Austria

Question 1

What chemical was confused as antifreeze in the Austria wine scandal of 1985?

Answer 1

Diethylene glycol was confused as ethylene glycol

Question 2

What resulted from the antifreeze scandal?

Answer 2

Austria created some of the strictest wine laws in Europe

Question 3

From N to S, what are the 4 main weinbaugebiete in Austria?

Answer 3

Niederosterreich
Wien (Vienna)
Burgenland
Styria (Steiermark)

Question 4

What is the most cultivated white varietal in Austria, accounting for 30% of all vineyard acreage?

Answer 4

Gruner veltliner

Question 5

White varietals in Austria

Answer 5

Gruner Veltliner
Welschriesling
Muller-Thurgau
Weisburgunder 
Riesling 
Chardonnay

Question 6

What is zweigelt?

Answer 6

The most planted red grape in Austria, it’s a cross of Vlaufrankish and St. Laurent

Question 7

Red varietals in Austria

Answer 7

Zweigelt
Blaufrankish
Blaur Portugieser
Blauburger

Question 8

What are the 3 levels of quality dictated by Austrian wine law?

Answer 8

Wein
Landwein
Qualitatswein

Question 9

Qualitatswein can be further divided into which categories?

Answer 9

Pradikatswein

Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)

Question 10

Austrian Pradikat Levels

Answer 10

Essentially the same as the German levels, with kabinett as a subset of Qualitatswein and the addition of Strohwein (at least Beerenauslese ripeness) and Ausbruch (a specialty in Rust)

Question 11

Most sweet wines in Austria are produced around which lake?

Answer 11

Neusidlersee in Burgenland

Question 12

9 DACs of Austria

Answer 12

1. Weinviertel
2. Mittelburgenland
3. Traisental
4. Kremstal
5. Kamptal
6. Leithaberg
7. Eisenberg
8. Neusidelersee
9. Wiener Gemischter Satz

Question 13

What is the largest winegrowing region in Austria, with more than twice the planted vineyard area of the next weinbaugebiete _____?

Answer 13

Niederosterreich (2x more than Burgenland)

Question 14

What river and its tributaries cut through Niederosterreich?

Answer 14

Danube River

Question 15

What DACs are located in Niederosterreich? What are they known for?

Answer 15

Weinviertel
Traisental
Kamptal
Kremstal

Dry white wines, primarily gruner veltliner with some riesling permitted.

Question 16

Where is the Wachau? Is it a DAC?

Answer 16

Niederosterreich’s westernmost subregion, it’s a narrow band of steep slopes along the banks of the Danube (moderates the otherwise severe continental climate).

It’s not a DAC so it follows it’s own rules

Question 17

What wines excel in Wachau?

Answer 17

Riesling and Gruner Veltliner

Question 18

Instead of Pradikatswein, what system is used in Wachau?

Answer 18

1. Steinfeder–min must weight of 15*KMW, max abv of 11.5%
2. Federspiel–min 17*KMW, final abv 11.5-12.5%
3. Smaragd–min 19*KMW (equivalent to Spatlese), min 12.5% abv

Question 19

Some of the best producers in Wachau

Answer 19

FX Pichler
Prager
Emmerich Knoll

Question 20

Where is Wagram? Is it a DAC?

Answer 20

Follows the Danube as it passes out of Vienna.

Not a DAC

Question 21

What is Wagram known for?

Answer 21

Gruner Veltliner

Roter Veltliner

Question 22

What is Burgenland known for (wine styles)?

Answer 22

Red wine and sweet white wines

Question 23

What does Burgenland boarder?

Answer 23

Hungary–shares many viticultural and climactic traits

Question 24

What geographic feature tempers the hot continental climate in Burgenland?

Answer 24

Neusiedlersee–a large, shallow lake

Question 25

Neusiedlersee divides what two subzones of Burgenland?

Answer 25

Neusiedlersee and Neusiedlersee-Hugelland

Question 26

What DACs are in Burgenland?

Answer 26

Mittelburgenland Leithaberg Eisenberg Neusiedlersee

Question 27

Mittelburgenland DAC produces what type of wine? How does a reserve wine differ?

Answer 27

Red wines from Blaufrankisch--sold from 3/1 the year following harvest Reserve wines are aged an additional year and have a higher minimum abv (13% instead of 12.5%)

Question 28

Burgenland is known for these two grape varietals

Answer 28

Blaufrankisch--most planted | Zweigelt

Question 29

Illmitz in Neusiedlersee is home to what legendary producer of sweet wine?

Answer 29

Kracher

Question 30

What is Neusiedlersee-Hugelland known for?

Answer 30

In the town of Rust, it's famous for ausbruch, a traditional sweet wine from the 17th century, done in a Tokaji style. Originally made with furmint, Ruster Ausbruch is more often produced from chardonnay, muskateller, pinot blanc, neuburger, welschriesling, traminer, and pinot gris

Question 31

What are the subzones and DACs of Styria. What grapes are planted?

Answer 31

Subzones: Sudsteiermark, Weststeiermark, Sudoststeiermark No DACs Welschriesling--most planted/cultivated varietal Weissburgunder--2nd most cultivated Sauvignon blanc--does well in Sudsteiermark

Question 32

What is the only capital city in Europe to have a wine appellation within the city limits?

Answer 32

Wien (Vienna)

Question 33

What is the only DAC in Wien and what wines are produced?

Answer 33

Gemischter Satz White wines from a blend of at least 3 varietals Sturm is also popular (early wine)