Austrian Wine
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Austrian wines are mostly dry white wines (often made from the Grüner Veltliner grape), though some sweeter white wines (such as
dessert wine Dessert wines, sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert. There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a mea ...
s made around the Neusiedler See) are also produced. About 30% of the wines are red, made from
Blaufränkisch Blaufränkisch (; German language, German for ''blue Frankish grapes, Frankish'') is a dark-skinned list of grape varieties, variety of grape used for red wine. and California wine, California, DNA profiling has shown that Blaufränkisch is a c ...
(also known as Lemberger, or as Kékfrankos in neighbouring
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
),
Pinot noir Pinot noir (), also known as Pinot nero, is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words fo ...
and locally bred varieties such as Zweigelt.Calculation by Austrian Wine based on data from BML/IACS (as at 3 July 2024). Moving annual total (MAT) from July 2023 to July 2024. Four thousand years of winemaking history counted for little after the " antifreeze scandal" of 1985, when it was revealed that some wine brokers had been adulterating their wines with
diethylene glycol Diethylene glycol (DEG) is an organic compound with the formula (HOCH2CH2)2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is a four carbon Dimer (chemistry), dimer of ethylene glycol. It is miscible in ...
. The scandal destroyed the market for Austrian wine and compelled Austria to tackle low standards of bulk wine production, and reposition itself as a producer of quality wines. The country is also home to Riedel, makers of some of the most expensive
wine glass A wine glass is a type of Glass (drinkware), glass that is used for drinking or wine tasting, tasting wine. Most wine glasses are stemware (goblets), composed of three parts: the bowl, stem, and foot. There are a wide variety of slightly differe ...
es in the world. Some of the best producers of Austria include Weingut Bründlmayer, Weingut F.X. Pichler and Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, Weingut Nikolaihof, Weingut Knoll, Weingut Tement, and Weingut Sattlerhof.


