| The year was 1985 and Alberta was awash in Austrian wine – Lenz Moser was a simple, inexpensive table white that had become one of the leading brands in our market. And then it happened. Someone discovered that a small but highly publicized portion of Austrian wine had been bolstered with an additive called diethylene glycol.
Although this common food additive is harmless (and certainly not the antifreeze the North American press had labelled it), it was an illegal supplement for European wine. And even though the additive was also found in German and Italian wines, it was the Austrians who bore the brunt of the blow.
The following year, Austrian wine exports fell to one-fifth of the previous vintage. Back home in Alberta, sales of Lenz Moser tanked – even though no illegal additives were ever found in any of their wines.
Austria reacted in a characteristically methodical manner. The wine laws were immediately reformed and strict quality-control measures were implemented, making their wine laws among the most stringent in Europe. But it would be a decade before their industry would recover.
To aid struggling producers, heavy import taxes were levied on all but Italian wines, leaving the Austrian people to consume the bulk of their production. Most of this was done in the local heurigen (wine bars), which have become an important feature in Austrian culture – today, much of the country’s wine is still sold in these simple yet charming institutions.
The duties remained until Austria joined the European Union in 1994 and changes were made to conform with new free-market policies. Now it was time for the rest of the world to wake up and find out what Austrian winemakers had been achieving during the past 10 years.
The wonderful, unique and stylish wines were a delight and surprise for many consumers tasting the wines for the first time. After such an extended absence from the market, recovery remained an arduous prospect, but Austria was poised and determined, packing all the right tools to make the journey.
Each year, Austria produces only about three million hectalitres of wine, a third as much as neighbouring Germany. The styles of these wines can vary widely, in accordance with the diverse terrain, but unlike Germany, most of the wines are dry. To westerners the labels can be confusing, and although the system resembles Germany’s, the wines are wholly distinct. Due to stricter production laws – including substantially lower yields and higher minimum ripeness levels – the quality of Austrian wines is generally very high.
The country has 14 recognized regions that can be grouped (for simplicity) into three major zones, each of which specializes in only one or two styles of wine. The Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal regions lie in the northwest corner along the river Danube. Their steep slopes of loess and gravel provide the ideal growing conditions for Riesling and the local grape, gruner veltliner. These high-quality (and generally dry) white wines deliver terroir with pinpoint precision, rivaling the very finest wines of Germany or Alsace.
North of Vienna, Austria’s largest wine region, the Weinviertel, produces mostly table wines for local consumption, few of which garner much attention outside of the country. But just east of Vienna lies Neusiedlersee, which makes wines of true distinction and class. This region, where large lakes make for an unusually warm microclimate, produces some of the world’s great sweet wines as well as some of Austria’s most full-bodied reds. The local red grape here is blaufrankisch, which brings a strong regional identity to the wines and reinforces the fact that Austria is capable of more than just great whites.
Further south and west, the region of Styria is marked with gently rolling hills and warm weather – ideal for local specialties Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonny (called morillon). Although there are only a few top producers, the wines are among the best examples in the world.
In Alberta, we are fortunate to have an extensive selection from Austria’s finest producers. The wines start at around $19, so they may not be your everyday tipple, but don’t forget about these gems when looking for a perfect match for fresh fish. Three top producers to look for are:
· Gobelsburg – Starting with a great gruner veltliner for under $20, this historic producer is a good introduction to the wines of Austria. The higher-end Riesling is also well worth seeking out for special occasions.
· Polz – Sauvignon Blanc fans take notice, as this stellar producer is making steely Sauvignons that would make any Sancerre producer green with envy.
· Brundlmayer – At the absolute pinnacle of winemaking, Willi Brundlmayer’s wines demonstrate just what Austria is capable of. His selection of Rieslings and gruner veltliners display a haunting aromatic quality and a concentrated, distinguished mouth feel reminiscent of France’s finest white wines.
WINES GALORE
Get to know some of the people behind the counters at Calgary’s finest independent wine shops this weekend. WineStage features samples of more than 70 wines poured by staff from your friendly neighbourhood experts, including The Banff Wine Store, Bin 905, J. Webb Wine Merchant, Kensington Wine Market, MetroVino and the Wine Shop. To top it off, there will be nibbles from some of the city’s most innovative restaurants. The event is being held Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11, with all proceeds going to One Yellow Rabbit. For ticket information phone 264-3224. |
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