Austria: Wines with many facets

Austria was certainly not the only wine country to be involved in a serious wine scandal in the mid-1980s. Glycol was also added to wines in other countries. But Austria was hit the hardest in terms of public perception in 1985. The wine market collapsed virtually overnight. It is therefore all the more impressive that the Alpine republic reinvented itself as a wine country virtually overnight like no other nation. Large wineries at the center of the scandal closed their doors for good, while others made a tabula rasa and rose like a phoenix from the ashes to new wine shores.

Initially, many wineries opted for international grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. But here, too, there was a shift towards indigenous grape varieties. No other grape variety stands for Austrian wine as much as Grüner Veltliner. Or Zweigelt as its red counterpart. There was also a structural change. In 2024, Austria had 10,012 wine-producing businesses, which cultivate an average of 4.42 hectares. Just for comparison: in 1987, there were 45,380 wineries cultivating an average of 1.28 hectares. Austria as a wine country has therefore changed a lot. However, it is now more diverse than ever before. To prove this, we will now delve deeper into the matter.

Austria-Wine: Geography and climate

Austria borders Germany, Switzerland and Italy to the west and the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia to the east. Geography and climate differ considerably in the five wine-growing regions of Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria, Vienna and the Bergland. Incidentally, these are divided into further sub-regions, which then also make up the 18 DACs (Districtus Austriae Controllatus = protected designation of origin). In general, the soils on which Austrian wines grow can be divided into two groups. 70% are so-called loose rock soils. This means loess, sand, gravel or gravel from river terraces. Sandy and clayey silts are also included. In contrast, 30% of the soils have developed from solid rock. These include granite, gneiss, slate and quartzite as well as limestone, sandstone and volcanic tuffs.

Four different climatic currents affect Austria. While the east of the country is mainly characterized by a continental-Pannonian climate, the west is dominated by a temperate Atlantic climate. Cool northern air characterizes the climate in the north, while in the south an Illyrian Mediterranean climate comes to Austria from Italy. The influences vary greatly from wine-growing region to wine-growing region.

Wine-growing regions and DACs at a glance:

• Lower Austria
  
  • Wachau DAC
  • Kremstal DAC
  • Kamptal DAC
  • Traisental DAC
  • Wagram DAC
  • Weinviertel DAC
  • Carnuntum DAC
  • Thermenregion DAC
• Burgenland
  • Neusiedlersee DAC
  • Leithaberg DAC
  • Rust DAC
  • Rosalia DAC
  • Mittelburgenland DAC
  • Eisenberg DAC
• Styria
  
  • Vulkanland Steiermark DAC
  • Südsteiermark DAC
  • Weststeiermark DAC
• Vienna
  
  • Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC
• Bergland
  • Kärnten
  • Oberösterreich
  • Voralberg
  • Tirol
  • Salzburg

Austria: Good to know

Austrian wine law and the protected designation of origin

Of course, wines from Austria also have different quality levels that are regulated by law. We summarize all the different qualities here.

• Wine:: Was still called table wine until 2009. This can be a blend of wines from different EU countries. There is no designation of origin. The wines are not specified by variety or vintage.
• Wine from Austria: These wines also have no protected designation of origin. The grapes may come from all Austrian wine-growing regions. Grape varieties and vintages may be indicated if, among other things, the wines are free of defects and there is a corresponding grape variety typicity.
• Landwein: Here, too, there is no protected designation of origin. However, the grapes must come 100% from a single wine region.
• Quality wine: Recognizable by the red-white-red banderole. The protected designation of origin applies here. It is only marketed after state inspection and allocation of the state inspection number.
• Kabinett: Unlike in Germany, Kabinett wines are not classified as Prädikat wines, but form an independent category within the quality wines.
• Prädikat wines: Are defined by must weight and are divided as follows:
  • Spätlese
  • Auslese
  • Ice wine
  • Straw wine
  • Beerenauslese
  • Trockenbeerenauslese
  • Ruster Ausbruch DAC

Districtus Austriae Controllatus
Since 2003, the DACs, the Districtus Austriae Controllatus, have gradually been introduced in Austria. The aim is to define the origin and typicity of Austrian wines even more closely. There are now 18 DACs. The rules for grape varieties and winemaking are individually tailored to each DAC. What unites all protected origins, however, is the three-tier quality pyramid.

• Regional wine:  The basis of the pyramid of origin. Its style represents the entire wine-growing region.
• Local wine: Has more body and complexity than the regional wine. These wines show the typical character of a place.
• Riedenwein: Top quality Austrian wines that can be equated with a crus. They reflect the terroir of a specific location.

Well-known wines from Austria

It would go too far at this point to explain the typicality of all 18 DACs in more detail.  This will be done gradually in the texts on the DACs themselves. However, we would now like to give you an overview of the different grape varieties and styles that predominate.

