Austria Wine Regions Flashcards
Name Austrias largest grape growing area.
Niederösterreich (lower Austria)
Niederösterreich is a large area, and in general broken down into three regions. Name them.
Weinwiertel (north)
Regions along Danube (west of Vienna; Wachau, Kamptal etc)
The warmer Pannonian plain in the southeast.
The “first” region along the Danube? On the north or south of the river?
Wachau, primarily north of Danube.
Grape varieties in Wachau? Where do you find the vineyards?
Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. Most vineyards found on steep terraces.
The terraces in Wachau help in ripening. How?
They retain heat and radiate them during the night
The soils in Wachau are very varied. But what is Riesling generally planted on? And Grüner?
Riesling on gneiss based soils, and Grüner on loess.
Amount of rain in Wachau? Irrigation?
460mm. Irrigation is permitted and necessary in many vintages.
Quality and price in Wachau?
Generally very good to outstanding, premium priced.
Wachau is dominated by family estates but is also home to one large quality driven co-op. Name it and name some other significant producer.
Domäne Wachau. FX Pichler, Franz Hirtzberger.
From what year can wines from Wachau be labelled DAC?
2020
For regional (Gebeitswein) and village (Ortswein) a range of grape varieties can be used for DAC in Wachau. But what are the rules for single vineyard (Riedenwein)?
Only Grüner Veltliner and Riesling is permitted for Riedenwein in Wachau. Must be hand harvested.
Vinea Wachau (association of 200 producers) has created registered trade marks for 3 different classifications of dry white wine to indicate style and quality. Name them. What do they mean?
Steinfeder - lightest style. Fruity, dry and max 11,5%
Federspiel - more concentrated, dry 11,5 - 12,5%
Smaragd - highly concentrated, dry, ripe fruit. Min 12,5%
What Austrian region borders Wachau to the west and is situated around the town of Krems?
Kremstal
Kremstal is influenced from the east by what?
The warm Pannonian plain.
Two most planted varieties in Kremstal? Percentage?
59% Grüner Veltliner and 11% Riesling
Kremstal is warmer than Wachau making it suitable for yet another grape variety, especially true for the vineyards south of the Danube. What variety and how many percent?
Zweigelt, 12%
DAC wines in Kremstal must be what varieties?
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling
Quality and price in Kremstal?
From good to very good and mid to premium priced
There is an important co-operative in Kremstal. What is it called. Name a few significant producers besides the co-op.
The co-operative is called Weingut Stadt Krems. Other significant producers are Salomon Undhof and Lenz Moser.
Red wines in Kremstal must be labelled with what region?
Niederösterreich
Most red wines in Kremstal is made from Zweigelt in a fruity, easy drinking style with no or minimal oak influence. Acidity? Tannins? Body? Aromas?
Medium(+) to high acidity
Medium tannins
Medium body
Red and black fruit aromas
Quality and price for Kremstal Zweigelt?
Good to very good and mid-priced.
This Austrian region surrounds the town of Langenlois and is named after the river that runs through it.
Kamptal. The river is named Kamp
50% in Kamptal is planted with what? What two grapes follow on the top three list?
Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Riesling
Kamptal has similar temperature and sunshine hours as Kremstal but less humidity. Because of this Kamptal gets less of what?
Botrytis.
Kamptal is subject to warm breezes from where? But also cooling, from where? This gives what, that help the grapes to retain acidity?
Warm breezes from the Pannonian plain and cooling winds from the Bohemian massif. This gives large diurnal range that in turn give grapes with high acidity.
Kamptal DAC must be what grape varieties?
Grüner Veltliner and Riesling