Photo credits: Gols, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland © Austrian Wine / WSNA

Burgenland Wine Region: focus on sweet wines

The Burgenland wine region often remains in the shadow of fame of some well-known appellations, even for its outstanding sweet wines. It covers the easternmost part of Austria, influenced by the hot, continental Pannonian climate, which produces the most rich and opulent red wines in Austria, elegant and, at the same time, very complex whites, as well as extraordinarily fine sweet, made in different styles.

Vineyard area: 11,648 ha

Vineyards altitude: 115-541 mt a.s.l.

Sub-regions:

• Neusiedersee
• Leithaberg (includes Rust)
• Rosalia
• Mittelburgenland
• Eisenberg

Grape varieties for sweet wines of Burgenland. The region is home to precious, sweet Prädikatswein of outstanding quality: Beerenauslese (BA), Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), Strohwein, Schilfwein and Eiswein. For sure the sweetness level starts from medium-sweet Spätlese wines, going up to Auslese and then get to the lusciously sweet TBA.

Most white grape varieties grown in Austria are suitable for the production of these sweet and botrytis-affected wines: first of all, Welschriesling, then Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, extremely early-ripening grapey Bouvier, Muskateller, Muskat Ottonel, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Scheurebe (Sämling 88), Blaufränkisch, Merlot, and most planted Grüner Veltliner.

Photo credits: Ried Mariental, Oggau, Leithaberg, Burgenland ©Austrian Wine / Robert Herbst

The varieties with thicker skins are most suitable for botrytis-affected styles, or those with thicker skins but with less compact cells, therefore more susceptible to botrytis, as noble rot acts by perforating the berry skins and feeds on the liquid within with subsequent water evaporation. Aroma compounds and their precursors, as well as other compounds, concentrate inside the grape. Other complex metabolic processes occur, such as the metabolism of Botrytis Cinerea and other compounds. Consequently, the creation of new ones decreases acidity and the degradation of skin structure (which increases extractability), but at the same time, all are highly concentrated due to water loss.

Each variety will contribute its aromatic characteristics and structure (acidity, phenolics). Still, the impact of the proportion of botrytis-affected grapes will change and decisively affect the final wine profile. Bouvier, Muskateller, and Muskat Ottonel (slightly less aromatic) will impact with grapey aromas, Gewurztraminer with its distinctive spiciness, floral, and exotic character, Grüner Veltliner’s rotundone with peppery aromas, or more neutral Welschriesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc will give more space to the noble rot expression.

Photo credits: Scheurebe © Austrian Wine / WSNA

Grape growing. Burgenland is a warmer, flatter, humid part of Austria, highly suitable for sweet wine production from noble rot-affected grapes. Here, the right conditions for the noble rot development occur thanks to Lake Neusiedl, which provides humid conditions combined with a temperature-moderating effect, warming up and cooling down more slowly than inland, adding ripeness. The humid, misty mornings allow rot to develop on the grapes. The sunny, dry autumn afternoons with warm daytime temperatures, combined with some cooling breezes from the Alps and northerly winds, dry out the grapes, preventing grey and black rot formation.

The south region Seewinkel, due to the presence of numerous small lakes, also encourages Botrytis Cinerea growth. Here, the Seewinkel gravels cover about one-third of all vineyards in the area and are found extensively on old terraces. The stone retains heat and releases it during the night, adding ripeness.

Photo credits: © Austrian Wine / Wirz, Robert Staudinger

Harvesting requires different passes through the vineyards to pick ripe and only botrytis-affected grapes for higher quality categories such as Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese. The hand picking permits selection of the best grapes affected by noble rot and deselecting damaged grapes, which are often imposed as legal requirements. For example, Ruster Ausbruch DAC and Neusiedlersee DAC Reserve need to be harvested by hand. Skilled workers availability combined with a tremendous amount of labour and extremely low yields mean, the wines are always premium and super-premium priced. While the proportion of botrytis and minimum must weight required are higher for TBA than BA category, the grapes and, consequently, wines are highly concentrated.

Ried Plachen, Rust, Leithaberg, Burgenland © Austrian Wine / WSNA

Schilfwein (reed wine) or Strohwein (straw wine) are also produced in Burgenland with no or very low influence of botrytis, so they can be an option in vintages or sites where botrytis fails. Although favourable conditions for noble rot are likely present in all vintages, climate change can create an adverse, dry environment for its development. If it is too damp, the fungus will develop too rapidly and cause grey rot, splitting the grapes and encouraging infections. Ripe, healthy grapes are dried on straw, rush mats or on strings for a minimum of three months. When they have reached a minimum must weight of 25–30° KMW, they are ready to be vinified.

