Wagram
Veltliner’s lust for loess

Region & Wine

The natural environment in the northern part of the Wagram wine-growing region displays a uniform geological and climatic profile, which presents the best possible conditions for the vinification of rich, aromatic wines. In many vineyards, the substratum of alluvial gravels and sedimentary marine deposits (“Wagram” being derived from the word “Wogenrain”, roughly translating as “surfside”) is covered by loess, which was blown here during the ice ages and has since played a significant role in shaping the landscape. From the 2021 vintage onwards, regionally typical wines can be labelled as “Wagram DAC”. The region’s diversity is demonstrated by its Gebietswein (regional wine) and Ortswein (“villages” wine). The white wines, which are often shaped by their loess soils, are admired for their subtle spiciness. Some of Niederösterreich’s richest red wines are also produced by the leading wineries here, specifically from Zweigelt, Sankt Laurent and Blauburgunder. These wines can also be labelled “Wagram DAC” at the Gebietswein level and, in some cases, at the Ortswein level.

The top tier of the origin pyramid is represented by the region’s Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine), which is where Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner and Riesling truly shine. Most notably, Grüner Veltliner matures into hearty, spicy wines that unite substance with drinkability. Wagram Riesling displays clear, intense fruit notes and good acidity. The autochthonous variety Roter Veltliner produces elegant and distinctive white wines, which have good ageing potential if yields are kept low.

However, there’s more to this region than dry wines! The sweet wine segment is well represented with Eiswein, produced in the environmentally conscious municipality of Großriedenthal and sold under the designation of origin “Niederösterreich”.

The self-assurance of successful winegrowers rubs off on the whole of Wagram and provides a motivational boost for improving quality on a broader basis, supported by tourism and the hospitality industries, which are also of key importance to the region. The villages of Feuersbrunn, Fels, Kirchberg (location of the regional vinotheque Weritas) and Großriedenthal are home to several dedicated wineries. Many years ago, these wineries were some of the region’s best-kept secrets, but this is no longer the case today!

Klosterneuburg: the crossroads of wine, fine food and culture
The wine-growing industry in and around Klosterneuburg looks back on a long, successful past – and the future looks just as bright here, too. This is the location of the Höhere Bundeslehranstalt für Wein- und Obstbau (Federal College for Viticulture, Oenology and Fruit Growing), the world’s first school of viticulture (founded in 1860). The college teaches the next generation about wine on an international level and conducts pioneering research. Klosterneuburg Abbey is one of the largest and oldest privately owned wineries in Austria. Other wineries in the town range from small, family-run Heurige taverns to large-scale Sekt producers, all just a stone’s throw away from Vienna.

Key Facts

Grape varieties:

• Gebietswein: Chardonnay, Frühroter Veltliner, Grauer Burgunder, Grüner Veltliner, Gelber Muskateller, Roter Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Blauburgunder, St. Laurent and Zweigelt, monovarietal wines, cuvée blends of these or Gemischter Satz (field blend)
• Ortswein: Monovarietal Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Blauburgunder and Zweigelt; no rosé or blanc de noirs allowed
• Riedenwein: Monovarietal Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner and Riesling

Quality levels:

• Gebietswein: Submission for the Federal Inspection Number from 1 December of the same year as harvest
• Ortswein: Submission for the Federal Inspection Number from 1 January of the year following harvest
• Riedenwein: Submission for the Federal Inspection Number from 1 March of the year following harvest

Alcohol:

not specified

Residual sugar:

dry

Flavour profile:

• Gebietswein, Ortswein, Riedenwein: White wines are not allowed to have any dominant wood notes.

Permitted origins for Ortswein:

Absdorf, Fels, Gösing, Thürnthal, Feuersbrunn, Wagram am Wagram, Großriedenthal, Ottenthal, Neudegg, Ameisthal, Baumgarten, Großweikersdorf, Großwiesendorf, Ruppersthal, Tiefenthal, Zaussenberg, Engelmannsbrunn, Kirchberg, Mitterstockstall, Oberstockstall, Unterstockstall, Königsbrunn, Hippersdorf, Eggendorf, Starnwörth, Stetteldorf and Klosterneuburg.

Labelling:

The designation “Wagram” must also be printed on the front label, with or without the addition of "DAC". However, all the other mandatory information must be printed on the back label, if the bottle has one. Indication of the harvest year is mandatory. The names of the towns and villages listed below, as well as the Rieds located there, may be printed on the label, only together with the designation of origin “Wagram”.

Geology

North of the Danube, loess is the dominant type of soil. It almost completely covers the substratum of crystalline rock, silty-argillaceous marine deposits of the Molasse basin and terrace gravels from the glacial periods. The yellowish and farinaceous, consistently calcareous-dolomitic rock dust can be up to several metres deep in some places here. In the northern, higher-up and hilly part of the winegrowing region, vineyards are planted on sandy-gravelly soils, on the so-called Hollabrunn-Mistelbach formation. This marks an earlier course of the Danube River, about 10 million years old. In many instances, these gravels bear a topsoil of clay.

South of the Danube, vineyards are situated upon various types of rock of the Molasse Basin, up to where one meets the large collective vineyard site Klosterneuburg to the east.

Its individual vineyards are planted on varieties of calcareous flysch. Flysches are distinctive, often repetitive sequences of sandy, silty, and argillaceous stone, as well as marl. They date back to sub-marine mudslides that poured into the depths of the primordial ocean.

The northeast-facing slopes are sheathed in fine-grained, more or less carbonate loams.

Links & Downloads

Legislative Decree Wachau DAC (German)

Maps

Gallery