Austria

Question 1

What is the climate of Austria?

Answer 1

Cool Continental

Question 2

Why are the winemaking regions in Austria clustered in the eastern part of the country?

Answer 2

Because the Alps in western Austria are unsuitable for viticulture.

Question 3

Which river runs through Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)?

Answer 3

The Danube River

Question 4

Why are summers generally warmer in Austria than in
Germany?

Answer 4

Because Austria opens up to the Pannonian Plain, which is a large flatland (and former sea) that helps usher in warm air that accumulates between the Alps and Carpathian Mountains.

This warm air helps eastern Austrian reds achieve full ripeness and gives Austrian whites greater body and alcohol compared to their German counterparts.

This is a causal link explanation. On p.113 of the textbook the introduction talks about how the eastern regions of Austria closest to the Hungarian border have warm easterly winds. This card explains where those warm easterlies come from AND its effects on the grapes. Good to know if you get a question on the exam contrasting the climates of Austria and Germany and their respective effects on grapes!

Question 5

How are the warm growing days in Austria counterbalanced to maintain acidity and freshness in the wines?

Answer 5

Cool winds originating in the north (Poland, Czech Republic) that cool down everything at night, which creates a big diurnal shift, especially for more northerly regions.

Question 6

What are the main white grapes of Austria?

Answer 6

• Grüner Veltliner - most planted
• Welschriesling - second most planted
• Riesling

Question 7

Besides Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling, what two other white grape varieties are found in Burgenland?

Answer 7

1. Chardonnay
2. Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder)

Question 8

Sauvignon Blanc is experiencing a burgeoning reputation in which Austrian wine region?

Answer 8

Steiermark in the south

Question 9

What are the main red grapes of Austria?

Answer 9

• Zweigelt - most planted black/red grape
• Blaufränkisch
• St Laurent

International grape varieties that are on the rise:

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 10

What are the parent grapes for Zweigelt?

Answer 10

Blaufränkisch x St Laurent

Question 11

Fill in which red Austrian grape best matches the following descriptions:

1. _______ is deeply colored with soft tannins and brambly fruits.
2. _______ has high acid, medium tannins, with flavors of sour cherry and pepper.
3. _______ behaves similarly to Pinot Noir.

Answer 11

1. Zweigelt
2. Blaufränkisch
3. St Laurent

Question 12

Fill in which Austrian white grape best matches the following descriptions:

1. _______ displays white pepper, high acidity, and citrus/stone fruits in its youth and honey + toast flavors as it ages.
2. _______ makes simple, citrusy wines with green apple flavors (and make better dessert wines).
3. _______ shows ripe, peachy fruits, and are usually dry and medium- to full-bodied.

Answer 12

1. Grüner Veltliner
2. Welschriesling
3. Riesling

Question 13

In Austria, what are the 4 most important generic wine regions?

Answer 13

1. Niederösterreich (Lower Austria)
2. Burgenland
3. Wien (Vienna)
4. Steiermark (Styria)

Question 14

Of the 4 generic winemaking regions in Austria, which two account for the majority of wine production?

Answer 14

1. Niederösterreich
2. Burgenland

Question 15

Wines from the 4 Austrian generic wine regions can make wine from how many permitted grape varieties and in what styles?

Answer 15

• 40 permitted grape varieties;
• Any style.

Question 16

What are the 3 quality levels for wine in Austria?

Answer 16

From lowest quality to highest:

1. Wein (no GI)
2. Landwein (PGI)
3. Qualitätswein (PDO)

Question 17

What geographical indication may bottles of Wein, the lowest quality level of wine in Austria, carry?

Answer 17

Wines labeled ‘Wein’ may not have a specific geographical indication.

The labels will simply state that the wine is from Austria by using the term “Österreich” or “österreichischer Wein,” an equivalent to ‘Vin de France’.

Question 18

What is Landwein’s geographic designation?

Answer 18

PGI, or Protected Geographic Indication

Question 19

What is Qualitätswein’s geographic designation?

Answer 19

PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin

Question 20

Austrian Qualitätswein can come from either a ________ region or a ________ region.

Answer 20

Either a generic region or a specified region

Question 21

In Austria, what are the designations under Qualitätswein?

Answer 21

1. DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus)
2. Prädikatswein

Question 22

In Austria, the Prädikatsweine focus on medium-sweet and sweet wines.

What are the classifications of Prädikatswein?

Answer 22

• Spätlese
• Auslese
• Beerenauslese
• Eiswein
• Ausbruch
• Trockenbeerenauslese
• Strohwein (aka Schilfwein)

Note that Kabinett is not under Prädikat in Austria like it is in Germany; Kabinett in Austria isn’t medium-sweet or sweet, so it is not Prädikat. Don’t worry about this for the exam, though!

Question 23

In Austria, how many smaller wine regions have elected to become DAC?

Answer 23

17

As of July 2023 there are now 18 DACs, but be sure to ask your WSET instructor if you need to know 17 or 18 for the exam.

Question 24

Which 6 Austrian DACs should you be familiar with for the exam?