Photo credits: © ÖWM / Angerhof Tschida

The areas for Eiswine production, a truly exclusive product. Vineyards are primarily located around Lake Neusiedl, with a few wineries in other regions of Burgenland also successfully producing this exclusive wine. Eiswine, accounting for less than 3% of the total harvest in Burgenland, is a niche product with a high recognition value. Its production mainly depends on weather conditions, resulting in large vintage variation. For instance, only around 20 esteemed wineries across Burgenland have submitted a notification of their intention to harvest Eiswine for the 2023 vintage.

The production requires grapes left to hang on the vine into the late autumn or winter months, for example, in late January. When freezing temperatures arrive, the water in the grape pulp turns to ice. The harvesting of frozen grapes occurs when the temperature drops to -7°C. Highest quality, lowest-yielding grapes are selected and minimum must weight of at least 25° KMW is required. Frozen grapes are pressed after picking, and frozen water inside berries is expelled through the holes in the press, concentrating sugar and primary aromas and flavours, enhanced by protective winemaking. There is also a considerable risk that the unpicked grapes may become infected by disease or eaten by pests, further reducing yields and netting against birds, which is costly and labour-consuming.

Photo credits: Neusiedlersee, Burgenland, Eisweintraube bei Tag © Austrian Wine / Christian Bauer

Winemaking. The very high must weight/sugar levels (Beerenauslese minimum of 25° KMW and Trockenbeerenauslese minimum of 30° KMW) mean the botrytis-affected grapes (as all grapes with high sugar levels) are difficult to press, ferment and clarify. Therefore, fermentation can take several months and often stops naturally, leaving an alcohol level of around 6-10% abv. Otherwise, it is stopped by chilling to below 10°C and/or by adding a high dose of SO2 to inhibit the yeasts, maintaining high residual sugar levels. The Beerenauslese residual sugar levels result in around 150 g/l, while Trockenbeerenauslese 200 g/l, balanced by high acidity levels. These wines are tipically fermented, aged and stored in stainless steel or large old oak, minimising oxygen exposure.

The fungus also produces a laccase enzyme, which can oxidise many components in grape must and final wine and is relatively resistant to SO2. Chilling, high doses of SO2 and using inert gases are all options to minimise the oxidation of the must. Sterile filtration must be done before bottling to inhibit refermentation later in the bottle, especially in sweet wines. Noble rot, or Botrytis cinerea, produces very distinctive dried fruit notes such as apricot, honey, ginger, citron peel and orange marmalade.

Strohwein and Schilfwein. Produced from fully ripe grapes with a high sugar content, which are dried on mats of reed (German: “Schilf”) or straw (German: “Stroh”), or hung up to dry, for at least three months prior pressing. Water evaporation and berry concentration occur in dry, well-ventilated rooms or outdoors. When they have reached a minimum must weight of 25-30° KMW, depending on drying time, the grapes are vinified as in the previous category but will not have any evident botrytis influence. The wines obtained with this methods will be dominated by notes of very ripe, raisined and dried fruit.

Eiswine. These wines are often fermented and stored in stainless steel to retain the primary aromas and flavours of the grape variety. Oak maturation is occasionally used to add some extra flavours (vanilla, clove, etc.). Like other wines the yields are very low. All of these factors mean these wines command premium or super premium prices. These wines are dominated by primary aromas and flavours, therefore with strong impact of single grape variety.

A similar effect can be created by picking grapes in the autumn (at the same time as those for dry wines) and then freezing them at a winery. This method is called cryoextraction and can be used by winemakers in regions or circumstances that would not get the typical climatic conditions required for Eiswein. These wines cannot be labelled Eiswein in the same way as Canadian Icewine and show much less complexity than those made from frozen grapes.

DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus)

The use of term DAC on the label indicates a Qualitätswein, which expresses the typicity of the wine-growing region and refers to the geographical area. The additional designation “Reserve” indicates a wine style with longer ageing potential. Qualitätswein and DAC wine may be made from a single vineyard, and the term “Ried” (single vineyard) will appear on the label before the name of the vineyard.

Discover more about Wines of Burgenland on the official website: Austrian Wine Burgenland

Sparkling Life focuses on food and wine excellence, trying to spread its culture and lifestyle.

Discover here the list of the Top 10+1 professional online wine courses: Online Wine Courses