C23 - Austria (reviewed) Flashcards
Where in Austria is the grape-growing area?
The eastern part
Describe the climate of eastern Austria
- Cool continental
- Short summers and very harsh winters
- Cooling northerly winds in the north
- Warming easterly winds near the Hungarian border
- Less variation in weather than in northern Europe
What is the most widely planted variety in Austria? Dicuss
Grüner Veltliner
At high yields: Fresh but unexciting
Grown with care:
- Full-bodied
- Concentrated
- High acidity
- In youth; citrus or stone fruit with some hints of white pepper
- With age; honey and toast
Majority is fermented and matured in stainless steel, but old oak casks are common
Some maturation may occur in new oak barriques
What is the second most planted white variety in Austria? Discuss
- Welschriesling
- Fresh but simple, displaying citrus and green apple flavours
- High acidity
- Well suited for botrytised dessert wines
What is the third most widely planted white variety in Austria? Discuss
Riesling
Best examples from: Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal
Dry Medium to full-bodied
Ripe, peachy primary fruit
Best examples can bottle-age
What are the ‘other’ white varieties of Austria?
- Chardonnay
- Müller Thurgau
- Sauvignon Blanc - growing in reputation
- Steiermark (a southern region) - growing in reputation
What is the most widely planted black variety in Austria?
Zweigelt
- Cross between Blaufränkisch x St Laurent
Discuss Blaufränkisch
Deeply coloured, soft tannins, flavours of bramble fruit
Most highly regarded of the Austrian black varieties
Wine: Medium tannin, High acidity, Peppery, sour cherry flavour
Discuss St Laurent
Austrian speciality grape with wines similar to Pinot Noir in character
Usage of oak is common
What red wine movement is taking place in Austria?
Local varieties are being blended with international varieties such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
What are the four federal states of production for PDO wines?
Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
Burgenland
Steiermark (Styria)
Wien (Vienna)
In which states of Austria is the vast majority of production?
Niederösterreich and Burgenland
Discuss Niederösterreich
Largest of Austrian regions for production and exports
Majority of plantings are on the banks of the Danube and further north towards the Slovak border
Eight sub-regions - most famous
- Wachau
- Weinviertel DAC
Discuss Wachau
- Most renowned for high quality dry wines made from Riesling or Grüner Veltliner
- has chose not to be a DAC and uses its own classification
- Vineyards on steep terraced south facing, next to the Danube
- Kamptal DAC Kremstal DAC lie north of Wachau and prodiuce wines in sumilar style/quality from Riesling or Grüner Veltliner
Discuss Weinviertel DAC
Largest vine-growing area of Austria
First Austrian DAC
Grüner Veltliner only
Two levels
- Klassik - Light, fresh and fruity No discernible oak
- Reserve - Higher min alcohol than Klassik, can be matured in oak
Discuss Burgenland
Located to the east of Austria along the border with Hungary
Known for top quality sweet wines and Red wines
Dry whites also made from Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay
Key area for sweet wine production around Neusiedlersee
- A vast shallow lake in the north of Burgenland
- Sweet wine production on low-lying ground near the lake
- To benefit from autumn mists that come in from the lake and the wetland regions on its margins ⇒ promotes noble rot
- Welschriesling most used grapes for sweet wine
- Botrytis is almost guaranteed every year
Best Austrian red wines come from higher ground away from Neusiedlersee and in the hills further south
- Most planted: Zweigelt
- Others: Blaufränkisch, St Laurent, Pinot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Discuss Austrian wine law
PGI wines labelled Landwein
GI: Wein
PDO:
- 20 (four states and 16 smaller areas)
- Satus: Qualitätswein or Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
Qualitätswein
- 11 (the four federal states and seven of the smaller areas)
- can be made in any style
- can be labelled with Prädikat level (as in Germany)
- Same as in Germany, but with two more; Ausbruch (between BA and TBA) and Strohwein/Schilfwein
- Strohwein/Schilfwein - grapes dried on straw beds during the winter, to concentrate sugars
Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)
- Wine producers in a region must agree on grape varieties, a style of wine and a set of regulations to go with it to get DAC
- Outside of DAC, wine labelled with only the name of the relevant federal-state
