Artikeln är från Austrian Wines
“Crystal-clear wines from perfect grapes” sums up the 2021 vintage – a year that we will be hearing about for many years to come. A glorious autumn brought balanced, elegant white wines with a profound fruitiness and zesty structure, as well as exciting, powerful reds – and this was the case for all of Austria’s wine-growing regions.
© Austrian Wine / WSNA
A bright autumn was the basis for a dream Austrian vintage
LATER BUDDING PROTECTED AGAINST LATE FROSTS
After a winter that saw less precipitation than usual, spring kept us all waiting. April was cool and much too dry, while a gloomy, wet May was far from the traditionally expected warmer weather. However, it did at least bring with it the much-awaited precipitation, even if the amount varied considerably from one region to the other. This naturally delayed bud burst and flowering, which, however, was not without its benefits. Unlike the wine-growing countries to the south and west of the main Alpine ridge, Austria did not fall victim to late frosts.
June finally ushered in some sunshine and warmth. The vines eventually blossomed at the end of the month – during a hot spell – which inevitably resulted in coulure in some vineyards. The warmer weather also brought storms with it. On 24 June, the northern Weinviertel was battered by a huge storm cell accompanied by violent hail that caused serious damage to around 1,000 hectares of vineyards here – even destroying some of themcompletely. At the end of July, a hail storm also hit the Wachau wine-growing villages of Rührsdorf and Rossatz, certain vineyards in Dürnstein and Loiben, as well as some near Göttweig and in the Traisental. The main red wine-growing centres in Mittelburgenland also suffered severe damage due to hail. Some Rieds (single vineyards) on the Nussberg (Wien), in the Vulkanland region (Steiermark) and in Südsteiermark were also affected, albeit not so badly.
AN INDIAN SUMMER RAISED EXPECTATIONS
Apart from the localised incidences of hail, July was the type of summer month that dreams are made of, but even this gave way to a dull, rainy and cool August. Thankfully, right on cue on 1 September, the weather took a sudden turn for the better. A bright, sunny phase took hold, lasting six whole weeks with only two days of rain. By the middle of September, the nights had already turned cool, which meant that there was a marked difference between daytime and night-time temperatures. This promoted the formation of outstanding aromas in the white wines and vitality in the reds. A period of föhn winds followed at the end of October, ensuring a final burst of ripening for the Riesling vineyards north of the Danube.
Oidium, Peronospora and unwanted Botrytis cinerea didn’t stand a chance against these perfect conditions, and in some regions, veteran winegrowers reported having never before seen such beautiful, completely healthy grapes at harvest. Reports from the key wine-growing villages in Burgenland and Steiermark claimed that 2021 was the quickest main harvest of all time, completed in one go. Indeed, the best time to harvest could be predicted very easily and precisely.
With a harvest volume of around 2.4 million hectolitres, the 2021 vintage is in line with the long-term average. This is grounds to celebrate, because the rest of Europe enjoyed somewhat less success in 2021. Many German wine-growing regions suffered drastic drops in harvest volumes and the major wine-producing countries of Italy, France and Spain also had to cope with painful losses, largely caused by late frosts.
NIEDERÖSTERREICH: BRILLIANCE IN WHITE AND RED
From Wachau to Carnuntum and from the Weinviertel to the Thermenregion, winemakers are extremely proud of their delightfully harmonious white wines, which owe their intensity to the long vegetation period. This resulted in a high sugar ripeness, which produced wines that are consistently rich in extracts and bitingly fresh, with an extraordinary range of aromas and a zesty acidic structure. The long vegetation period also proved particularly beneficial for Grüner Veltliner, the flagship variety of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria). As well as the obligatory peppery aromas, the 2021 vintage has also produced pronounced notes of stone fruit and a creamy, mellow mouthfeel. The Rieslings are very promising too and will probably tend towards lighter fruits – more peach than apricot. Equally impressive are the fully ripe, powerful Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays, not to mention the extremely aromatic Muskateller. We can also expect good things of the Roter Veltliners from the Wagram region, as well as of the specialities from the Thermenregion, such as Rotgipfler and Zierfandler.
In the Thermenregion and Carnuntum, outstanding red wines have been produced from all grape varieties and at all levels of maturity. The late harvest and long vegetation period were particularly beneficial for the delicate Pinot Noir and St. Laurent grape varieties, as this time around there was no issue with premature sugar ripeness and no risk of rot. Just like the white Riedenwein (single-vineyard wines) and Reserve wines, they are expected to have a superb structure and good ageing potential.
In the sweet sector, winegrowers were able to make Eiswein again – the first time in several years. In the Weinviertel, the harvest took place just before and shortly after Christmas; in the Kamptal, Kremstal and Wagram regions, between 12 and 16 January 2022.
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