VINS NEXT TO THE DANUBE MAXIMISE EXPOSURE TO THE SUN=ALLOWING GRÜNER VELTLINER GR TO DEVELOP HIGHLY CONCENT. FR.
• KAMPTAL DAC
• KREMSTAL DAC

** BOTH LIE JUST NORTH OF WACHAU (SIMILAR STYLE & QUALITY)

-WEINNIERTEL DAC

• LARGEST VINE GROWING AREA OF AUSTRIA & IT WAS THE FIRST DAC
• WINES CAN BE ONLY MADE FROM: GRÜNER VELTLINER
• 2 LEVELS: KLASSIK=L/FRESH & FRUITY ST. RESERVE=HIGHER MIN. ALCOHOL & MATURE IN OAK (ALLOWED)

Question 3

BURGENLAND

Answer 3

BURGENLAND

• EAST OF AUSTRIA, ALONG W/ BORDER OF HUNGARY
• BEST KNOWN FOR TOP QUALITY SWEET WINES / RED WINES
• LIES TO THE EAST OF AUSTRIA
• DRY WHITES: PINOT BLANC, WELSCHRIESLING, GRÜNER VELTLINER, CHARDONNAY

-NEUSIEDLERSEE (LAKE) (REGION) SWEET WINE PROD SECTION

• LAKE NEUSIEDLERSEE: VAST SHALLOW LAKE IN NORTH OF THE PROVINCE=KEY FOR SWEET WINE PROD. IN THIS REG.
• VINS. ARE SITUATED ON LOW-LYING GROUND NEAR THE LAKE TO BENEFIT AUTUMN MISTS THAT COME FROM LAKE & THE WETLAND REGS ON ITS MARGINS
• IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR BOTRYTISED, WHICH CAN BE GUARANTEED EVERY YEAR
• WELSCHRIESLING GR: MOST W. USED FOR THESE SWEET WINES

-BEST REDS OF AUSTRIA (INSIDE OF NEUSIEDLERSEE REG)

• COME FROM THE HIGHER GROUND AWAY FROM THE LAKE & IN THE HILLS FURTHER SOUTH
• ZWEIGELT MOST. W. P. GRAPE
• OTHER VAR: BLAUFRÄNKISCH, ST.LAURENT, PINOT NOIR, MERLOT, CAB. SAUV
• NEUSIEDLERSEE IS A DAC FOR: ZWEIGELT GRAPE VAR
• THERE ARE 3 DAC’S FOR BLAUFRÄNKISCH: LARGEST OF WHICH IS MITTELBURGENLAND