WSET D3 - Austria Flashcards
Summarise the history of Austrian wine industry development.
Known for its high acid, dry whites from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Also makes sweet whites. Recently reds, many based on local varieties such as Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch, becoming better known.
Austria has been making wine since Bronze Age. Romans and Magyars also influenced wine production throughout centuries. However, it was Cistercian monks 10–12th centuries, had most impact. They brought Burgundian wine culture and helped establish terraced hills seen in Wachau and its neighbouring appellations today.
15th - 16th centuries, large expansion vineyard area. However, due to invasion from Turkey, high taxes on wine, and increased popularity of beer, vineyard areas continued decrease from 17th century.
Late 1800’s phylloxera, powdery and downy mildew caused decreases in vineyard area. During this time, there was already a culture of scientific research into vineyard management and winemaking which continues today.
Early 1900s, first Austrian wine laws created, eg: forbidding hybrid vines.
Mid-1970s and 1980s, high proportion exported, particularly from Burgenland, in order to compete on price with other nations, small number large volume producers started adding diethylene glycol, an antifreeze agent to increase volumes and simulate sweetness. This was discovered in 1985, and Austrian wine exports dropped from almost 30 million litres in 1985 to under 5 million litres in 1986.
Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) established 1986 to help change international image. Exports now 53 million litres but value tripled since 1985, meaning consumers now willing to pay premium prices for high quality Austrian wine.
What’s the climate like in Austria?
Most western terrain is mountainous not suited to commercial grape growing.
More favourable conditions can be found as Alps flatten towards Pannonian plain and along Danube.
Overall cool continental climate, however number of influences can affect local climate in different parts.
North, such as Weinviertel, influenced by cool northerly winds.
South, in Steiermark, more influence from Adriatic, therefore warmer.
East, such as those in Burgenland, near Hungarian border influenced by warmer Pannonian climate.
West, such as on Danube, may experience cooler breezes from Alps.
What are the hazards and disease found here?
Spring frosts - many regions.
Hail - Steiermark.
Winter freeze - rarely an issue; however damage can occur in particularly cold winters.
Water stress - low rainfall years in some regions, (especially those with thin free draining soils, irrigation may required).
Disease pressure low in many parts, because moderate precipitation– 450 mm in Weinviertel to 850 mm in Steiermark. Low disease pressure led to 14% vineyards following organic practices , 9% certified sustainable. Rainfall can be low during growing season, particularly in Niederösterreich, irrigation may required.
What are the main soil types found here?
2 major soil types; thin soils over rock (granite or gneiss, crystalline bedrock material known locally as Urgestein) and richer soils such as loess.
Riesling usually planted on thin soils as tends to need less water than Grüner Veltliner. Due to greater requirement for water, Grüner Veltliner typically planted on either loess or clay. Other soil types include limestone and schist (such as on Leithaberg hills) as well as gravel and volcanic material (such as in Steiermark and parts of Kamptal).
What is the training system used here and how Is the harvest carried out?
1980s: Lenz Moser system - cordon trained to height of 1.2–1.4 m (higher than others and requiring wider rows avoid shading). Popular for high volume production as once established requires little maintenance allows many tasks to be mechanised. Largely been superseded by single or double Guyot (replacement-cane) with VSP trellising, which better suited to high quality production.
Machine harvesting more common on flatter lands in parts of Weinviertel and Burgenland, however vineyards around Danube, such as Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal, vines planted on hand built, steep stone terraces means all work by hand, adding costs.
What’s the maximum yields and average yields in Austria?
Max 67.5 hL/ha. (average lower) in line with its modern image focussed on high quality wines, rather than bulk production.
What are the top 5 most planted grape varieties?
- Grüner Veltliner
- Zweigelt
- Welschriesling
- Blaufränkisch
- Riesling
Describe Grüner Veltliner.
32% all plantings. Unlike Riesling, does not thrive in dry soils, better suited to clay and loess.
Can be very vigorous on fertile soil, careful canopy management necessary to produce ripe grapes. Skins are thick, if contact with juice for too long, contribute a phenolic, or bitterness taste. Skins also contain rotundone that gives peppery aroma, characteristic of variety.
M(+) to high acidity and typically not oaked. Range from simple wines, with citrus and green fruit made for early drinking, acceptable to good, inexpensive to wines with pronounced citrus and peach fruit and great complexity, can be aged in bottle, very good to outstanding and premium priced.
Describe Zweigelt.
Most planted black variety (14% all plantings). Crossing between Sankt Laurent and Blaufränkisch. Ripens earlier and easily than Blaufränkisch and can be high yielding. Vigorous, leaf removal and canopy management very important to produce quality grapes. Potassium deficiency can lead to withering of grapes before ripen, leading to loss of crop. Widely planted thanks to ease of ripening and not susceptible to frost or rot.
