Ch 23 - Austria Flashcards
What is the climate in Austria?
Vineyard areas have a cool continental climate with short summers and very harsh winters. Northern regions can experience cooling northerly winds whereas those near Hungary are warmed by easterly winds.
What is the most widely palnted variety in Austria and what wines does it produce?
Gruner Vetliner - high quality grape. Produces fresh but unexciting wines if yields are too high but when grown with care, full bodied, concentrated wines with naturally high acidity. Citrus and stone fruit with hints of white pepper in youth, develops honey and toast with age.
How do the majority of makers make Gruner Vetliner in Austria?
Ferment and store in stainless steel, however old oak is also commonly used. Some may mature proportion of best wines in new oak barriques.
What is Welschriesling?
Another white variety very common in Austria. Dry style are fresh and simple with citrus and green apple, high acidity. Susceptible to botrytis so produces high quality dessert wines too.
Where are the best examples of Riesling in Austria and what is their style?
From Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal. Dry and medium to full bodied - ripe, peachy primary fruit. BEst examples mature in bottle.
What is the most common black variety in Austria and what wines does it produce
Zweigelt which gives very deeply colour reds with soft tannins and bramble. It is a cross of Blaufrankisch and St Laurent.
What is Blaufrankisch?
Most high regarded of Austrian black varieties and produces wines with medium tannins, high acidity and a peppery sour cherry flavour.
What is St Laurent?
Another Austrian specialty that creates similar wines to PN. Oak age is common.
What are the two most productive PDO areas in Austria?
Niederosterreich and Burgenland.
Where to the majority of vineyards in Niederosterriech lie?
On the banks of the Danube and further north towards the Slovak border.
What is the most renowned subregion in Niederosterriech? What wines does it make?
Wachau - renowned for high quality dry wines from GV or Riesling.
Where are the best sites in Wachau?
Steep, often terraced south facing vineyards next to the Danube to maximise exposure to sun and allow GV and Riesling grapes to develop high concentrated flavours. Has its own classification system.
What is Weinviertel DAC?
Austria’s largest goriwng area. Wines only from GV. Two levels to this DAC - Klassik must be light fresh and fruity with no discernible oak. Resreve have higher minimum alcohol and can be matured in oak.
What is Burgenland best known for?
Top quality sweet wines and red wines. Dry whites made as well from Welschriesling, GV, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc. Sweet wines from Neusiedlersee because they are low lying near the lake and benefit from autumn mists - ideal for botrytis. These are made from Welschriesling predominantly. Best red wines in Austria come from higher ground away from the lake - further south. Zweigelt is most widely planted but also St Laurent and Balunfrankisch.
