Austria – history and climate

Austria is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Europe which is enjoying a resurgence as a wine-producing nation. It has overcome a decades-old controversy caused by a few selfish winemakers and has emerged as a role model for modern European wine; a leader in quality and innovation. Retaining tradition while adopting modern ideas, the Austrian wine industry now produces modern, consumer-friendly wines.

Austria is at a similar latitude to central France and southern Germany. The climate is slightly warmer than Germany which is reflected in the wine styles. There is a much greater emphasis on red wines than its cooler northern neighbour. But there is far more to the Austrian climate than just latitude, landscape plays a crucial role. Much of the country, particularly the western half, is dominated by the high Eastern Alps while to the east lies the warm Pannonian Plain. Austria’s wine regions are found in the east of the country bordering Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Very little Mediterranean influence makes it over the Alps into eastern Austria, creating a typical continental climate. There are distinct temperature shifts from day to night and from summer to winter. Many regions are moderated by large bodies of water such as the Danube river, and lakes fed by meltwater from the Alps.

Viticulture in Austria dates to Roman times. Evidence of vineyard cultivation suggests that vines were planted here 2000 years ago. The steep terraces along the Danube River and its tributaries were built by monks as Christianity spread through Europe. The vineyards of Vienna have a rich tradition of Heurigen (meaning both wine tavern and the wine served inside), where locals can enjoy the proprietor’s homemade wines.

For much of the 20th Century, Austria was associated with sweet, mass-produced wine, but producers are now making crisp, dry wine styles, some of which will age very well due to their high acidity. However, in 1985 the Austrian wine industry was decimated by the anti-freeze scandal, in which diethylene glycol (a key ingredient in anti-freeze) was found to have been added to some cheaper bulk wines to increase levels of sweetness and body. The scandal led to the collapse of the Austrian wine industry, in terms of both exports and reputation, but stricter wine laws were created. This led to an increase of dry wine styles and significantly higher quality from which helped the industry recover.