Quality Wine

Advertising and publicity materials using the country's name “Österreich” or “Austria” are undoubtedly beneficial to Austrian wine. It is, however, important to promote increasing awareness of Austria's quality wines from specified regions (Weinbaugebiete). There are two types of specified regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wine (Qualitätswein): First, generic appellations using the names of the Austrian federal states - especially Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Burgenland, Steiermark (Styria), and Wien (Vienna) - and alternatively, those with the names of the sixteen specific appellations.

Specified Regions for Qualitätswein

a) Generic Appellations

The Strategy for Generic Appellations

The wide variety of Austrian Qualitätswein should be marketed showing the name of an Austrian federal state on the label (generic appellation): Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Burgenland, Steiermark (Styria) or Wien (Vienna).

Growers may avail themselves of thirty-five approved grape varieties and a wealth of different stylistic choices. On this level there is room not only for bigger brands (e. g. Grüner Veltliner Niederösterreich), but also to encourage creativity and experimentation on the individual level to determine the best future potential (e. g. Syrah Burgenland).

b) Specific Appellations

 

Strategy for Specific Appellations

A particular wine style representative of a specific region should use the name of this region as appellation on the label. If a specified region officially accepts this strategy according to regulations of its own devising within the framework of the Austrian Wine Law, the Minister for Agriculture can declare it to be a DAC-appellation.
In this case the appellation (e. g. Weinviertel, Mittelburgenland, Traisental, Kremstal or Kamptal) is followed by the expresion “DAC” (Districtus Austriae Controllatus). Only the wine(s) most representative of these specific regions will then be permitted to bear the specific appellation on the label; all other wines will be labelled with the name of the generic appellation.

 

Quality Wine