Ian has suggested to open a special thread on Austrian whites – so here it is.
First I have to apologize because my participation will be limited cause I´m soon heading towards France for holidays and tastings … sorry.
First the basics:
There are 4 major wine-growing regions in Austria, all in the East of the country (in the center and west are the Alps).
1) Styria (Steiermark) in the South-East, 4000 ha, bordering Slovenia and Hungary. Three sub-regions:
a) Southern Styria, where the majority of the great Styrian whites come from. Beautiful landscape (often called the Styrian Toscany). Best varieties are Sauvignon blanc (world-class level!), Morillon (=Chardonnay),
Weissburgunder (Pinot blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot gris), Muskateller, Welschriesling (young to drink) and several others.
b) South-Eastern Styria (Vulcano-land), famous Traminers around Klöch, good to very good whites and also good reds.
c) Western Styria: famous for the rosé Schilcher, but also good to very good whites.
2) Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) in the North-East (27.000 ha). Eight sub-regions, the most important are:
a) Wachau on the river Danube (Donau), the best terroir for Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, with famous vineyards like Singerriedel, Kellerberg, Schütt, Loibenberg, Steinertal, Achleiten and many others.
Only in the Wachau the three designations are legally possible:
Steinfeder: lighter wines to drink over 1-2 years, max. 11.5% alc.
Federspiel: 11.5 – 12.5% alc. can be quite substantial wines
Smaragd: 12.5+% made from the ripest grapes, dry and capable of aging
b) Kremstal (R and GV) – east of the Wachau
c) Kamptal (R and GV) – North-East of the Wachau
d) Traisental (mostly GV, some R. and others) – South-East of the Wachau.
These 3 regions can produce GV and R almost on the level of the Wachau, but not entitled to “Federspiel”, “Steinfeder”, “Smaragd” … “Reserve” is an often used designation for the best selection
e) Weinviertel – the huge North-Eastern sector (6000 ha) – especially reknowned for spicy „peppery“ GV, but also easy-going daily drinkers.
f) Themenregion (Thermal region, former „Südbahn" = Southern railway),
with some specialities like Spätrot-Rotgipfler (a white wine-cuvee of two grapes!), Neuburger (a bit broad with low acidity).
g) Carnuntum – East of Vienna, also with some remarkable red wines
h) Wagram (former Donauland) West of Vienna: GV etc.
3) Burgenland (castle-land) 13.000 ha in the east of Austria on the border to Hungary, most famous for the sweet wines around the Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) and with the best Austrian red wines.
There are 4 parts, from North to South:
a) Neusiedlersee: sweet wines ! and vg red wines
b) Neusiedlersee-Hügelland (hills west of the lake): sweet wines, but also good whites (Chardonnay, Welschriesling, Pinot blanc …) and reds (Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt)
c) Mittelburgenland (middle B.) with the best Blaufränkisch
d) Südburgenland (Southern B.) with vg reds (Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt)
4) Vienna (600 ha): GV, R, Pinot blanc, Chardonnay and the speciality „Gemischter Satz“ (mixed varieties, vinified together).
This is just a rough overview.
The best Austrian wines are world-class and can compete with all the famous wine-growing regions world-wide: Great Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay, also Traminer, Pinot blanc and Pinot gris, famous sweet wines (not only Kracher) – and the red wines are getteing better and better!
There are hundreds of fine producers, so in the first step I will not mention detailed names … also because I have only a tiny idea what is available in the US …
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