History

There is archaeological evidence of grape growing in Traisental 4000 years ago. Grape seeds have been found in urns dating back to 700 BC in Zagersdorf, whilst bronze wine flagons of the Celtic
La Tène culture The La Tène culture (; ) was a Iron Age Europe, European Iron Age culture. It developed and flourished during the late Iron Age (from about 450 BC to the Roman Republic, Roman conquest in the 1st century BC), succeeding the early Iron Age ...
dating to the 5th century BC have been found at Dürrnberg in
Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
state. Viticulture thrived under the Romans, once
Marcus Aurelius Probus Marcus Aurelius Probus (; 230–235 – September 282) was Roman emperor from 276 to 282. Probus was an active and successful general as well as a conscientious administrator, and in his reign of six years he secured prosperity for the inner p ...
( Roman emperor 276–282) had overturned the ban on growing grapes north of the Alps. Both Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling appear to have been grown around the Danube since Roman times.Blom, Philipp (2000) ''The Wines of Austria'' Faber & Faber Viticulture suffered with the invasions of Bavarians, Slavs and Avars after the fall of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
, but from 788 the rule of
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
saw considerable reconstruction of vineyards and introduction of new grape presses. Once
Otto the Great Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), known as Otto the Great ( ) or Otto of Saxony ( ), was East Frankish ( German) king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the eldest son of Henry the Fowler and Matilda ...
had seen off the threat from Magyar incursions in 955, Austrian viticulture was nurtured by the Church and encouraged among the populace at large. The first vineyard names recorded are Kremser Sandgrube in 1208, and Steiner Pfaffenberg in 1230. Rudolf IV introduced the first wine tax, ''Ungeld'', in 1359, as Vienna established itself as a centre for wine trading on the Danube. The wine business boomed in the 16th century, but the
Thirty Years War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine, or disease, whil ...
and others of the 17th century took their toll, as much due to the heavy taxation of the period as the direct disruption of war. Various drink taxes were unified in 1780, as part of a drive by
Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...
and Joseph II to encourage viticulture. An imperial decree of 17 August 1784 gave birth to the distinctive Austrian tradition of inns called ''Heurigen''. Derived from the German for "new wine", the decree allowed all winemakers to sell home-grown food with their wine all year round. Fir trees hung above the door alerted customers to the arrival of the new season's wine. The 19th century saw the arrival of all sorts of biological invaders. First there was
powdery mildew Powdery mildew is a fungus, fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of Ascomycota, ascomycete fungi in the order Erysiphales. Powdery mildew is one of the easier plant disea ...
(''
Uncinula necator ''Uncinula necator'' (syn. ''Erysiphe necator'') is a fungus that causes powdery mildew of grape. It is a common pathogen of Vitis species, including the wine grape, ''Vitis vinifera''. The fungus is believed to have originated in North Americ ...
'') and
downy mildew Downy mildew refers to any of several types of oomycete microbes that are obligate parasites of plants. Downy mildews exclusively belong to the Peronosporaceae family. In commercial agriculture, they are a particular problem for growers of c ...
(''Peronospora''). One response to these fungal diseases from North America was the founding in 1860 of what became the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at
Klosterneuburg Klosterneuburg () is a town in the Tulln District of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Frequently abbreviated to Kloburg by locals, it has a population of about 27,500. The Stift Klosterneuburg ( Klosterneuburg Monastery), which was establish ...
. Then the
phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...
root aphid arrived in 1872 and wiped out most of the vineyards of
central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...
. Although it took several decades for the industry to recover, it allowed lower quality grapes to be replaced with better varieties, particularly Grüner Veltliner. After
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Austria was the third biggest wine producer in the world, much being exported in bulk for blending with wine from Germany and other countries. However that intensification of viticulture sowed the seeds of its own destruction. During the twentieth century Austrian wine became a high-volume, industrialised business, with much of it being sold in bulk to Germany. A run of favourable years in the early 1980s saw massive yields of wines that were light, dilute and acidic, that nobody wanted. Wine brokers discovered that these wines could be made saleable by the addition of a little
diethylene glycol Diethylene glycol (DEG) is an organic compound with the formula (HOCH2CH2)2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is a four carbon Dimer (chemistry), dimer of ethylene glycol. It is miscible in ...
, more commonly found in
antifreeze An antifreeze is an additive which lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid. An antifreeze mixture is used to achieve freezing-point depression for cold environments. Common antifreezes also increase the boiling point of the liquid, allow ...
, which imparted sweetness and body to the wine. The adulteration was difficult to detect chemically—the 'antifreeze scandal' broke when one of them tried to claim for the cost of the chemical on his tax return. Although the amounts of glycol were less dangerous than the alcohol in the wine, and only a few middlemen were involved, exports collapsed and some countries banned Austrian wine altogether. The antifreeze jokes persist, but in fact the scandal was the saviour of the industry in Austria. Strict new regulations restricted yields among other things, producers moved towards more red wine and a dry style of white wine that was what the 1990s market would demand, and the middlemen went bust forcing producers to sell direct and encouraging the expression of local
terroir (; ; from ''terre'', ) is a French language, French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, th ...
. Perhaps most importantly, there was a massive change in the culture of wine production in Austria towards an emphasis on quality, as opposed to the low standards that permitted the scandal to happen in the first place. The Austrian Wine Marketing Board was created in 1986 as a response to the scandal, and Austria's membership of the European Union has prompted further revisions of her wine laws, notably the new DAC system of geographical appellations launched in 2002 (see
Classification Classification is the activity of assigning objects to some pre-existing classes or categories. This is distinct from the task of establishing the classes themselves (for example through cluster analysis). Examples include diagnostic tests, identif ...
section below). Today Austria lies 16th in the list of wine producing countries by volume (2011).