Answer 24

1. Kamptal DAC (Grüner + Riesling)
2. Kremstal DAC (Grüner + Riesling)
3. Wachau DAC (Grüner + Riesling)
4. Weinviertel DAC (Grüner)
5. Neusiedlersee DAC (Zweigelt)
6. Ruster Ausbruch DAC (regional white grapes)

Question 25

What is Strohwein (aka Schilfwein)? How is it made?

Answer 25

Strohwein is a **dried grape wine**. It's made from fully-ripened grapes which have been laid out on mats of straw (Stroh), or reeds (Schilf), to dry and concentrate the sugars.

Question 26

What is Ruster Ausbruch DAC?

Answer 26

A **sweet wine** made from grapes that conform to Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) standards and are grown west of Lake Neusiedlersee around the town of Rust.

Question 27

Niederösterreich translates to what in English?

Answer 27

Lower Austria

Question 28

In terms of production and exports Niederösterreich is the \_\_\_\_\_\_ of the four federal states in Austria.

Answer 28

Largest

Question 29

What are the most important subregions of Lower Austria that make quality export wines?

Answer 29

* Wachau DAC * Kremstal DAC * Kamptal DAC

Question 30

Which subregion of Niederösterreich is the most distinguished?

Answer 30

Wachau

Question 31

In terms of land and aspect, what do Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal have in common?

Answer 31

All three have **steep, terraced, south-facing hillside vineyards** that maximize sun exposure.

Question 32

How is it that the Grüners and Rieslings from Wachau, Kamptal, and Kremstal can achieve full ripeness and highly concentrated flavors when they're at such a northerly latitude?

Answer 32

* **Vineyards are planted facing south**, towards their respective rivers, **maximizing sun exposure**; * The rivers **reflect sunlight and warmth into the vineyards** which helps to ripen the grapes.

Question 33

Which wine-growing area in Austria is largest in terms of size?

Answer 33

Weinviertel DAC

Question 34

What was Austria’s first DAC, and what is the only grape allowed under that DAC?

Answer 34

**Weinviertel DAC**, in 2003 starting with the 2002 vintage. **Grüner Veltliner** **is the only grape allowed** to be labelled with Weinviertel DAC (Rieslings, or any other grapes besides Grüner Veltliner, from Weinviertel *cannot* carry DAC on the label because Grüner Veltliner is the sole grape allowed under the Weinviertel DAC).

Question 35

What are the two levels to Weinviertel DAC?

Answer 35

1. Klassik 2. Reserve

Question 36

What are the characteristics of Klassik wine in Austria? What are the characteristics of Reserve wine in Austria?

Answer 36

Klassik wines must be made in a light, fresh style with no perceptible oak flavors. Reserve wines must have higher alcohol than Klassik, are usually fuller bodied, and allowed to have perceptible (new) oak flavors.

Question 37

What is the eastern region of Austria that borders Hungary?

Answer 37

Burgenland

Question 38

What styles of wine is Burgenland best known for?

Answer 38

Burgenland is best known for **sweet wines** and **dry reds**, but it does make some still, dry whites.

Question 39

What are the principal red and white grapes grown in Burgenland?

Answer 39

_Black/red grapes_ * Zweigelt * Blaufränkisch * St Laurent * Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon _White grapes_ * Pinot Blanc * Welschriesling * Grüner Veltliner * Chardonnay

Question 40

What is Burgenland's most planted red variety?

Answer 40

Zweigelt

Question 41

Burgenland is warmed by winds coming from the _______.

Answer 41

East ## Footnote *Review card #4 in this deck for further explanation on these warming winds.*

Question 42

In Austria, how many DACs exist for Zweigelt? How many exist for Blaufränkisch?

Answer 42

* 2 DACs for Zweigelt; * 4 DACs for Blaufränkisch.

Question 43

What is the principal red grape in Mittelburgenland DAC?

Answer 43

Blaufränkisch

Question 44

Neusiedlersee DAC is best known for red wines made from this grape.

Answer 44

Zweigelt

Question 45

Autumn fog and high humidity around **this lake** in northern Burgenland allows for ideal botrytis conditions to make sweet wine. What grape is commonly used for these sweet, botrytized wines?

Answer 45

lake: Neusiedlersee grape: Welschriesling

Question 46

Can an Austrian Prädikatswein be labeled with a specific region where a DAC already exists for another style of wine? If not, how must the wines be labeled?

Answer 46

**No**; the wine must take **the relevant generic region**.

Question 47

In Austria, how does a region become a DAC?

Answer 47

To be awarded DAC status, **producers within a region have to come together and agree on**: 1. the **style of wine** they feel best represents their region (white, red, dry, sweet, etc.) 2. the grape or **grapes allowed** in that style Once the region has been approved DAC status, the producers have to make wines in the style and use the grapes they agreed upon. ## Footnote If a winemaker veers from these parameters, they cannot use DAC on that wine and the wine will be declassified to the federal state (Niederösterreich, Burgenland, etc.)