The Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol (Austria) 2013 was released earlier this year by Peter Moser. Falstaff uses a 1 to 5 stars scale for rating winemakers and a 1 to 100 points scale for rating wines. On 890 pages you find 3230 wines from 482 winemakers described and rated.
For previous years, see:
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2012
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2011
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2010
FalstaffRotweinGuide
In December, Falstaff releases its annual red wine guide. In the Fallstaff RotweinGuide 2013, more than 1000 wines of almost 400 winemakers are described on 306 pages. This key reference for Austrian wine was released for the 16th time by Peter Moser. The focus of the Falstaff RotweinGuide 2013 is on the 2010 vintage. The Falstaff RotweinGuide 2013 awarded prizes in 11 categories.
See:
Austria’s Best Red Wines - Falstaff RotweinGuide 2013
Austria’s Best Red Wines - Falstaff RotweinGuide 2010/2011
Wine ratings: Austria - Falstaff Top Red Wines 2009/2010
Wine Producer Austria
Austria has about 50.000 hectares of vineyard area, equivalent to about half of Germany’s vineyard area and one fifth of France’s vineyard area. In terms of world output, Austria’s vineyard area accounts for 0.7 % of the total. Almost all of it in the east of the country. “In the west we ski, in the east we make wine”, says Willi Klinger, head of Austrian Marketing Board. About 70 % of the production is white wine and 30% red wine. About 75 percent of Austria’s production is consumed in Austria and 25 percent is exported.
Austrian wine culture is ancient; people have been producing wine in Austria for 4000 years. But everything changed in 1985, when Austria was rocked by the “antifreeze wine scandal”. Some vintners were caught illicitly sweetening their products with glycol. As a result, the market for Austrian wine, especially the semi-sweet styles then in favor, evaporated overnight. Yet the scandal initiated a revolution that has propelled Austrian wines on to the world stage. It led to a broad rethinking, with an emphasis on higher-quality production and innovation that soon became noticed. Young winemakers, drawn by the new emphasis on quality over quantity, brought cutting-edge techniques and farsightedness to vineyards and cellars, revolutionizing both.
Austria’s Top Winemakers
When visiting Austria, you will find a huge number of top wine makers, and that not only in the top wine regions, but throughout Austria. Here is the current crème de la crème, according to the Fallstaff 2013 WeinGuide. The list is unchanged from last year.
5 Stars Winemakers
Here is a list of the winemakers that received 5 stars by Falstaff this year. It is unchanged from last year.
Weingut Bründlmayer Langenlois, Kamptal
Weingut Gesellmann Deutschkreutz, Mittelburgenland
Weingut Gernot und Heike Heinrich Gols, Neusiedlersee
Weingut Franz Hirtzberger Spitz/Donau, Wachau
Weingut Knoll Unterloiben, Wachau
Weingut Kollwentz Großhöflein, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
Weinlaubenhof Kracher Illmitz, Neusiedlersee
Weingut F. X. Pichler Oberloiben, Wachau
Weingut Pöckl Mönchhof, Neusiedlersee
Weingut Prager Weißenkirchen, Wachau
Weingut Tement Berghausen, Südsteiermark
Winemaker of the Year 2013: Karl Alphart
Austrianwine.com: “The Alphart family has been making wine since 1762 and their love for the vines and the winemaker's craft is revealed in the character of every bottle. Healthy, hand-picked grapes are the basis of expressive and harmonious wines. The family’s vineyards are located at the heart of the Thermenregion, wrapped around the edge of the Vienna Woods. These sun-rich slopes, with their brown-earth and limestone soils, lend the wines both elegance and minerality. A gentle handling of the grape material in the cellar is the logical extension of the attention given to the vines throughout the year and allows the elegance and fine fruit notes of the grapes to find expression in the finished wines.”
Sortensieger
Only white varieties are covered here. For red varieties, see:
Chardonnay/Morillon
Gloria 2011, Kollwentz, Großhöflein, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland. 96 Falstaff Punkte.
Gelber Muskateller
Perz Erste STK Lage 2012, Alois Gross, Ratsch, Südsteiermark. 93 Falstaff Punkte.
Sernauberg Erste STK Lage 2012, Sattlerhof, Gamlitz, Südsteiermark. 93 Falstaff Punkte.
Gemischter Satz
Five Points – The Star of Vienna 2011, Richard Zahel, Wien. 95 Falstaff Punkte.
Grüner Veltliner
Dürnsteiner Kellerberg Smaragd 2012, F.X. Pichler, Oberloiben, Wachau. 97 Falstaff Punkte.
Riesling
Singerriedel Smaragd 2012, Franz Hirtzberger, Spitz, Wachau. 97 Falstaff Punkte.
Smaragd Unendlich 2012, F.X. Pichler, Oberloiben, Wachau. 97 Falstaff Punkte.
Roter Veltliner
Steinberg Privat 2011, Josef Fritz, Zaussenberg, Wagram. 95 Falstaff Punkte.
Rotgipfler Zierfandler
Rotgipfler Rodauner Top Selektion 2011, Karl Alphart, Traiskirchen, Thermenregion. 96 Falstaff Punkte.
Sauvignon Blanc
Privat 2007, Sattlerhof, Gamlitz, Südsteiermark. 97 Falstaff Punkte.
Traminer
Gewürztraminer Extrem 2012, Fritz Frühwirth, Klöch, Südoststeiermark. 94 Falstaff Punkte.
Weißburgunder/Pinot Blanc
2007, Alois Gross, Ratsch, Südsteiermark. 96 Falstaff Punkte.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
The American Art of Joanne Roberts Wittauer and the Austrian Wines of Klaus Wittauer– A Taste of Art and Wines at the Curious Grape in Shirlington in the Washington DC Area, USA
“Wine Ambassador” Klaus Wittauer Presented Austrian Wines at the Embassy of Austria in Washington DC, USA
Tasting Leo Hillinger Red Wines with Leo Hillinger’s Assistant Winemaker Michael Hoeffken and US Importer Klaus Wittauer
Visiting Leo Hillinger, Michael Hoeffken and Edgar Brutler at the Leo Hillinger Winery in Jois, Austria
Leo Hillinger Wines and Alsatian Food with Hillinger’s Michael Hoeffken and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer at L’Auberge Chez François in Virginia, USA
Skype and Biodynamic Winemaking - Winetasting in the US with Winemaker Werner Michlits, Weingut Meinklang, in Austria
At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria
Welcome to America: Franz and Christine Netzl Estate, Carnuntum, Austria
Visiting Christine, Christina and Franz Netzl in their Weingut Netzl in Carnuntum, Austria
Martin Mittelbach from the "Tegernseehof" and Klaus Wittauer from "KWSelection" Presented Tegernseehof Wines and Stefan Trummer and Chef Austin Fausett from “Trummer’s on Main” in Clifton Austrian Appetizers at the Austrian Embassy in Washington DC, USA
Domaine Weinbach Wines and Alsatian Food with Winemaker Catherine Faller, Alsace, and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer, Virginia
Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2012
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2011
Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2010
Austria’s Best Red Wines - Falstaff RotweinGuide 2013
Austria’s Best Red Wines - Falstaff RotweinGuide 2010/2011
Wine ratings: Austria - Falstaff Top Red Wines 2009/2010