Grape varieties

As can be seen from the table, Grüner Veltliner is the dominant white grape in Austria, producing generally dry wines ranging from short-lived Heuriger wines to Spätleses capable of long life. The ancient Welschriesling variety is used in the
noble rot Noble rot (; ; ; ) is the beneficial form of a grey fungus, ''Botrytis cinerea'', affecting wine grapes. Infestation by ''Botrytis'' requires warm and humid conditions, typically around 20 degrees Celsius and above 80% humidity. If the weather ...
dessert wines of the Neusiedlersee; it also makes undistinguished dry wines for drinking young, as does
Müller-Thurgau Müller-Thurgau () is a white grape variety (sp. ''Vitis vinifera'') which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882 at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in Germany. It is a crossing of Riesling with Made ...
(Rivaner).
Neuburger Neuburger is a white Austrian wine grape. The grape is a crossing of Roter Veltliner and Sylvaner. As varietal, it generally produces full bodied wines. J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' Third Edition pg 117 Abbeville Press 2003 ...
was supposedly found as flotsam in the Danube in the 1850s, but is now known to be a cross between
Silvaner Silvaner or Sylvaner () is a variety of white wine grape grown primarily in Alsace wine, Alsace and German wine, Germany, where its official name is Grüner Silvaner. While the Alsatian versions have primarily been considered simpler wines, it ...
and the ancient Roter Veltliner.
Frühroter Veltliner Frühroter Veltliner is a variety of early-ripening, red-skinned white wine grape grown primarily in the Weinviertel district of Lower Austria. It accounts for 0.9% of total Austrian vineyards and is diminishing. Frühroter Veltliner is not at ...
is also known as Malvasier, suggesting a link to the
Malvasia Malvasia (), also known as Malvazia, is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. In the past, the names Malvasia, Malvazia, ...
grape family of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Muscat Ottonel Muscat Ottonel or Muskat-Ottonel (in Germany) is a white wine grape variety that is a member of the Muscat family of ''Vitis vinifera''.J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including ...
is used in dessert wines from the Neusiedlersee, as is Bouvier, which is related to the muscat family and is a parent of the Orémus (Zéta) grape used in
Tokaji Tokaji ( ) or Tokay is a rich, sweet wine originating in the Tokaj wine region (also ''Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region'' or ''Tokaj-Hegyalja'') in Hungary. This region is noted for its sweet wines made from grapes affected by noble rot, a style of wi ...
. There were high hopes for Goldburger, a cross between Welschriesling and Orangetraube bred in Klosterneuburg, but after an initial wave of planting, enthusiasm has dimmed. Zierfandler (Spätrot) and
Rotgipfler Rotgipfler is a grape variety used to make aromatic white wine. It is almost exclusively found in the Gumpoldskirchen district of the Thermenregion in Austria. It is often blended with Zierfandler (which is also known as ''Spätrot'') to mak ...
are local grapes of the Thermenregion, and traditionally used to be blended together as Spätrot-Rotgipfler. It is worth noting that
Pinot gris Pinot gris, pinot grigio (, ), or ''Grauburgunder'' is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the pinot noir variety, it normally has a pinkish-gray hue, accounting for its name, but th ...
is known as Ruländer in Austria, and sometimes as Grauburgunder;
Pinot blanc Pinot blanc () or Pinot bianco is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane wh ...
is known as Weißburgunder or Weissburgunder.
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
plays a much smaller role than in Germany, but the relatively small amount grown is used for some of Austria's most appreciated dry white wines. Zweigelt (sometimes called Blauer Zweigelt, a Blaufränkisch × St. Laurent cross) and Blauburger (Blaufränkisch × Blauer Portugieser) were bred at Klosterneuburg in the 1920s and now account for nearly half of Austria's red wine. The former can be made into powerful wines for ageing, the latter is easier to grow and is generally blended; both are also made into a lighter style for drinking young.
Blaufränkisch Blaufränkisch (; German language, German for ''blue Frankish grapes, Frankish'') is a dark-skinned list of grape varieties, variety of grape used for red wine. and California wine, California, DNA profiling has shown that Blaufränkisch is a c ...
and Blauer Portugieser are the traditional red grapes of the region, being part of the blend of Hungary's Egri Bikavér. The former is the more "serious" variety, Blauer Portugieser produces fresh, fruity red wines for drinking young. Sankt Laurent came from France in the mid-19th century, and seems to have substantial
Pinot noir Pinot noir (), also known as Pinot nero, is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words fo ...
(Blauerburgunder) parentage; St Laurent has a reputation for being problematic to grow, but can produce good quality wine. Blauer Wildbacher is probably an indigenous
wild grape Wild grape may refer to: * ''Vitis'' species; specially ''Vitis vinifera'' subsp. ''sylvestris'' (the wild ancestor of ''Vitis vinifera''), ''Vitis californica'' (California wild grape), '' Vitis girdiana'' (desert wild grape), and '' Vitis ripari ...
variety, used to make a cult rosé called Schilcher in western Styria. Roesler and other fungus-resistant varieties are the latest varieties to be bred at Klosterneuburg.


