The Wines of Austria, Stephen Brook
Stephen Brook has long been working with Austrian wines and is a source of many an amusing anecdote, and artefactual aside. He is well placed to document the country’s status quo.
How has Austrian wine changed in the last decade?
A decade is not a long time in viticulture, but for small, niche producer Austria, ten years has seen notable movements in the structure of the wine industry. A comprehensive vineyard survey was carried out in 2009, ten years after the previous one, covering a decade that has seen Austrian wines move into a lauded sphere on export markets.
Thermenregion reds
Thermenregion is a region of two halves. The southern part, around Sooss, Tattendorf, Bad Vöslau and further south, is home to red pair pinot noir and saint laurent.
Thermenregion whites
Thermenregion starts on the edge of the Wienerwald forest just 5km south of Vienna. It’s a region of two distinct parts, the result of a merger in 1985. Nearest to Vienna, two niche white grape varieties prevail – rotgipfler and zierfandler.
Wachau Smaragd – a 25 year view
A tasting in Vienna marked the 25th anniversary of the smaragd style of wine from Austria’s Wachau region.
A Kamptal quintet
During a recent visit, a group of five growers hosted a tasting from their small corner of Kamptal, which is renowned for its grüner veltliners and rieslings.
Loess is more for grüner veltliner
In Lower Austria there is a divide between riesling and grüner veltliner which keeps riesling on primary rock and grüner veltliner on loess. Loess, it seems does remarkable things to grüner veltliner – the wines are creamier, fatter, richer, and more immediately fruity in youth.
Weinviertel – the DAC journey
The Weinviertel, an expansive and diffuse region north of Vienna, is Austria’s biggest wine-growing region, with over 13,300 hectares. Ten years ago it led the way into the new, DAC-orientated Austria.
Steinertal vineyard, Wachau, Austria
Steinertal is one of the first vineyards encountered at the eastern end of the Wachau. Two wines by Alzinger and FX Pichler highlight its favour.
Lower Austria 2010, vintage and wine highlights
Austria 2010 was pretty tough going, though there are plenty of lovely wines.
