WineWisdom

Austrian Traditionsweingüter classification system explained

Published by Sally on August 14, 2010

The group of 23 Traditionsweingüter Österreich (traditional Austrian wineries) have announced a single level classification of 52 of their best single vineyard sites in four Danube regions of Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental and Wagram, starting from the excellent quality 2009 vintage.  

To communicate the ‘premier cru’ sites – Erste Lagen – and the wines to consumers, a trademarked logo is printed alongside the vineyard name on the label. Only the 23 member estates of the Traditionsweingüter Österreich are allowed to use this logo.

The classification has been a while in the making.  In 1992 seven wineries in the Danube region founded the group, to make wines which reflect their origin, and with the long-term aim of identifying their best vineyard sites, according to both ripeness and terroir, or specific site.

Willi Bründlmayer, of one of the original founding wineries, Weingut Bründlmayer, said “Traditionsweingüter Österreich was founded to work on vineyard classification in the beginning. We were also doing tastings and promotions together, but the basic focus was vineyard classification.” He added “all the vineyards have a long tradition, for many years making very good grüner veltliner or riesling.”  Weingut Hiedler was another founding member. Maria Angeles Hiedler said “after 20 years we know which sites are continually producing top wines.”

The group was in part prompted to announce their classification by the introduction of DAC appellations in parts of the Danube region, because, said Michael Moosbrugger, president of the Traditionsweingüter Österreich association (and general manager of Schloss Gobelsburg), the “Erste Lage is the logical continuation of the DAC system.” 

The DAC in Kamptal, Kremstal and Traisental is only for grüner veltliner  and riesling, and so is the new vineyard site classification.  The classification includes four sites in Wagram, which does not have a DAC appellation, but is in the Danube basin.  Moosbrugger said “we apply the same rules as for the other regions, so grüner veltliner and riesling, dry.” As the DAC system is evolving, there is a chance that in the future Wagram will join the DAC.

Bründlmayer emphasised the wines from Erste Lage “must stay in the DAC taste frame and be typical for the year.” 

Moosbrugger explained that such linking of site and origin with wine was also something of a reversion to how Austrian wines used to be known. He said “until World War II, Austrian wines were known by village names, and with a stylistic expression, such as Kremser, Langenloiser and Gumpoldskircher. Everyone more or less knew what style of wine to expect.”

After the second world war, with increasing mechanisation and the ready availability of tractors in the classic mixed agriculture farms, Moosbrugger said “vineyards were replanted [to allow use of tractors], and individual varieties were planted [in blocks], not as field blends. No one knew which direction things would develop, so farmers still planted all the different grape varieties” which helps to explain the plethora of grape varieties grown in many regions.

By the 1960s and 70s farmers were learning which were the best-adapted varieties to their regions, so by “the end of the 80s, only grüner veltliner  and riesling were left” in the Danube area, said Moosbrugger.

For these two grape varieties, he said there are two archetypes of vineyard in the Danube region, “terraces, on the river Danube and its tributaries, of stones and low water supply which are ideal for riesling, and vineyards based on loess and clay – deeper soil with a better water supply – which are ideal for grüner veltliner.”

What with the introduction of DAC and regions looking to identify the continually best-performing sites, Moosbrugger said “we’re in the middle of a change from explaining Austrian wine culture from grapes to origin. But we cannot stop at the regional level. As top producers, we are working with single vineyards.”

Neither the group nor the classification is a closed shop. Moosbrugger said they are completely open and would be happy and hopeful for others to join in the conversation.

Whereas the DAC appellations are legally defined in law, this producer-led classification of 52 sites has no legally defined basis. Mind you, the 1855 Bordeaux classification started off as a composite price list of the time drawn up by the industry. It has largely withstood the test of time.  The new Erste Lagen also tend to be the more highly priced wines from the Danube area.  And the group does not rule out a legal definition, though, Moosbrugger said “we have started a process that I expect to last for the next 20 to 30 years. The classification is far from finished.” But certainly, he added, an official classification is one of the long term aims.

At the moment the trademarked logo is the obligatory and visible part of the classification system. The logo indicates the wine comes from one of the best-regarded 9% of vineyards in the four Danube regions.

