The 2022 growing season certainly put Austrian winemakers through their paces. Initially, it seemed that it would be a very dry year, were it not for the occasional showers of rain – which not always came at the best of times. However, the great dedication and hard work of Austria’s winemakers were recompensed with ripe, well-balanced white wines with a fine display of fruit. The red wines are outstanding, showing power, structure and velvety tannins.
Nussberg, Wien © ÖWM / WSNA
The 2022 vintage was a little more differentiated than in 2021, for example, depending on the region and grape variety. Overall, however, Austria’s 2022 wines display a pronounced ripeness, fine fruit and harmonious acidity. The year was characterised by extreme heat and dryness in summer, which was counteracted somewhat by repeated rainfall just before the main harvest. This significantly boosted the grape ripening process, but it also meant that winemakers had to act quickly to protect their grapes. With a harvest volume of 2.5 million hectolitres, 2022 is slightly higher than the long-term average (2.4 million hl).
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Niederösterreich (Lower Austria): whites with varietal typicity, ripe reds
Niederösterreich produced ripe white wines with fine fruit aromas and a little less acidity than in the previous two years. It was also possible to produce dense single-vineyard (Ried) and Reserve wines. The flagship variety Grüner Veltliner delivered distinct varietal typicity, as did Riesling and Pinot in all its forms. Aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller and Traminer, as well as the regional specialties Roter Veltliner, Zierfandler and Rotgipfler produced impressive results. The red-wine centres of Carnuntum and the southern Thermenregion delivered powerful red wines with good structure and mature tannins. Rare Eiswein could also be harvested in the run-up to Christmas.
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Burgenland: powerful reds and sweet wines with pronounced fruit
Burgenland’s white wines display pronounced notes of fruit and distinct varietal characteristics. Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc turned out particularly well. The season had all the makings of an outstanding red-wine vintage. Powerful, dark and dense red wines with a fine structure and mature tannins are expected in all the red-wine strongholds. This meant that the prerequisites for high-quality rosé wines were likewise met in full. The noble sweet wines are also full of promise: a beautiful botrytis formed in both the Seewinkel area and in Rust, providing a good basis for juicy Prädikatswein with distinct fruit. A couple of icy-cold December nights also meant Eiswein could be harvested.
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Steiermark (Styria): harmonious whites with fine fruit, concise Schilcher
In all three Steiermark wine-growing regions, the white wines have developed plenty of juice and power, without losing any of their attractive finesse and structure. Young wines are already well-rounded and harmonious. Sauvignon Blanc, which has now risen to the rank of Steiermark’s flagship variety, is expected to be particularly good. However, Gelber Muskateller, Morillon (Chardonnay), Pinot Blanc and Welschriesling wines, as well as the rare Traminer, are also very pleasing. In Weststeiermark, the Schilcher rosé displays a clear texture and distinct aromas of red berries.
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Wien (Vienna): well-balanced and rounded Gemischter Satz
The Viennese vineyards located on the outskirts of the city (e.g. on the Nußberg, in Grinzing, Neustift as well as on the Bisamberg and in Mauer) produced grapes with good sugar ripeness and lower acidity. This resulted in rounded, well-balanced Wiener Gemischter Satz wines, as well as harmonious, fruit-driven Riesling. These wines are enjoyable slightly earlier than in the previous year.
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Bergland: ripe wines with early harmony, good PIWI varieties
In Kärnten (Carinthia), Vorarlberg and Tirol (Tyrol), winemakers are delighted with a thoroughly successful vintage. Favourable conditions meant that white and red wines produced equally positive results. In Oberösterreich (Upper Austria), a rapid harvest and meticulous selection were necessary to obtain high-quality grapes. The PIWI (fungus-resistant) varieties were able to deliver good results, once again.
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