Southern Austria Flashcards
Briefly describe the wine region of Steiermark (geographical position, factors, style, famous producers). Is that region a DAC?
The southernmost wine region of Austria, with its three DAC subregions (Vulkanland Steiermark DAC, Weststeiermark DAC and Südsteiermark DAC), is one of the most dynamic. It borders Slovenija to the south, and some Austrian wine growers also produce wine there, such as Alois Gross and Tement.
With its 7% of the country’s vineyard, it is very famous for its piercing, intense Sauvignon Blanc (sometimes oaked, but subtly nowadays), Chardonnay (locally named Morillon) and Welschriesling.
• Vulkanland Steiermark DAC: (known as Südoststeiermark until 2016), Traminer is the speciality of the volcanic soils of Klöch (southern tip).
• Weststeiermark DAC: popular for its pink Schilcher made from the rare Blauer Wildbacher.
• Südsteiermark DAC: where SB has overtaken Welschriesling, it has the greatest concentration of top producers: Alois Gross, Lackner-Tinnacher, Polz, Sattlerhof, Tement, Hannes Sabathi, Wohlmut and Harkamp (the latest, on the high schists of Sausal, where some of the most elegant Austria wines are made).
In Steiermark the quality pyramid is quite similar to Burgundy, so divided in:
• Ortswein: single village, or cluster of characterised by the same soil (1. Schist-dominated Sausal-Kitzech; 2. Limestone-free Gamlitz-Eckberg).
• Riedenwein: top of the pyramid, single vineyard (examples: Gamlitzer Sauvignon Blanc, Sausal Riesling).
The range of permitted varieties is much wider than in most DACs.
Which is the peculiarity for all the three DAC present in Steiermark (as well as Wachau DAC and Ruster Ausbruch DACH)?
OBLIGATORY HAND HARVEST.
Vulkanland Steiermark: describe soil, climate, leading viticultural towns, grape varieties and style, possible PDO for Qualitätswein, the typical, regional form of wine marketing.
Soils present there are basically divided in two kinds:
• north-east: around Hartberg, crystalline rock formations characterised by gneiss and mica schist are present;
• south-east: sandy, pebbly-gravelly limestone-free rocks are found (in Klöch itself, limestone-free red and brown clays, originating from basalt and tuff -volcanic materials- are found almost exclusively).
Here in the transitional area from the hot, dry Pannonian to damp, warm Illyrian Mediterranean climates, give the wines a subtle, regionally typical sense of substance, and the high diurnal range temperature support the development of the aromaticity due to the harmonious ripening.
1,524 ha of vineyards are cultivated in the region, concentrated around the south-eastern cities of Klöch, Sankt Anna am Aigen and Straden.
The grape varieties permitted for the DAC designation are:
W: Welschriesling, Weissburgunder, Morillon (Chardonnay), Grauburgunder, Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, SB, Traminer as well as cuvées made from them.
Primary varieties for Ortswein are: SB, Weissburgunder and Grauburgunder (which love milder environments), Traminer (the speciality of this wine region, which can also be vinified semi-dry as an Ortswein from Klöch - Klöcher Traminer -).
The red grape Blauer Zweigelt is employed in the production of interesting wines under the PDO Steiermark.
The connecting element between Vulkanland Steiermark wines is a refined, mineral-driven spice.
The preferred form of wine marketing in the region is the Buschenschank, the traditional wine tavern.
Südsteiermark: describe soil, climate, leading viticultural towns, grape varieties and style, possible PDO for Qualitätswein, wine marketing.
Most of the vineyards in the Südsteiermark grow on coars-grained, alluvial gravels (unified in conglomerates), plus marls, clay and sand of the so-called Styrian Schlier. In the steeply Sausal there is some quartzites, also.
A moist and warm Mediterranean climate determines the long vegetation cycle, while cool nights promote the development of rich and complex aromaticity, which imparts a wealth of nuance and nobility to the white varieties.
Permitted grape varieties for the PDO Südsteiermark DAC are (all whites): Welschriesling, Weißburgunder, Morillon, Grauburgunder, Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, SB, Traminer as well as cuvées made from them.
The regional typical Südsteiermark DAC are organised on the three levels Gebietswein, Ortswein and Riedenwein, and the harvest is obligatory made by hand (as well as in the other winegrowing regions of Steiermark).
About 1/5 of the total vineyard area (2,563 ha) is planted with SB, here recognised for its elite class worldwide, that can manifests itself through a spectrum vary from refreshing and fragrant examples to elegant and complex wines with unmistakable expressions of detailed terroir.
The primary varieties for Ortswein, associated with the most important viticultural towns and wine-style are:
•Kitzeck-Sausal: SB, Riesling (the latter, the speciality of the sub-area, due to the steepest and highest - >600 metres above sea level - landscape found there)
• Eichberg: Gelber Muskateller (the local “star”), SB
• Leutschach: Gelber Muskateller (the local “star”), SB
• Gamlitz: Gelber Muskateller (the local “star”), SB
• Ehrenhausen: SB, Morillon (which produces opulent wines from this limestone-rich soils).
(Some important Riedenweine for very high quality wines are: Czamillonberg, Grassnitzberg, Kittenberg, Nussberg, Obegg, Sernauberg, Kranachberg, Zieregg).
There is a very important viticultural school in Silberberg.
Weststeiermark: describe soil, climate, leading viticultural towns, grape varieties and style, possible PDO for Qualitätswein, wine marketing.
Acidic, crystalline rock made of old gneisses and mica schist of the Eastern Alpine unit (which also characterised the Koralpe Range, supporting the vineyards around Sankt Stefan ob Stainz, Wildbach and Schwanberg), plus, towards east, Styrian Basin’s stones (partly coarse, mostly loose). 546 ha of vineyards lie mainly on 600 metres slopes.
Illyrian climate, which features southern European and Mediterranean influences, with relatively high rainfall.
Leading viticultural towns are Sankt Stefan ob Stainz, Stainz and Deutschlandsberg.
Grape varieties permitted for the PDO Weststeiermark DAC are: Blauer Wildbacher (as Schilcher, Welschriesling, Weißburgunder, Morillon, SB, Grauburgunder, Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, Traminer as well as cuvées made from them.
The racy Schilcher, the DAC rosé wine made from the ancient, autochthonous red grape variety, is the distinctive regional wine, impressive for its red berry notes (from strawberry to raspberry) and its lively, animating, refreshing acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc plays an important role at the Ortswein level.
Simply red wines made from Blauer Wildbacher, as well as wines made with grape varieties not included in the DAC specification, are labelled as Steiermark.
