Wine Regions Austria and Germany Flashcards
Rheinessen
Climate: Cool Continental, Warmer than Mosel
Topography: Steep South Facing Slopes, on Nahe River
Grapes: Riesling, Spatsburgunder (both GG), Dornfelder, Portugieser
Wine Style: Fuller Body than Mosel, Pronounced Acidity and more riper fruit than Mosel
Key Locals: Nierstein (slopes, Full Body Riesling), Worms (better wine)
Other:
Weinviertal DAC
(Niederösterreich)
Climate: Cool Continental - short summers, harsh winters. Cold North winds, warm Hungarian East winds
Topography: Around Danube to max sunlight. Steep, terraced slopes
Grapes: Grüner Veltliner (only)
Wine Style: 2 DAC Levels: Klasiki - wines made light, fresh & fruity with NO OAK. Reserve - Minimum ABV & matured in OAK
Key Locals:
Other: Largest Wine-Growing & 1st DAC
Wachau
(Niederösterreich)
Climate: Cool Continental - short summers, harsh winters. Cold North winds, warm Hungarian East winds
Topography: Around Danube to max sunlight. Steep, terraced slopes
Grapes: Grüner Veltliner or Reisling
Wine Style: HIgh Quality Whites
Key Locals:
Other: Not a DAC
Burgenland
Climate: Cool Continental - short summers, harsh winters. Cold North winds, warm Hungarian East winds
Topography: Lake Neusiedlerese -Vast shallow lake + wetlands - Creates autumn mist
Grapes: Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Grüner Vetliner & Chardonnay. BLACK - Zweigelt - most widely planted, Blaufränkish, St Laurent, Pinot Noir, CabSav, Merlot
Wine Style: Top quality Red & White
Key Locals: Best wines in higher ground away from the lake and in the hills. Neusiederleses DAC for Zweigelt. Mittleburgenland DAC for Blaufrankish (plus two other DAC)
Other: Low-lying sweet wines near Lake, ideal for botrytis using Welschriesling, guaranteed almost every year
Franken
Climate: Moderate with best vineyards on hillside with southern exposure
Topography: Bodrog and Tisza rivers helps generate morning fog for Noble rot. Mount Kopsaz (Tokaji Hill), Plains get warm summer winds, mountains provide shelter, rivers give off mist
Grapes: Furmint - high acid, apples turn to honey and nuts with age, Harslevelu, Sarga Muskotaly (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grain)
Wine Style: Szamorodni - Dry, Tokaji aszu - sweet, tokaji Eszencia - sweet - lowest abc of any wine,
Key Locals:
Other: Use PUTTONYOS System (5 or 6), Minimum Sugar 60-120 g/L, Release date in January 3 years after harvest
Franken
Climate:
Topography:
Grapes:
Wine Style:
Key Locals:
Other:
Franken
Climate: Cool Continental
Topography:
Grapes: White wines dominate. Silvaner is king. GG made from Silvaner, Rieslings, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder or Spatsburgunder
Wine Style: early flower/ripe Silvaner (susceptible to frost) gets warmest sites - achieves best concentration in Germany
Key Locals: Würzburg - South Slopes for dry and rich with earthy palate
Other: Silvaner in Distinctive Flask Bottles
Baden
Climate: Cool Continental, But Warmest
Topography: Slopes of north bank Rhine and River Main with southern aspect. Taunus Hills - protects from north
Grapes: Riesling or Spatsburgunder. (both can be GG), Müller Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder, Riesling
Wine Style: Full Body with Highest ABV.
Key Locals: 30% plantings in Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg opposite Colmar in Alsace. Kaiserstuhl “emperor’s chain” an extinct volcano.
Other: Kaiserstuhl top quality Spatsburgunder
Rheingau
Climate: Cool Continental, slight warmer, but with added humidity (rivers)
Topography: Slopes of north bank Rhine and River Main with southern aspect. Taunus Hills - protects from north
Grapes: Riesling or Spatsburgunder. (both can be GG)
Wine Style: Med-Full Body Rieslings - Distinctive Ripe Peach
Key Locals: Johannisberg, Rudesheim, Hockheim
Other: Best BA & TBAs
Pflatz
Climate: Cool Continental, Warmer than Mosel
Topography: Continuation of Alsace, Protected by Haart Mountains. Steep Slopes in Mittlehaardt
Grapes: Riesling (most planted), Muller Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder, BLACK - (40% overall) - Dornfelder (2nd behind Reisling) Portugieser, Spatsburgunder
Wine Style: Ripe, Drier, Fuller Body Riesling
Key Locals: Forst, Deidesheim (referred to as Mittlehaardt)
Other:
Nahe
Climate: Cool Continental, Warmer than Mosel
Topography: Steep South Facing Slopes, on Nahe River
Grapes: Riesling most widely planted, only GG permitted
Wine Style: Fuller Body than Mosel, Pronounced Acidity and more riper fruit than Mosel
Key Locals: Schlossbökelheim, Bad Kreuznach
Other:
Mosel
Climate: Cool Continental
Topography: Super Steep Slopes, Rhine meets Saar and Ruwer Rivers
Grapes: Riesling only permited GG varietal
Wine Style: Lighter Body, Lower ABV, Green Fruit
Key Locals: (Middle Mosel) Piesport, Bernkastel, Wehel
Other: Even best sites do not always ripe