Classification

Since joining the EU the Austrians have made real efforts to improve matters. At present there is the legal systems based on the Romanic scheme, including the regulations for regionally typical wines ( DAC) alongside private systems like in the
Wachau The Wachau () is an Austrian valley formed by the Danube River. It is one of the most prominent tourism in Austria, tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located between the towns of Melk and Krems an der Donau, Krems that attracts epicureans ...
.


National Classification

Source: After the wine scandal of 1985, Austria basically switched from the Germanic system (classification based on the Klosterneuburger Mostwaage (KMW), which measures the sugar content of the grapes at harvest in a way similar to the Öchsle scale, where 1°KMW is ~5°Oe) to the Romanic system, based on appellations and regional typicity.


''Wine without geographical indication''

Source: * Wein The term Tafelwein has been replaced by the term Wein in 2009. :* without indication of variety or vintage :* withoud yield limit :* blend of wines from different EU countries permitted Designation: :* Wine from Austria Wine without PGI or PDO may carry the indication of variety or vintage under certain conditions. :* maximum yield of 10.000 kg (oder 7.500 l wine) per hectare :* Must be free of defects in appearance and taste. :* Appropriate grape variety typicality :* Grape varieties with names of origin (e.g. Weißburgunder and all other Pinot varieties, Rheinriesling etc.) are not permitted (possible misleading of the consumer). :* Specifications of varieties according to the Qualitätswein Grape Varieties Ordinance, as well as grape varieties approved by ordinance. Increase in alcohol/enrichment of wines without geographical indication :* Increase in alcohol/enrichment maximum enrichment range 2.0% vol :* Total alcohol after enrichment white wine 12.0% vol, red wine 12.5% vol


''Wines with protected geographical indication (PGI)''

Source: * Landwein (min. 14 Â°KMW = 68 Â°Oe, min. 8,5 %vol) :* Grapes must come 100% from a wine-growing area (Weinland, Steirerland, Bergland). :* "Landwein" must be on the label. :* Must be made exclusively from Qualitätswein grape varieties. :* Minimum must weight of grapes 14°KMW. :* The wine must have the typical characteristics of the designation. :* Total acidity of at least 4 g per litre :* Maximum yield per hectare 10,000 kg (or 7,500 l of wine) :* Must be free of defects in appearance and smell. Alcohol increase/enrichment :* Alcohol increase/enrichment maximum enrichment range 2.0% vol :* Total alcohol after enrichment white wine 13.5% vol, red wine 14.5% vol


''Wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO)''

Source: * In the sense of the GMO wine, Qualitätswein (quality wines), including Prädikatswein and DAC wines, are wines with a protected designation of origin. * For all Qualitätswein a maximum yield per hectare of 10,000 kg (or 7,500 l of wine) applies. * All Qualitätswein may only be placed on the market after they have been tested by the state and the state test number has been issued. Qualitätsweine * Qualitätswein (min. 15 Â°KMW = 73° Oe, min. 9 %vol) :* Alcohol increase/enrichment maximum enrichment range 2.0% vol :* Total alcohol after enrichment white wine 13.5% vol, red wine 14.5% vol :* Sweetening up to a content of 15 g of unfermented sugar possible *
Kabinett Kabinett (literal meaning: cabinet), or sometimes Kabinettwein (literal meaning: a wine set aside in a cabinet), is a German language wine term for a wine which is made from fully ripened grapes of the main harvest, typically picked in Septembe ...
(mind. 17 Â°KMW = 83,5° Oe, max. 12,9 %vol) :* No alcohol increase/enrichment :* Residual sugar content maximum 9 g/l :* No sweetening * Prädikatsweine :*
Spätlese (literal meaning: "late harvest"; plural form is ''Spätlesen'') is a German wine term for a wine from fully ripe grapes, the lightest of the late harvest wines. ''Spätlese'' is a riper category than Kabinett in the '' Prädikatswein'' categ ...
(min. 19 Â°KMW = 94 Â°Oe, min. 5 %vol) :*
Auslese ''Auslese'' (, ; plural form is ''Auslesen'') is a German language wine term for a late harvest wine and is a riper category than Spätlese in the '' Prädikatswein'' category of the Austrian and German wine classification. Harvest The gr ...
(min. 21 Â°KMW = 105 Â°Oe) :*
Eiswein Icewine (or ice wine; ) is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been Freezing, frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice ...
(min. 25 Â°KMW = 127 Â°Oe) :* Strohwein or Schilfwein (min. 25 Â°KMW = 127 Â°Oe) :*
Beerenauslese ''Beerenauslese'' () is a German language wine term for a late harvest wine with noble rot. Beerenauslese is a category in the '' Prädikatswein'' category of the Austrian and German wine classifications, and is a category above Auslese. Beere ...
(min. 25 Â°KMW = 127 Â°Oe) :* Trockenbeerenauslese (min. 30 Â°KMW = 156 Â°Oe) :* Ruster Ausbruch DAC (min. 30 Â°KMW = 156 Â°Oe, Trockenbeerenauslese from the town of
Rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH) ...
) Increasing the alcohol content/enrichment, sweetening of quality wines is not permitted Information on the bottle: :* red-white-red banderole (= symbol for Qualitätswein bottled domestically) :* state inspection number :* wine-growing region (4 federal states, 18 DAC appellations) :* grape variety, vintage, quality level


Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC)

Districtus Austriae Controllatus, Latin for "Controlled District of Austria", is the Austrian appellation system, similar to the French AOC or the Italian
DOCG The following four classification of wine, classifications of wine constitute the Italy, Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; 'designation of origin'); * ''Indicazione ...
. Regional wine committees award the DAC to wines typical of their region. There are now 18 DACs: * Weinviertel DAC (from vintage 2002, Reserve: from vintage 2009) * Mittelburgenland DAC (from vintage 2005) * Traisental DAC (from vintage 2006) * Kremstal DAC (from vintage 2007) * Kamptal DAC (from vintage 2008) * Leithaberg DAC (white: from vintage 2009, red: from vintage 2008) * Eisenberg DAC (from vintage 2009) * Neusiedlersee DAC (Klassik: from vintage 2011, Reserve: from vintage 2010, sweet: from vintage 2020) * Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC (from vintage 2013) * Rosalia DAC (from vintage 2017) * Vulkanland Steiermark DAC (from vintage 2018) * Südsteiermark DAC (from vintage 2018) * Weststeiermark DAC (from vintage 2018) * Carnuntum DAC (from vintage 2019) * Wachau DAC (from vintage 2020) * Ruster Ausbruch DAC (from vintage 2020) * Wagram DAC (from vintage 2021) * Thermenregion DAC (from vintage 2023)


Wachau Classification

The " Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus" has three categories, all for dry wines: * Steinfeder ("Stone feather"—named after a grass, '' Stipa pennata'', that grows in the vineyards): maximum 11.5% alcohol, mostly for local quaffing. * Federspiel (named after a falconry device): 11.5% to 12.5% alcohol and a minimum must weight of 17° KMW, roughly equivalent to Kabinett. * Smaragd (named after an 'emerald' lizard that lives in the vineyards): minimum 12.5% alcohol, with a maximum 9 g/litre residual sugar; some of the best dry whites in Austria.


Wine regions

In 2024 Austria had 44,210 hectares of vineyard, almost all of it in the east of the country. Of these 26,723 ha are in the
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) and 11,538 ha in Burgenland and 588 ha in Wien (Vienna) which together make up the wine-growing area Weinland. Steiermark (Styria) accounts for 5,109 ha, and there are 243 ha in the rest of Austria, known as the wine-growing area Bergland. The federal states are split into 17 specific wine-growing regions.


Lower Austria


Wachau

This narrow valley of the Danube around
Melk Melk (; older spelling: ) is a city in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,257 (as of 2012). It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery named ...
is reminiscent of the great wine areas of the Rhine, with steep terraces that produce world-class Grüner Veltliner and
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
wines. Climatically and geologically it marks the transition from the Alps to the Hungarian plains, leading to a diverse array of microclimates and
terroir (; ; from ''terre'', ) is a French language, French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, th ...
, with the river moderating the effects of the cold Alpine winds. As mentioned above, the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus still clings to its own classification of Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd, reserved for wines that are made 100% from Wachau grapes.


Kremstal

Downstream of the Wachau lies the Kremstal region, centred on the town of Krems. The valley opens out a little, the climate is a little warmer allowing more red wine to be produced, but otherwise Kremstal is quite similar to the Wachau.


Kamptal

To the north of Krems lies Langenlois, which is the main town of Kamptal, the valley of the river Kamp. The sandstone slopes are so steep that only a thin layer of soil is retained, and exposure to the sun is high. Riesling thrives on these steep slopes; closer to the Danube the valley broadens and more red grapes are grown.


