Austria

Question 1

Austria has been making wine since the Bronze Age. But who and in what time period has had the most impact?

Answer 1

As in many other wine regions of Europe the Cictercian Monks in the 10-12th centuries.

Question 2

What did the Cictercian monks bring and helped to establish in Austria?

Answer 2

Burgundian wine culture. Helped to establish the terraced hills in Wachau and neighbouring appellations.

Question 3

During 15th and 16th century Austrian vineyard area expanded heavily to 150,000 ha. Name a few things that made it shrink considerably.

Answer 3

The Turks invaded. High taxes on wine. Increased popularity of beer. In the 1800’s phylloxera, powdery and downy mildew

Question 4

There was a culture of scientific research into vineyard management and winemaking very early in Austria, and it continues today. When was the first wine laws created in Austria, and as an example, what was forbidden?

Answer 4

Early 1900’s, forbidding hybrid vines.

Question 5

What was discovered in 1985? Where? What did it lead to?

Answer 5

Small number of producers in Burgenland added diethylene glycol to increase volumes and to simulate sweetness. Exports dropped from 30 million hL to 5 in one year.

Question 6

What was established in 1986 in Austria to improve the Austrian wine reputation?

Answer 6

Austrian wine marketing board.

Question 7

Overall climate in Austria? But what influences north, west, south and east respectively?

Answer 7

Cool continental. North (ex. Weinvirtel) is influenced by cold northerly winds. West (on Danube, ex Wachau) influenced by winds from the alps. South (Steiermark) influenced from the Adriatic. East (Burgenland) influenced by the warm Pannonian plain.

Question 8

There are generally speaking two major soil types in Austria. Which ones?

Answer 8

Thin soils over rock (granite or gneiss. Or Urgestein URBERG - local name for crystalline bedrock material). Or richer soils such as loess.

Question 9

In Austria, Riesling is usually planted on the thin soils as it tends to need less water than Grüner Veltliner. On what two soil types do you usually find Grüner Veltliner?

Answer 9

Loess and clay (they retain water very well)

Question 10

What was/is the Lens Moser system in Austria?

Answer 10

Main training method in the 1980’s. Higher training than other systems, requiring wider rows to avoid shading. Popular for for high volume since it need little maintenance and allows mechanisation.

Question 11

In Austria, the Lenz Moser system is now largely replaced by what?

Answer 11

Single or double guyot with VSP trellising. Better suited for quality production.

Question 12

Machine harvesting is common in Austria on flatter lands in parts of Weinvirtel and Burgenland. But around Danube, such as Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal - what rules there? And how much longer does some growers say it takes to grow vines there compared to flatter lands?

Answer 12

Around Danube the vines are planted on hand built stone terraces. All work is done by hand. It can take 3-5 times more hours to grow on the terraces. Adding cost.

Question 13

How come as high as 15% of all vineyards follow certified organic practices (and an additional 18% certified sustainable) in Austria?

Answer 13

Disease pressure is low because of moderate rainfall (450 mm in Weinvirtel to 850 in Stiermark).

Question 14

Max yield in Austria is legally capped at 67.5 hL/ha. But average yield between 2017 and 2021 was around what? What does that reflect?

Answer 14

Around 54 hL/ha. In line with Austria’s modern image focussing on creating high quality wines.

Question 15

Top 5 varieties in Austria?

Answer 15

Grüner Veltliner
Zweigelt
Welschriesling
Blaufränkisch
Riesling

Question 16

How many percent in Austria is Grüner Veltliner?

Answer 16

33%

Question 17

Grüner Veltliner is vigorous. How do the Austrians manage that?

Answer 17

Plant it on less fertile soils and careful canopy management to produce ripe grapes.

Question 18

Grüner Veltliner has thick skins. Left in contact with the juice to long can give what? And what is the chemical compound called in the skins that give the characteristic peppery aroma?

Answer 18

Phenolic taste. The compound is called rutondone.

Question 19

Grüner Veltliner in Austria come in all ranges of quality and price. The acidity is medium(+) to high and they are all typically not oaked.
Aromas and quality for inexpensive?
Aromas and quality for premium priced?

Answer 19

Inexpensive are usually simple wines with citrus and green fruit aromas of acceptable to good quality.
Premium priced have pronounced intensity of citrus and peach, great complexity. Very good to outstanding in quality.

Question 20

Most planted black grape variety in Austria?

Answer 20

Zweigelt

Question 21

Zweigelt is a cross between what two grape varieties?

Answer 21

Sankt Laurent and Blaufränkisch

Question 22

Zweigelt ripens early and can be high yielding. It is also vigorous. What is done to control this in order to produce quality grapes?

Answer 22

Leaf removal and canopy management.

Question 23

What can potassium deficiency lead to for Zweigelt?

Answer 23

Withering of the grapes, leading to loss of crop.

Question 24

Zweigelt generally have what acidity level and what tannin level?

Answer 24

Medium(+) acidity and medium tannins.

Question 25

What colour of fruits dominate Zweigelt aroma? In particular what berry?

Answer 25

Red fruit, in particular cherry.

Question 26

What styles, quality levels and price levels can you find Zweigelt?

Answer 26

From easy drinking, fruity unoaked that are acceptable to good and inexpensive to mid-priced, to full bodied, oaked with possibility to age; very good quality and premium priced.

Question 27

Second most planted white grape variety in Austria? What is it used for? And where?

Answer 27

Welschriesling. Simple inexpensive wines in Stiermark with high acidity and somewhat neutral aromatics.
Or in Neusiedlersee for botrytis affected wine styles.
Or due to its neutral aromatics used for Sekt production.

Question 28

Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese in Austria. Usually what variety, aromas and levels of acidity? Quality and price?

Answer 28

High acidity, pronounced aromas of tropical and dried fruit made from Welschriesling. (Think skin)
Very good to outstanding and premium in price

Question 29

Second most planted black grape variety in Austria?

Answer 29

Blaufränkisch

Question 30

Tannins, acidity, colour and fruit in Blaufränkisch?

Answer 30

High levels of tannin, high acidity and deep colour with black fruit.

Question 31

Budding and ripening for Blaufränkisch?

Answer 31

Early budding and late ripening - needs a warm climate to ripen. As found in Burgenland.

Question 32

Name two premium destinations (DAC’s) for Blaufränkisch.

Answer 32

Mittelburgenland DAC and Leithaberg DAC

Question 33

How many percent of all plantings in Austria is Riesling?

Answer 33

Under 5%

Question 34

In what region is Riesling primarily found in Austria?

Answer 34

Niederösterreich (second most planted variety here)

Question 35

Describe a typical Niederösterreich Riesling.

Answer 35

Almost always dry.
Can be full bodied.
Medium alcohol
Ripe stone fruit, sometimes tropical
High acidity

Question 36

Typical quality and price for Riesling from Niederösterreich?

Answer 36

Very good to outstanding, premium priced.

Question 37

Grüner Veltliner and Riesling typically do not go through malolactic conversion. Give reasons. Stylistic and technical.

Answer 37

Stylistically to retain varietal character and fresh acidity, technically due to the fact that it is hard in the low pH

Question 38

What can producers do to add texture to their white wines?

Answer 38

Leave the wine on fine lees for six months or more.

Question 39

Why do some Austrian producers use acacia instead of oak for maturing both red and white wines?

Answer 39

Acacia gives micro oxygenation but with the vanilla flavour.