Spotlight on Austria: White Wine Varieties
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.
*As of 2023/2024 Austria Wine Statistics Report.
🌱 Grüner Veltliner:
Considered the most important Austrian variety.
The variety's origins are not completely known – likely a crossing of Traminer and an ancient variety discovered in Burgenland.
32, 34% of total area under wine (14, 296ha).*
It became widespread during the 1950s.
It is primarily grown in Niederösterreich and northern Burgenland.
In some specific regions, used for production of DAC wines: e.g. Kamptal, Kremstal, Wachau, Weinviertel, Traisental, etc.
It is mid-ripening and prolific variety, requiring yield regulation.
It grows especially well in loess soils that allow the roots to grow deep. It is sensitive to dryness.
It delivers all quality levels and styles – from light, more acidic wines, to Prädikatswein with ripeness and complexity.
Winegrowers strive for spicy, peppery wines, or wines with notes of stone fruit.
It can be aged in both steel and oak - the latter producing medium to full-bodied wines (Reserve category)
It is often drunk young to enjoy its freshness and fruitiness, but high-quality examples have a certain ageing potential.
A searchable list of Austrian Grüner Veltliner wines can be found here.
🌱Welschriesling:
Likely originated in northern Italy, where it is known as the Riesling Italico.
6.28% of total area under wine (2,774 ha).*
It is not related to Riesling.
Ripens late and requires early-warming sites and soils with an ample supply of magnesium. It is sensitive to dryness.
It is a versatile grape and can produce almost all quality levels and styles.
Styles and wines associated with Austrian Welschriesling to remember:
o Sekt from Poysdorf area in Weinviertel
o Easy-drinking “Buschenschank” tavern wines in Steiermark (Styria) o Noble-rot sweet Trockenbeerenauslese wines in Burgenland (Seewinkel area).
Welschriesling wines usually have higher acidity.
Dry Welschriesling wines are often very fresh with aromas of green apples and citrus.
Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese both have exotic aromas and delicate notes of honey on the palate.
A searchable list of Austrian Welschriesling wines can be found here.
🔎Did you know?
Grüner Veltliner is not genetically related to Roter Veltliner or Frühroter Veltliner.
Grüner Veltliner is also called Weißgipfler for the white woolly hair on the vine’s shoot tips.
Welschriesling is a close relative of the German grape Elbling, typical for upstream parts of Mosel.
Neuburger has its own memorial. Formally called Neuburger Memorial, today’s Niederösterreich wine memorial in Arnsdorf in the Wachau region, commemorates the origin of this autochthonous variety.
🎓Learn more:
Discover all 28 Austrian white varieties with this overview.
Access this interactive dashboard for wine region snippets.
Discover Austrian wine producers.
Read more about Grüner Veltliner.
Read more about Welschriesling.
💬 Share your thoughts! Do you have a favourite Austrian white wine? Have you ever tried some of the Austria’s autochthonous varieties? How does sekt from Welschriesling taste like? Can you recommend a place in Berlin to taste Austrian wines? Share your thoughts!
Up next: Austria’s red grape varieties.
All resources, maps, images and data courtesy of Austrian Wine.