Traisental

To the south of Krems lies Herzogenburg, at the centre of Traisental, which was only designated as a wine district in 1995. Mostly Grüner Veltliner is grown here, which is made into a fresh style for drinking young.


Wagram

Between Krems and Vienna lies the Wagram, which covers two very different areas. North of the Danube is the plateau of
Wagram Deutsch-Wagram (literally "German Wagram", ), often shortened to Wagram, is a village in the Gänserndorf District, in the state of Lower Austria, Austria. It is in the Marchfeld Basin, close to the Vienna city limits, about 15 km (9 mi) north ...
, where the Grüner Veltliner is a bit more full-bodied and aromatic, and Roter Veltliner is something of a local speciality. Blauer Zweigelt and Pinot noir wines are also made here, as well as a little Eiswein. Further downstream, just outside Vienna lies
Klosterneuburg Klosterneuburg () is a town in the Tulln District of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Frequently abbreviated to Kloburg by locals, it has a population of about 27,500. The Stift Klosterneuburg ( Klosterneuburg Monastery), which was establish ...
. As the biggest private wine estate in the country, the
abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christians, Christian monks and nun ...
has played a formative role in Austrian wine for the last 900 years. The Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology was the world's first college of viticulture and continues to play an important part in the development of wine in Austria.


Weinviertel

The Weinviertel lies in the northeast corner of Austria, between the Danube and the Czech and Slovak borders. The biggest single wine region in Austria is home to half the Grüner Veltliner in the country (subject of the first DAC), and considerable amounts of Welschriesling, but most of Austria's varieties can be found here. Even
sparkling wine Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While it is common to refer to this as champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that word for products exclusively produced in the Champagne ( ...
is made from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner in the far northeast around Poysdorf.


Carnuntum

The deep soils between Vienna and the Neusiedlersee have established a reputation for well-balanced red wines made from Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. Being close to Vienna and full of history, the area is a popular area to visit.


Thermenregion

The spa region south of Vienna saw two wine regions,
Gumpoldskirchen Gumpoldskirchen ( Central Bavarian: ''Gumpoidskiachn'') is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Gumpoldskirchen borders on the municipalities Mödling, Guntramsdorf, Gaaden, Pfaffstätten and Traiskirchen. ...
and
Bad Vöslau Bad Vöslau (; Central Bavarian: ''Bod Vöslau'') is a spa town and Municipality (Austria), municipality in the state of Lower Austria. It is also known as the cradle of the Austrian red wine cultivation. The population, as of 2022, is 12,424. G ...
, merged in 1985. Climatically similar to Burgundy, with a wide variation in soils, all kinds of grape varieties are made here, many being made into elegant wines. Perhaps the most interesting wines are local varieties Zierfandler (Spätrot) and Rotgipfler, both of which are white grapes despite their names, and the red St. Laurent variety.


Burgenland


Neusiedlersee

The east side of the Neusiedler See is home to fruity, fresh Zweigelt wines and rare sweet wines. The shallow Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) is one of the few places on earth where
noble rot Noble rot (; ; ; ) is the beneficial form of a grey fungus, ''Botrytis cinerea'', affecting wine grapes. Infestation by ''Botrytis'' requires warm and humid conditions, typically around 20 degrees Celsius and above 80% humidity. If the weather ...
attacks grapes reliably every year. This means that botrytised dessert wines can be made more easily, and hence sold more cheaply, than in other areas famous for this style of wine. Increasingly, red wine is also being made in this region.


Leithaberg

The "hill country" to the west of Lake Neusiedl offers a diversity of terrain that is reflected in the number of grape varieties and styles of wine made here. Perhaps the most famous is the Ruster Ausbruch dessert wine from the western shore of the lake.


Mittelburgenland

The Mittelburgenland is a southern continuation of the forested hills to the west of the Neusiedlersee. The nickname "Blaufränkischland" reflects the dominant variety here, which is the subject of the red wine DAC and can be very good, the Bordeaux varieties also do well here.


