Austrian Wine Law

Question 1

What are the three levels of Quality in Austria?

Answer 1

Qualitatswein
Landwein (PGI)
Wein

Question 2

What are the 2 categories of Qualitatswein?

Answer 2

DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus)
Pradikatswein

Question 3

What are the 4 designations of Qualitatswein?

Answer 3

Kabinett
DAC
Pradikatswein
Sekt Austria g.U.

Question 4

What chemical was responsible for the Austrian wine scandal of 1985?

Answer 4

Diethylene Glycol (often called the Antifreeze Scandal, although antifreeze is Ethylene Glycol)

Question 5

Most cultivated white grape in Austria?

Answer 5

Gruner Veltliner (30%), followed by Müller Thurgau (25%)

Question 6

What is Morillon?

Answer 6

Chardonnay

Question 7

What is Feinburgunder?

Answer 7

Chardonnay

Question 8

Most cultivated red grape in Austria?

Answer 8

Zweigelt (14%)

Question 9

What is required for Qualitätswein?

Answer 9

From permitted grapes from a single weinbaugebiete. Must pass a tasting panel and chemical analysis, resulting in a Prüfnummber (state control number).
40 permitted grape varieties

Question 10

What does the red and white banderole indicate?

Answer 10

Qualitätswein

Question 11

What is permitted for Wein? What category does it replace?

Answer 11

Vintage and varietal are permitted; area may not be more specific than “Österreich.”
Replaces Tafelwein as of 2009.

Varieties that imply geographic origin (ie Blaufränkisch) may not be labeled by variety.

Question 12

What are the requirements for Landwein?

Answer 12

Same varietals as Qualitätswein, but labeled by Weinbauregionen.

Question 13

What are the three Weinbauregionen of Austria?

Answer 13

Weinland (Niederösterreich, Wein, and Burgenland)
Steierland (Styria)
Bergland (scattered areas in the Alps).

Question 14

What are the regions of Bergland?

Answer 14

Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg (West to East)
Oberösterreich (N of Salzburg)
Kärnten (S of Salzburg)

Question 15

Which is likely to be sweeter in profile: German Auslese or Austrian Auslese?

Answer 15

Austrian Auslese (while most Qualitätswein is dry, Prädikatswein in Austria is generally sweeter than that in Germany).

Question 16

Is Austrian Kabinett part of Prädikatswein?

Answer 16

No, it is a subset of Qualitätswein

Question 17

Which categories in Austria prevent chaptalization and süssreserve?

Answer 17

Kabinett Qualitätswein

All Prädikatswein

Question 18

What is strohwein?

Answer 18

A dried grape wine of Beerenauslese ripeness, dried for 3mos

Question 19

What is ausbruch?

Answer 19

Essentially Austrian Tokaji

Question 20

What does KMW stand for?

Answer 20

Klosterneuberger Mostwaage: the ripeness scale of Austria, in which 1º = 1% sugar content of the must

Question 21

Wein KMW

Answer 21

10.6º

Question 22

Landwein KMW

Answer 22

14º

Question 23

Qualitätswein KMW

Answer 23

15º

Question 24

Kabinett KMW

Answer 24

17º

Question 25

Spätlese KMW

Answer 25

19º

Question 26

Auslese KMW

Answer 26

21º

Question 27

Beerenauslese KMW

Answer 27

25º

Question 28

Strohwein KMW

Answer 28

25º

Question 29

Eiswein KMW

Answer 29

25º

Question 30

Ausbruch KMW

Answer 30

27º

Question 31

Trockenbeerenauslese KMW

Answer 31

30º

Question 32

What does the suffix -tal denote (for both Germany and Austria)?

Answer 32

Valley

Question 33

What does Ried indicate?

Answer 33

A top vineyard site, which can be so-labeled without listing the village (essentially an Ortsteil)

Question 34

What districts contain the Erste Lage sites elevated by Österreichischen Traditionsweingüter in 2010?

Answer 34

Kamptal, Kremstal, Wagram, and Traisental, Carnuntum, Wien

Question 35

Which grapes are permitted to carry the Erste Lage designation?

Answer 35

Riesling

Grüner Veltliner