M (+) acidity with M tannins. Red fruit, particularly cherry. Styles from easy drinking, fruity unoaked, acceptable to good quality and inexpensive to mid-priced, to full bodied, oaked styles have possibility to age. Very good and can command premium prices.
Describe Welschriesling.
Second most planted white variety.
High acidity, neutral aromatics. Mainly found in Steiermark & usually made into fresh, neutral, unoaked, dry wines, acceptable to good and inexpensive. Plantings in decline partially due to decrease in consumption of this simple, dry style.
Also large plantings in Burgenland around humid Neusiedlersee region. Thanks to its thin skins can be affected by noble rot, used for sweet wines, labelled as Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese. Wines have high acidity, pronounced tropical fruit and dried fruit, with ability to develop in bottle. Very good to outstanding and premium prices. Because neutral aromatics and high acidity, can be used in Sekt production.
Describe Blaufränkisch
Second most planted black variety, M (+) to high tannins, high acidity, deep colour and black fruit flavours.
Early budding (spring frost).
Late ripening therefore needs warm climate to become fully ripe so generally only found in Burgenland.
Thick skins (not as prone to rot, important in humid area around Neusiedlersee).
Can produce high yields, if left to do so will struggle to ripen, creating wines with green aromas and flavours. When yields managed can produce some Austria’s most age-worthy & intense reds.
Wines range from simple, fruity with little or no oak ageing, good and mid-priced, to very good to outstanding wines with pronounced black fruit, spicy oak characters and high tannins that are premium priced. Leithaberg DAC and Mittelburgenland DAC are prime destinations.
Describe Riesling.
Just over 4% all plantings, one of most prized varieties. Mainly found in Niederösterreich (second most planted white here), in many instances is planted in warmest sites on thin soils, as it needs less water than Grüner Veltliner.
Almost always dry, can be full bodied, with M alcohol, ripe stone fruit and sometimes tropical fruit, with high acidity, allowing many to improve over 10–20 years, where they become nutty, honeyed and have petrol notes. Very good to outstanding and premium prices.
What’s the winemaking like in Austria?
For whites, typical aim is preserve primary fruit and varietal characteristics. Many use short skin contact to maximize aromas and flavours and ferment in a neutral vessel. Temperature control to prevent loss of delicate, volatile aromas is common. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling typically do not go through malo, partly because difficult to achieve due to low pH, and partly through the desire to retain varietal character and fresh acidity. wines stored in old wood or stainless steel. Many leave wine on fine lees for 6 months or longer to add texture. Most whites fermented to dryness.
Reds typically fermented in large open-top vessels, with either punch downs or pump overs. Some use ambient yeast. Stored in stainless steel or matured in old oak vessels, often 300–600 L or larger, to help soften tannins without extracting flavours of new oak. A few premium wines aged in barriques with proportion new oak. Some choose acacia vats in both their white and red, as it gives small amount oxygenation without vanilla characters.
As in other countries, some experimenting techniques such as prolonged skin contact or fermentation and ageing in amphorae.
What are the Wine laws and regulations in Austria.
Mixture of Germanic tradition and Romanic system which style of wine is linked to an origin, DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) system. Currently 2 appellations remain without a DAC status.
As Austria is in EU, PDO and PGI terms also used:
* Wein – Wine without Geographic Indication
* Landwein – Wine with Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)
* Qualitätswein – (PDO). Has undergo government inspection to ensure min quality standards, government inspection number will be stated on label.
Wein and Landwein only account 10% all production, with Qualitätswein (including Prädikatswein) making up remainder.
Within Qualitätswein, wines may also labelled as:
* Klassik – vintage declared, showing varietal character
* Reserve – dry with min 13% abv, typically harvested and released later.
Like German, Qualitätswein has a higher Prädikatswein category. Different Prädikat levels are based on must weight at time of harvest.
Kabinett does not fall into Prädikatswein system.
TBA wines from city of Rust, situated on Lake Neusiedlersee, are labelled Ausbruch.
What’s Regionally typical qualitätswein - DAC?
Amendment to wine law in 2002 created an appellation system aimed to promote regional typicity. Origin, such as Weinviertel or Kamptal, permitted on label, those do not conform to legislation have to use larger area Niederösterreich on label. First DAC region validated was Weinviertel in 2001. There are 16 DACs. Only specific permitted varieties allowed, to ensure regional typicity and profile maintained. Those do not meet tasting panel criteria of ‘typical’ for that region, will be rejected. Same time, this may lead to new-wave wines may not eligible for DAC status even their quality may be high. Like AOC in France or DOCG in Italy, DAC not guarantee of quality, rather an indicator of typicity.
There is option to use a quality hierarchy distinguishes regional (Gebietswein), village (Ortswein) and single vineyard wines (Riedenwein).