Eisenberg

The most famous wine-growing region of the South Burgenland, Eisenberg, reflects the red, iron-rich soil which imparts a distinct spiciness to the Blaufränkisch grown here. A speciality here is
Uhudler Uhudler is a wine from Südburgenland, Austria, (see Burgenland). In appearance it is often a Rosé, rosé colour, but is also made as a white wine. It has intense flavours of strawberry and black currants, a characteristic taste often called "foxy" ...
wine, made from hybrids with North American species such as Isabella, Concord,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
,
Noah Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
,
Elvira Elvira is a female given name. It is believed to have first been recorded in medieval Spain, while other sources claim that it is likely of Germanic ( Gothic) origin. In the Balkans, Elvira is popular among Bosniaks, Croats, and Slovenes in the ...
and Ripadella, which was banned for a while after the 1985 scandal.


Vienna

There are 588 ha of vineyards within the city limits of the Austrian capital. Vines were grown within the city walls of Vienna in the Middle Ages, although they have now been pushed into the outskirts. Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc are grown on the limestone soils towards Klosterneuburg, whereas red grapes do better on the rich soil to the south of the city. Field blends known as Gemischter Satz are common here, and most wine is drunk young in the city's heurigen wine taverns.


Styria

Under a 2002 amendment to the wine laws, Steirerland (the modern Austrian
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
) replaced Steiermark as the name for Styria on wine. Steiermark encompasses the accumulated area of the three specific wine-growing regions.


Vulkanland Steiermark

The many extinct volcanoes east of Graz give a rich soil which imparts a spiciness to the variety of grapes grown in Southeast Styria. The climate is a little cooler here, especially at night, giving a long
growing season A season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight. The growing season is that portion of the year in which local conditions (i.e. rainfall, temperature, daylight) permit normal plant growth. Whi ...
resulting in wines that are crisp, aromatic and full bodied. 1,657 hectares of vineyards are cultivated—all located around Klöch, Sankt Anna am Aigen and
Straden Straden is a municipality in the district of Südoststeiermark in the Austrian state of Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austr ...
and situated primarily on the slopes of the extinct volcanoes which characterize the landscape.map
Some vineyards are up to 650 m above sea level. The main grape varieties grown in this region are Welschriesling,
Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...
(called Morillon), Weißburgunder (Pinot blanc) and Grauburgunder (Pinot gris), Gelber Muskateller, the
Traminer Savagnin () or Savagnin blanc is a variety of white wine grape with green-skinned berries. It is mostly grown in the Jura region of France, where it is made into Savagnin wine or the famous vin jaune and vin de paille. History The history of ...
family,
Sauvignon blanc Sauvignon blanc () is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the city of Bordeaux in France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an ind ...
and
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
; red wines feature Zweigelt as well as other grapes, including St. Laurent or Blauburgunder (Pinot noir).


Südsteiermark

Südsteiermark (South Styria), near the
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
n border, is mainly
Sauvignon blanc Sauvignon blanc () is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the city of Bordeaux in France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an ind ...
country—however, the 2,798 hectares of vineyards also include Welschriesling, Morillon (Chardonnay), Muskateller and Traminer. Soil types include
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
,
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...
,
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...
and shelly limestone. The combination of warm days and cool nights gives a long growing season, resulting in crisp, aromatic and full-bodied wines. The warm humid climate and steep hills make this one of the toughest places in Austria to be a
vigneron A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturists *Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to de ...
.


Weststeiermark

Southwest of Graz lie ancient vineyards which mainly produce a cult rosé called Schilcher. Made from the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape, Schilcher is a true terroir rosé.


See also

* 1985 diethylene glycol wine scandal *
Old World wine Old World wine refers primarily to wine made in Europe but can also include other regions of the Mediterranean basin with long histories of winemaking such as North Africa and the Near East. The phrase is often used in contrast to " New World w ...
*
Slovenian wine Slovenia has more than 28,000 wineries making between 80 and 90 million litres annually from the country's 22,300 hectares of vineyards. About 75% of the country's production is white wine. Almost all of the wine is consumed domestically with o ...
*
Winemaking Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its Ethanol fermentation, fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over ...
* Agriculture in Austria


References


External links


Statistics
about Austrian wine
Classifications
of Austrian wine
Austrian Wine Marketing

Austrian Vineyards
map of Austrian wine origins

* https://web.archive.org/web/20161110000859/http://www.austrianwineandspirits.co.uk/ purchase Austrian wine {{Austria topics Austrian drinks Austrian cuisine Wine regions of Austria Agriculture in Austria