A mini Austrian wine tasting

Austrian wine promotion event organizers used to stage a tasting annually.

The Austrian government revamped its wine laws thoroughly after the 1982 ethylene glycol scandal and now enjoys the strictest control on wine production anywhere.

Sadly, since two years they decided to spend their promotional funds in more lucrative export markets; this is unfortunate but understandable.

Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia are the largest Austrian wine consuming provinces.

There are four main wine producing regions each of which has several sub-appellations.

They are

Lower Austrai (Niederosterreich) (sub-appellations Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental, Wagram, Weinviertel, Carnuntum, Thermenregion and Wachau. The last has three quality designations – Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd)
Vienna (the only capital int eh world with a wine producing region within)
Burgenland
Styria

The wine categories are

Tafelwein (Table wine)
Landwein
Qualitatswein (Kabinett)
Predkatswein (Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Ausbruch, Eiwein, Strohwein

Le Sommelier (an Ontario wine agent) arranges from time to time, a tasting of Austrian wineries wines it represents from different regions.

This tasting consisted of consignment and special order wines (Consignment wines are already in Ontario warehouses and can be delivered within a few days, special imports take approximately eight weeks.)

The wines tasted were:

Vom Sand Sauvignon Blanc, 2013, Sattlerhof, Styria
90/100
$ 18.95 Organic Private order

Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC, 2013, Wieninger, Vienna
90/100
$ 20.95

DAC stands for Districtus Austriae Controllatus (high level of controls)

Gartling Gruner Veltliner, 2012, Nigl, Kremstal, Lower Austria
91/100
$ 21.95 Consignment

Loibner Klostersatz Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2012, F X Pichler, Wachau, Lower Austria
89/100
$ 37.95 Consignment

Lois Gruner Veltliner 2013, Loimer, Kamptal, Lower Austria
88+/100
$ 22.95 consignment

Langenlois Gruner Veltliner, DAC, 2013, Loimer, Kamptal, Lower Austria
89/100
$ 22.95 Consignment

Red wines

Dorflagen Pinot noir, 2013 Heinrich, Burgenland
89+/100
$ 24.95 private order

Zweigelt, 2012, Heinrich, Burgenland
89/100
$ 24.95 Consignment

Blaufrankisch, 2012, Heinrich, Burgenland 88/100
$ 21.95 private order