Austria Flashcards
(101 cards)
Which historical group had the greatest impact on Austrian wine culture?
Cistercian monks in the 10-12th centuries, who brought Burgundian wine culture and helped build the terraced hills in Wachau and neighboring appellations
Describe the trend of area under vine in Austria since the 15th century
15th-16th centuries had about 150,000 ha (3x size of current area under vine). Decreased from the 17th century due to invasion by Turkey, high taxes, and popularity of beer. 1800s phylloxera, powdery and downy mildew further reduced vineyard area
Given Austria’s climate, what is notable about their wine law?
Hybrid vines are forbidden
Describe the Austrian glycol scandal
In the mid-79s and -80s a high proportion of Austrian wine was exported, and to remain price competitive some large volume producers started adding diethylene glycol to increase volume and simulate sweetness. Discovered in 1985, exports dropped from 30M liters in 85 to under 5 M liters in 86. Austrian Wine Marketing Board was established 86 to rehabilitate international image
What is the current status of Austrian wine exports?
53 M liters annually, with the value having tripled since 1985 (meaning consumers now pay a premium for Austrian production)
Describe the general climate of Austria and its regions
Overall cool continental. Northern vineyards are influenced by cool north winds, southern vineyards moderated by the Adriatic, eastern influenced by warmer Pannonian climate, western get cool breezes from the Alps
What are the main soil types of Austria? How are these planted?
Thin soil over granite or gneiss, and richer soils such as loess. Riesling is usually planted on the thin soils because it requires less water than Gruner. Water stress can be an issue in low rainfall years
What is Urgestein?
Austrian name for a crystalline bedrock material
What is the Lenz Moser system and why was it popular in Austria?
Cordon training system at 1.2-1.4 M height (higher than most systems) which was popular for high volume production because, once established, it requires very little maintenance and easy mechanization
How are vines typically trained in Austria?
Single or double Guyot (replacement-cane) with VSP trellising
Where is machine harvesting common in Austria?
On the flat lands in parts of Weinviertel and Burgenland
Where is machine harvesting not possible in Austria?
Terraced vineyards are the Danube such as Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal
Why is disease pressure low in most of Austria?
Moderate precipitation
What percentage of Austria’s vineyards follow organic practices?
About 14%
What is the maximum yield in Austria?
67.5 hl/ha, but the average yield is typically lower
What are the main varieties planted in Austria (by vineyard area)?
Gruner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Welschriesling, Blaufrankisch, Riesling
What proportion of Austria’s wine production is white?
2/3
What proportion of Austria’s plantings are to Gruner Veltliner?
32% of all plantings
How does growing Gruner compare to growing Riesling (particularly in Austria)?
Gruner does not thrive in dry soils, and so is better suited to clay and loess (for water retention). It is also very vigorous in fertile soil, so canopy management is essential for ripe grapes
What is rotundone?
The chemical compound that smells like pepper, characteristic of Gruner
What is the most planted black grape in Austria, and what percentage of plantings does it represent?
Zweigelt, 14% of plantings
Zweigelt is a cross between what and what?
Sankt Laurent and Blaufrankisch
What qualities make Zweigelt widely planted in Austria?
Ease of ripening and resistance to frost and rot
What is Welschriesling?
Second most planted white variety in Austria, not related to Riesling. High acid, neutral aromatics, used in Steiermark for inexpensive whites, Burgenland (around Neusiedlersee) for BA and TBA of high quality, and in Sekt