{"id":54430,"date":"2025-09-02T09:16:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T13:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/?p=54430"},"modified":"2025-09-12T06:38:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T10:38:39","slug":"the-art-of-austrian-wine-from-auslese-to-zweigelt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/the-art-of-austrian-wine-from-auslese-to-zweigelt\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Austrian Wine: From Auslese to Zweigelt"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

By Alana Lapierre<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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If a question on the American game show Jeopardy!<\/em> showcased the varietes Gruner Veltliner<\/a><\/strong> and Blaufrankisch<\/a><\/strong>, a contestant would surely respond promptly with, “What are two of Austria\u2019s most well-known varieties?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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G\u00f6fis, Vorarlberg, Bergland
\u00a9 Austrian Wine \/ WSNA Austrian Wine Marketing Board<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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They\u2019d be correct of course, but that answer would also belie the great depth and variety of Austria<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s terroir, one that I had the pleasure of tasting through following Austrian Wine<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s June 2021 Ontario online tasting event that included wine samples, public seminars, and private video meetings with winemakers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Austria<\/a><\/strong> is known mostly for fresh, pure white wines and exceptional value for money in terms of price points. 40 grape varieties (26 white and 14 red) are approved to produce Qualit\u00e4tswein<\/a><\/strong> (quality wine), Pr\u00e4dikatswein<\/a><\/strong> (Qualit\u00e4tswein with a special level of ripeness and\/or method of production) and Landwein in Austria\u2019s 46,000 hectares of vineyards.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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While international varieties such as Riesling<\/a><\/strong>, Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), Sauvignon Blanc<\/a><\/strong>, Chardonnay, Muscat Blanc \u00e0 Petits Grains (Gelber Muskateller), Pinot Noir<\/a><\/strong>, Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah will likely ring a bell to most wine aficionados, Austria<\/a><\/strong> is also increasingly known for both lesser-known international varieties such as Muskateller and Traminer, and for its portfolio of local grape varieties.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In addition to the ubiquitous Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/a><\/strong> and Blaufr\u00e4nkisch<\/a><\/strong>, some lesser-known whites include Welschriesling, Rotgipfler, Neuburger, Roter Veltliner and Zierfandler. On the red side you\u2019ll find St. Laurent<\/a><\/strong>, also known as Sankt Laurent, Blauer Wildbacher, Blauer Portugieser, Blauburger and Zweigelt<\/a><\/strong>, not to mention field blends such as the Viennese Wiener Gemischter Satz.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Thirsty for more? Austria<\/strong><\/a> is increasingly recognized as a producer of sparkling wines, and in 2016 devised a three-tiered classification for its PDO designation of Osterreichischer Sekt g.U.: Klassik, Reserve and Grand Reserve.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Zweigelt
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Austria<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s wide individuality of wines has many factors to thank, ranging from its diversity of climate, land and soils, and increasing interest from winemakers in higher altitude vineyards, resistant grape varieties and green farming practices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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While it\u2019s still considered a cool climate region, global warming is showing here to with a +2 \u00b0C average temperature increase since 1980, resulting in hotter summers and drier winters. On the green initiatives front, 27% of Austrian agriculture is organic, 14.7% is certified sustainable and the balance is mostly minimum Intervention with low yields at 75 hectoliters per hectare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Located at the same latitude as Burgundy, but more centrally located within Europe, Austria<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s cool climate sitting at the junction of the mild and damp influences from the Atlantic and the warmer, drier ones from the Mediterranean is often rightfully credited as a key player in developing the exceptional quality of its fresh, aromatic wines that consistently show premium character and body.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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An Old World wine region with serious wine cred: the Romans started making wine there over 3,000 years ago. Austria<\/a><\/strong> is “small” compared to many of its neighbors, seventeenth in world production, but its quality reputation is growing quickly as more and more consumers discover everything this country has to offer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Gr\u00fcner Veltliner
\u00a9 Austrian Wine, Austrian Wine Marketing Board
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As varied as Austria<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s climate is, the landscape and soils of each region range from stone terraces and loess (silt, clay, and calcium carbonate) layers to calcareous and volcanic soils bringing the freshness, acidity, ripeness, and spice that are so often associated with both its whites and reds. Recognizable with both their distinctive bottle tops (Qualit\u00e4tswein<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s are permitted to put Austria\u2019s red and white flag on them) and names.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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New York Times<\/em> critic Eric Asimov was eloquently quoted as describing the \u2018umlaut\u2019 or double dots seen frequently above vowels in both Austrian wine varieties<\/a><\/strong> and regions, such as Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/a><\/strong>, Blaufr\u00e4nkisch<\/a><\/strong> and Nieder\u00f6sterreich<\/a><\/strong>, in the following way:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\u2018But nothing scares wine consumers so much as an umlaut. This diacritical mark, a mere two dots, is simply intended to communicate a particular pronunciation of the vowel it tops. Instead, it often signals to consumers that they must flee in terror to the nearest bottle of pinot grigio. Yet if they can surmount the obstacle of the umlaut, I believe they will find a lot to like in a glass of good blaufr\u00e4nkisch.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

(\u2018Wines of the Times – A Complex Red With an Austrian Accent<\/a><\/strong>” The New York Times <\/em>\u2013 Sept. 13, 2011)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Domaine Andau Blaufr\u00e4nkisch 2018<\/a><\/strong>
Burgenland, Austria<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A diversity of regions<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To say that Austrian<\/a><\/strong> wines are having a moment would be an understatement. Now known for having successfully pivoted away from mass-produced and marketed wines and for creativity, innovation, and fresh wines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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White and red, show terroir and regional typicity as well as for its \u2018virage\u2019 towards greener, organic, sustainable, and biodynamic farming practices. Rudolf Steiner, the father of biodynamics was Austrian.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Wien – Landschaft und Weing\u00e4rten
\u00a9 Austrian Wine, Austrian Wine Marketing Board
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Austria\u2019s wine classification system<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n