Vineyard classification, 2010

	Region	Village	Vineyard name	Size of vineyard site (ha)	Producers
1	Kamptal	Kammern	Gaisberg	30	Gobelsburg, Dolle
2	Kamptal	Kammern	Grub	5	Gobelsburg
3	Kamptal	Kammern	Lamm	20	Gobelsburg, Bründlmayer, Hirsch, Jurtschitsch
4	Kamptal	Kammern	Renner	19	Gobelsburg
5	Kamptal	Langenlois	Dechant	20	Jurtschitsch
6	Kamptal	Langenlois	Käferberg	10	Bründlmayer, Loimer, Jurtschitsch
7	Kamptal	Langenlois	Kittmannsberg	10	Hiedler
8	Kamptal	Langenlois	Loiserberg	35	Jurtschitsch
9	Kamptal	Langenlois	Schenkenbichl	30	Jurtschitsch
10	Kamptal	Langenlois	Seeberg	30	Loimer
11	Kamptal	Langenlois	Spiegel	35	Loimer, Jurtschitsch, Ehn
12	Kamptal	Langenlois	Steinhaus	18	Hiedler
13	Kamptal	Langenlois	Steinmassl	17	Loimer
14	Kamptal	Langenlois	Thal	8	Hiedler
15	Kamptal	Strass	Gaisberg	30	Hiedler, Dolle
16	Kamptal	Strass	Ofenberg	5	Topf
17	Kamptal	Strass	Wechselberg Spiegel	1.8	Topf
18	Kamptal	Zöbing	Gaisberg	25	Hirsch
19	Kamptal	Zöbing	Heiligenstein	35	Bründlmayer, Jurtschitsch, Ehn, Hirsch, Topf, Hiedler, Dolle, Gobelsburg
20	Kremstal	Angern	Gaisberg	5	Geyerhof
21	Kremstal	Furth	Gottschelle	20	Malat, Dr. Unger, Stift Göttweig
22	Kremstal	Furth	Höhlgraben	10	Malat
23	Kremstal	Furth	Oberfeld	25	Dr. Unger
24	Kremstal	Furth	Silberbichl	25	Malat, Stift Göttweig
25	Kremstal	Gedersdorf	Spiegel	7.5	Mantler
26	Kremstal	Gedersdorf	Steingraben	5.5	Mantler
27	Kremstal	Gedersdorf	Mosburgerin	3.6	Mantler
28	Kremstal	Gedersdorf	Wieland	9	Mantler
29	Kremstal	Hollenburg/Krems	Goldberg	1.5	Geyerhof
30	Kremstal	Krems	Kapuzinerberg	5	Fritsch
31	Kremstal	Krems	Lindberg	7	Salomon
32	Kremstal	Krems	Wachtberg	33	Salomon, Stadt Krems
33	Kremstal	Oberfucha/Furth	Kirchensteig	1	Geyerhof
34	Kremstal	Oberfucha/Furth	Steinleithn	1.5	Geyerhof
35	Kremstal	Rohrendorf	Breiter Rain	5	Sepp Moser
36	Kremstal	Rohrendorf	Gebling	50	Moser Martin, Sepp Moser
37	Kremstal	Rohrendorf	Schnabel	2.8	Sepp Moser
38	Kremstal	Senftenberg	Piri	50	Nigl
39	Kremstal	Senftenberg	Hochäcker	10	Nigl
40	Kremstal	Senftenberg	Pellingen	10	Nigl
41	Kremstal	Stein	Gaisberg	5	Dr. Unger
42	Kremstal	Stein	Kögl	13	Salomon, Stadt Krems
43	Kremstal	Stein	Pfaffenberg	13	Salomon
44	Kremstal	Krems	Grillenparz	5	Stadt Krems
45	Traisental	Getzersdorf	Berg	20	Huber
46	Traisental	Inzersdorf-Getzersdorf	Rothenbart	6	Neumayer
47	Traisental	Inzersdorf-Getzersdorf	Zwirch	15	Neumayer
48	Traisental	Reichersdorf	Alte Setzen	5	Huber
49	Wagram	Feuersbrunn	Rosenberg	35	Ott
50	Wagram	Feuersbrunn	Spiegel	37	Ott
51	Wagram	Kirchberg am Wagram	Schlossberg	30	Fritsch
52	Wagram	Großweikersdorf	Mordthal	35	Fritsch

Source:  M. Moosbrugger, pers. comm., July 29, 2010

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