Wine General Discussion

We continue the Wines of the World Series with a spotlight on Austria. In June, we’ll explore key regions and wine styles with resources from Austrian Wine, who have generously agreed to share their content with the Berlin Wine School Community.

📖 Key facts:

• Niederösterreich is Austria’s largest Qualitätswein wine-growing region with 26,732 ha under vine.*

• Niederösterreich is a general Qualitätswein region identical to the federal state.

• Within Niederösterreich there are 8 specific Qualitätswein regions: Carnuntum, Kamptal, Kremstal, Thermenregion, Trainsental, Wachau, Wagram, and Weinviertel.

• All 8 regions have their DAC status denominations.

We continue the Wines of the World Series with a spotlight on Austria, exploring key regions and styles with resources from Austrian Wine, who have generously agreed to share their content with the Berlin Wine School community. In this post, we'll focus on signature red grape varieties. 📖Key facts:

• There are 14 red grape varieties (and 28 white varieties)  permitted for the production of Qualitätswein, Prädikatswein, and Landwein.*

• The proportion of red wine grapes has doubled over the past two decades, and now represents one third of Austria’s total area under vine (13, 363 out of 44,210 ha).*

• Both international and local varieties are grown.

• Cross-cultivation has a long tradition.

• Austrian red wines are known for their delicate varietal typicity and refreshing, light character.

We continue the Wines of the World Series with a spotlight on Austria, exploring key regions and styles with resources from Austrian Wine, who have generously agreed to share their content with the Berlin Wine School community. In this post, we'll focus on signature white grape varieties. 📖Key facts:

• There are 28 white wine varieties (and 14 red varieties) permitted for the production of Qualitätswein, Prädikatswein, and Landwein.*

• Cross-cultivation has a very long tradition in Austria.

• While international varieties like Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Muskateller, and Traminer are cultivated, it is the indigenous grape varieties that distinguish Austrian wines globally.

• The top 5 most planted white varieties are: Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder).*

• Other notable indigenous varieties are: Neuburger, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, and Roter Veltliner.

We're thrilled to continue the Wines of the World Series with a spotlight on Austria. Over the coming weeks, we’ll explored key regions and varieties with resources from Austria Wine, who have generously agreed to share their content with the Berlin Wine School community. 📖 Austria key facts:

• Austria has 44,210 ha under vine.*

• The most planted varieties are Grüner Veltiner (32.3%), Zweigelt (13.4%), and Welschriesling (6.3%).*

• Wine history dates back to the Bronze Age. It was strongly influenced by the Romans, and marked by historical, political, and cultural shifts that defined today’s wine regions and traditions.

• Austria lies in a transitional zone between oceanic and continental climates and has 4 climatic areas. Summer and autumn have warm, sunny days and cool nights with northerly winds - key for development of aromatic, fresh wines with a good body and finesse.

• It has diverse geology and soils (from crystalline stone terraces, loess and limestone, to volcanic soils)…