Austrian Grape Varieties

Interesting a lot, thanks! BTW, does this line mean what I mean:

Sauvignon Blanc (Muskat-Sylvaner)

IOW, is Sauvignon Blanc the result of a Muskat and Sylvaner crossing?

Vilco

And just for fun, I've added in the percentage of total plantings for each varietal as listed by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. They also had Schilcher as an accepted term for Blauer Wildbacher. e.

Not quite. "Schilcher" is the name of the wine, always rosé in colour. The rare wildbachers vinified in red never carry the name "Schilcher".

M.

No, and that is also the reason why this misleading synonym has been banned.

Genetically, sauvignon blanc is also a traminer crossing, but not directly, it appears to be a mutation of sauvignon rosé.

M.

Huh! In every other case in their publication they list the alternate name for the grape in parenthesis after the main name. This is how it was for Blauer Wildbacher. However, if you read on to the description:

"This Styrian specialty is vinified predominantly as a refreshing rosé called Schilcher. Vineyards on gneiss and slate soils bring the most distinctive wines with inimitable grassy spice and piercing acidity. This wine is typically enjoyed in summer and its charm is best captured in its youth."

which supports what you say. So there you have it.

Are any Austrian vintners making wine with Frühroter Veltliner? e.

Quite many, among the better known Ludwig Hiedler. Being a rather light variety with little profoundness, early ripening (on the vine as in the bottle), little ageing ability and rather low acidity, most is vinified as primeur, i.e. wines that come onto the market as early as November after the harvest. This campaign, called "Junge Österreicher" (young Austrians) by the Austria Wine Marketing Board who started it some 10 years ago, is Austria's successful answer to Beaujolais Nouveau.

M.

Michael, I guess I heard that "Frühroter Veltliner" and "Malvasier" are the same stuff. Maybe this is bullshit, because "Malvasia" is a widely used grape in Italy, e.g. component in Chianti Classico.

Martin

Na ja. Can there be a successful answer to Beaujolais Nouveau? If I were a winemaker, I would hate my wine being compared with BN. Actually I never heard of "Junge Österreicher", only of "Junge Römer" (Falco) and "Steirischer Junker". Obviously my ignorance comes from an apparent lack of interest in these sort of wines.

Martin

True.

Malvasia and Malvasier are not the same grape. It's the same problem as with "Klevner" designing a multitude of different grape varieties in different regions.

M.