Austrian white wines

• Grüner Veltliner: Grown primarily in Lower Austria. The grape variety typically produces a light, acidic wine with fruity notes of stone fruit and a spicy, peppery note. However, there are also highly mature Prädikat wines made from Grüner Veltliner as well as deep and complex Rieden wines.
• Welschriesling: The grape variety probably originates from Italy. In Austria, Lower Austria and Burgenland are the main growing regions. The wines have a higher acidity and shine with fresh hints of green apple and citrus fruit. The grape variety is predestined for sweet wines, which can then mature for a little while. However, Welschriesling is also one of the great white grape varieties in Austria when vinified dry.
• Neuburger: Preferably grown in Lower Austria and Burgenland. The wines are powerful and full-bodied, but at the same time mild and spicy-floral. Nutty notes are added when ripe.
• Sauvignon Blanc: The parade grape variety par excellence in the whole of Styria. Depending on the degree of ripeness, the wines develop from subtle to very complex, which have great development potential in combination with barrique ageing and biological acid reduction. When the grapes are very ripe, the diverse aromatic nuances fade into the background and a powerful, spicy wine develops.
• Chardonnay: Also known as Morillon in Styria. The main growing areas are Lower Austria and Burgenland. However, the wines from Styria have the best reputation.
• Roter Veltliner: With over 99%, most vines are found in Lower Austria. Roter Veltliner is very productive. Yield regulation is necessary for good quality. Then very independent, elegant and extract-rich wines with a fine spicy aroma and enormous development potential can be vinified.

Austrian red wines

• Zweigelt: Crossbred from Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent by its namesake Professor Fritz Zweigelt in the 1920s, the red grape variety only became popular in Austria after the Second World War thanks to the work of Lenz Moser. The main growing region is Lower Austria. There are also many vineyards in Burgenland. Simple qualities shine with lots of fruit and high acidity. Very full-bodied wines are produced when ripe.
• Blaufränkisch: Without question, Blaufränkisch belongs to Burgenland. Almost 94% of the entire vine stock is found here. Wild berries and cherries characterize the Blaufränkisch bouquet. A distinctive tannin and a dense structure are typical. The wines have excellent ageing potential.
• St. Laurent: The wines come mainly from Burgenland and Lower Austria. St. Laurent produces powerful and fruity red wines that are particularly brilliant with sour cherry aromas. The wines are usually of high quality and keep well.
• Blauburger: Austrian synonym for Pinot Noir. Most of the vineyards are found in Lower Austria and Burgenland. Its rather light color is characteristic. The typical aroma is subtle, with a spectrum of aromas ranging from red berry fruits (strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry) and forest floor to prunes.

Austrian sweet wines

• Straw wine: Also known as reed wine, as the grapes are stored on straw or reeds for at least three months after the harvest or hung on strings to dry. This makes Austrian straw wine similar to French Vin de Paille or Italian Passito. The wines are highly intense and complex and can be stored for a very long time.
• Ruster Ausbruch DAC: The only sweet wine with DAC status. In contrast to the straw wine, no healthy berries are used here, but those affected by botrytis. Typical grape varieties are Welschriesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Traminer. These sweet wines also have excellent ageing potential.
• Trockenbeerenauslese: The Trockenbeerenauslese wines from Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland in particular are internationally renowned and in demand. The sweet wines are highly complex and have tremendous depth. Their site potential is phenomenal.

Austrian sparkling wines

Since 2015, Sekt Austria has had a three-tier sparkling wine pyramid in Austria, which is divided as follows:

• Sekt Austria: The basis. All methods of sparkling wine production are permitted. A minimum of 9 months on the lees for bottle fermentation and at least six months for tank fermentation are mandatory. .
• Sekt Austria Reserve: Hand-picking and traditional bottle fermentation are obligatory here. In addition, the sparkling wines must rest on the lees for at least 18 months.
• Sekt Austria große Reserve: Hand-picking and traditional bottle fermentation are also mandatory here. In addition, the grapes may only come from a single municipality. A minimum of 36 months on the lees is required here.

Austrian wines: Top 3

Austria: Wine as an economic factor

Grüner Veltliner is by far the most important grape variety in the Austrian wholesale trade. Its market share in 2023 was 25.6% in volume and 25.9% in value. Zweigelt is in second place in terms of sales, followed by Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Blaufränkisch and Riesling. The top 10 most important grape varieties account for 50.0% of the volume and 59.9% of sales. These figures illustrate the great importance that these 10

grape varieties in the Austrian wine industry. In terms of volume, 85.7% of wines are sold wholesale in the price categories up to 9.99 euros. Wines in the price range from 6.00 to 9.99 euros generate the highest turnover (33.4%). In second to sixth place in terms of sales are the price categories 10.00 to 14.99 euros (22.3%), up to 2.99 euros (14.1%), 3.00 to 5.99 euros (13.2%), 15 to 24.99 euros (9.4%) and over 25 euros (7.4%).

While traditional consumers still prefer classic wines in reasonable price ranges (€4-10), there is an increasing polarization between industrially produced branded wines as commercially successful marketing products and individual, origin-specific quality wines from efficient, family-run small and medium-sized businesses. Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important element of profiling, including organic, orange and natural wines as a reaction to the industrialization of the sector.

A total of 65.3 million liters of Austrian wine worth 248.2 million euros were exported in 2023. This corresponds to a value increase of 7.0% with a volume loss of 4.3%. As a result, the average price per liter rose to an all-time high of 3.80 euros. This is not least due to the fact that less cask wine was brought onto the market, while there were more bottlings.