Chap 23: Austria Flashcards
Where in Austria is the grape-growing area?
The eastern part
The alps cover the western part of Austria
Describe the climate of eastern Austria
* Cool, Mod or Warm
* Continental, Maritime, Meditteranean
* Features of Summers vs. Winters
* Climatic Features
- Cool Continental Climate
- Short summers and very harsh winters
- Cooling northerly winds in the north
- Warming easterly winds near the Hungarian border
Describe weather variations in Austria vs. northern Europe
Less here than in northern Europe
What is the most widely planted variety in Austria?
Grüner Veltliner
Describe wines from Grüner Veltliner at high yields
Fresh but unexciting
Describe wines from Grüner Veltliner when grown with care
* Body
* Acidity
* Flavors in youth vs. age
- Full-bodied & concentrated
- High acidity
- In youth: citrus or stone fruit with some hints of white pepper
- With age: develops layers of honey and toast
Describe the role of oak in the production of Grüner Veltliner in Austria
- Majority is fermented and matured in stainless steel, but old oak casks are common
- Some may maturate a portion of their best wine in oak barriques
What is the second most planted white variety in Austria?
Welschriesling
Note: this is not the same grape as Riesling
Describe dry Welschriesling:
* Flavors
* Acidity
Fresh but simple
* Displaying citrus and green apple flavours
* High acidity
Other than producing dry wines, what other style of wine is Welschriesling well suited to?
Botrytised dessert wines
What is the third most widely planted white variety in Austria?
Riesling
Where in Austria are the best examples of Riesling from?
Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal
Describe Rieslings from Austria:
* Sweetness
* Body
* Flavor
* Age potential
- Dry
- Medium to full-bodied
- Ripe, peachy primary fruit
- Best examples can bottle-age
What are the 3 ‘other’ white varieties of Austria (NOT Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Welschriesling)?
Chardonnay
Müller Thurgau
Sauvignon Blanc
Which of Austria’s ‘other’ varieties is growing in reputation? Where?
Sauvignon Blanc
Steiermark (a southern region)
What is the most widely planted black variety in Austria?
Zweigelt
Which grapes were crossed to make Zweigelt?
Blaufränkisch x St Laurent
Describe wines made from Zweigelt:
* Color
* Style of Tannin (soft, grippy, silky, velvety etc)
* Flavors
Deeply coloured
Soft tannins
Flavours of bramble fruit
What is the most highly regarded of the Austrian black varieties?
Blaufränkisch
Describe Austrian wines made from Blaufränkisch:
* Tannin
* Acidity
* Flavors
Medium tannin
High acidity
Peppery, sour cherry flavour
Which Austrian speciality grape gives wines a similar charector to Pinot Noir?
St Laurent
What is the role of oak in creating wines from St Laurent?
Oak ageing is common for these wines
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)
Which two states of Austria account for the vast majority of production?
Niederösterreich and Burgenland
Which is the largest of Austrian regions for production and exports?
Niederösterreich
Where are the majority of vineyards in Niederösterreich?
On the banks of the Danube and further north towards the Slovak border
Where is Wachau and what is it known for?
It is in Niederösterreich
The most renowned for high quality dry wines
Made from Riesling or Grüner Veltliner
How many sub-regions are there in Niederösterreich?
Eight
Describe vineyards of Wachau
Steep
Often terraced
South facing
Next to the Danube
Which DACs are just north of Wachau and produce similar style and quality of wine?
Kamptal DAC & Kremstal DAC
What is the largest vine-growing area of Austria?
Weinviertel DAC
Which was the first Austrian DAC?
Weinviertel DAC
Which varieties are used for Weinviertel DAC?
Only Grüner Veltliner
How is Weinviertel DAC divided?
Into two levels; Klassik and Reserve
Describe Weinviertel Klassik wines
They must be light, fresh and fruity with no discernable oak.
Describe Weinviertel Reserve wines
They must have a higher minimum alcohol than Klassik and are allowed to be matured in oak
Where in Austria is Burgenland?
To the east of Austria along the border with Hungary
What is Burgenland best known for?
Top quality sweet wines
Red wines
What other style of wine is made in Burgenland?
Dry whites
What are Burgenland’s dry whites made from?
Pinot Blanc
Welschriesling
Grüner Veltliner
Chardonnay
Where is the key area for sweet wine production in Burgenland?
Around Neusiedlersee
What is Neusiedlersee?
A vast shallow lake in the north of Burgenland
Describe the location of sweet wine vineyards around Neusiedlersee
On low-lying ground near the lake
Why are the best sweet wine sites of Burgenland on low-lying ground?
To benefit from autumn mists that come in from the lake and the wetland regions on its margins
This promotes noble rot
How consistent is botrytis infection around Neusiedlersee?
It is almost guaranteed every year
What is one of the most widely used grape varieties for sweet wine in Austria?
Welschriesling
Where in Austria do the best red wines come from?
The higher ground away from Neusiedlersee and in the hills further south
What is the most widely planted red variety of Burgenland?
Zweigelt
Name red varieties in Burgenland other than Zweigelt
Blaufränkisch
St Laurent
Pinot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Name a DAC for Zweigelt
Neusiedlersee DAC
What are the two DACs for Blaufränkisch?
Mittelburgenland and Leithaberg
The majority of wine made in Austria is PDO and is called what?
Qualitatswein - it may either come from a generic region or specified region.
How are PGI wines labelled in Austria?
Landwein
How are wines without a GI labelled in Austria?
Wein
How many areas within Austria qualify for PDO status?
4 states that encompass a number of smaller specified regions.
From how many grape varieties may Qualitätswein of Austria be made of?
For NON-DAC wines can use 40 permitted grape varieties grown anywhere within the generic region
Into what style must Austrian Qualitätsweine be made?
Any style
How else may Qualitätswein be labelled in Austria?
With a Prädikat level (as in Germany)
What are the Prädikat levels in Austria typically reserved for?
What are the various levels?
Typically reserved for Medium-Sweet and Sweet wines.
The levels work the same as in Germany, but with one additonal one:
* Strohwein/Schilfwein
What is Strohwein/Schilfwein?
Bunches of grapes are laid out on beds of straw or reeds during the winter, to concentrate sugars.
How is DAC status awarded?
Wine producers in a region must agree on grape varieties, a style of wine and a set of regulations to go with it
How must other wines in Austria outside of DAC regulations label their wines?
With only the name of the relevant generic region
What else may appear on a DAC wine label?
The name of a village or single vineyard may also appear.
How would a Pradikatswein be labelled for a specific region where a DAC already exists for another style of wine?
In this case, the wines must be labelled with the generic region instead.
