Glossary

The initial opening of the buds and first leaves in Spring (usually in April).

This is a wine fault if unripe grapes are infected. If the grapes have reached physiological ripeness, this is the prerequisite for nobly sweet wine, such as Beerenauslese, Ausbruch and Trockenbeerenauslese.

The closure of the oak barrel, which is made of either wood, silicon or glass.

generic winegrowing region in the eastern part of Austria.

This bottle form originates from Burgundy, where ist is the most common shape. It is popular in Austria for Pinot varieties.

Years ago, oak barrels were conserved or sterilised by lighting sulphur inside the barrel and the SO2 emitted acted as a cleaning agent.

Another term for the 'Heuriger‘, where wines from own produce are served along with one or more simple dishes.

Wine tasting term describing the butter-like or creamy texture of a wine, particularly after MLF.

Roman formula for the sensoric wine tasting procedure, based on the colour (eye), odour (nose) and sapour (taste).

Cabernet Franc is an age-old variety that probably originates from a wild vine. The variety became an acknowledged Austrian Qualitätswein variety in 1986. The wines generally display herbaceous notes, pepper pods and cassis fruit characters.

Cabernet Sauvignon is an old Bordeaux variety, that took Austria by storm in the 1980's. If not fully ripe, the wines display unripe notes of green pepper, stinging nettle and cassis, yet with fully mature grapes, the results are of more spice and chocolate. Ther variety always has notable, gripping tannins and are usually aged in small oak barrels. Most Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Merlot or Blaufränkisch, or other red wine varieties.

Old term for Kabinett wines.

The type of soil was once on the shores of the primordial ocean. In Austria, calcareous soils are found on the Nussberg in Vienna, as well as in the Thermenregion, on the Leithaberg and in certain sites in the Südsteiermark, and give white wines mineral notes.

A useful aid in cleanly cutting the capsule off the bottle (usually of plastic, aluminium, tin foil or zinc).

A glass bottle that comes in different bulbous forms, and is used in serving, aerating and decanting wine.

Sweet aroma and flavour, reminiscent of malt-flavoured sweets.

The common term for carbonic acid (carbon dioxide), which is formed during the alcoholic fermentation and the malolactic fermentation. Due to the fact that fermenting gases are heavier than air, it can be a potential health hazardous in the cellar during fermentation. CO2 is a colourless gas often added to white wines during bottling to enhance freshness. In the production of sparkling wine, carbon dioxide is produced during the second fermentation and is responsible for its characteristic mousseux.

The common term for carbonic acid (carbon dioxide), which is formed during the alcoholic fermentation and the malolactic fermentation. Due to the fact that fermenting gases are heavier than air, it can be a potential health hazardous in the cellar during fermentation. CO2 is a colourless gas often added to white wines during bottling to enhance freshness. In the production of sparkling wine, carbon dioxide is produced during the second fermentation and is responsible for its characteristic mousseux.