Lower Austria/Niederösterreich

This wine-growing area has a total vineyard area of 892 hectares, divided up among 745 grape producers; it is one of eight wine-growing regions in the federal state of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich). In 1993, the districts of Donauland (known as Wagram since the 2008 vintage) and Carnuntum, which up to then had been considered to be a single wine-growing region, were separated, and both are now independent regions. First the Celts and later the Romans grew grapes and produced wines in this region. Around the middle of the first century AD, the previous Celtic kingdom of Noricum became a Roman province. The Romans established a camp for a legion of soldiers as well as a civilian city with an amphitheatre close to the current town of Petronell – close to the spot at which the amber route crossed the Danube river. In around 100 AD this town had a population of around 40.000 inhabitants. The border with the Germany regions was defined by the Limes wall. Extensive diggings and excavations took place here in the 20th century, and today the region is one of the most important archaeological regions in Central Europe. Outside the town, a triumphal arch formerly 20 metres high serves as a reminder of the imperial conference held here in 308. Carnuntum was destroyed by the Germanic tribes around 400 AD. The hilly landscape stretches along the southern banks of the Danube river, to the east of Vienna and right up to the border with the Slovakian Republic. The vineyards lie along the outer reaches of the line of thermal springs in the region, and also benefit from the influence of the Danube and of Lake Neusiedl, both of which help to moderate temperature swings. The so-called Pannonian influence is clearly noticeable here, it provides high average temperatures in summer, as well as above-average ripeness in the grapes. Sand, loess, clay and gravel soils are to be found, mostly as a result of alluvial deposits from the Danube.

Geologically speaking, the region is part of the Vienna basin. The vineyards are widely spread, but there are two major concentrations. The sun-drenched south-facing slopes of the Spitzerberg hill near Prellenkirchen are a small island of red wine production. The second larger area is located around the villages of Göttlesbrunn, Arbesthal and Höflein. Excellent red wines are produced in both areas. Other wine-growing communes include Bruck an der Leitha, Hainburg and Stixneusiedl. Well-known vineyard sites include Altenberg, Bärnreiser (Bärenreiser), Birnzipf, Bühl (with sub-sites Aubühl, Kirchbühl), Geizbillen, Gsetzen, Hagelsberg (with sub-site Bilderspitz), Haidacker, Kräften, Neuberg, Rosenberg, Scheibner, Schüttenberg and Stuhlwerker. Well-known producers include Hannes Artner, Böheim, Edelmann, Glatzer, Grassl, Lager Ernst, Gerhard Markowitsch, Lukas Markowitsch, Nepomukhof, Franz Netzl, Oppelmayer, Stefan Ott, Payr, Pelzmann, Pimpel, Pitnauer, Schenzel-Wallner, Franz Taferner, Trapl and Zwickelstorfer. The grape varieties planted, correct as per 2000:
Variety Synonyms, variants Colour Hectares %-share
Veltliner Grüner Veltliner, Weißgipfler White 322 36,1
Zweigelt Blauer Zweigelt, Rotburger Red 118 13,2
Blaufränkisch Blauer Limberger, Limberger Red 70 7,8
Gemischter Satz Vineyard blend White 54 6,1
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc Feinburgunder
Weißburgunder, Klevner White 50 5,6
Blauburger - Red 34 3,8
Blauer Portugieser Portugieser Red 27 3,0
Müller-Thurgau Rivaner, Riesling x Sylvaner White 26 2,9
Gemischter Satz = vineyard blend Red 20 2,2
Riesling Rheinriesling, Weißer Riesling White 20 2,2
Cabernet Sauvignon - Red 14 1,6
St. Laurent - Red 11 1,2
Neuburger - White 8 0,9
Merlot - Red 7 0,8
Pinot Noir Blauburgunder, Blauer Spätburgunder Red 6 0,7
Goldburger - White 5 0,6
Sauvignon Blanc Muskat-Sylvaner White 4 0,4
Muskat-Ottonel Feinschmeckerter White 4 0,4
Scheurebe Sämling 88 White 3 0,3
Frühroter Veltliner Frühroter, Malvasier White 3 0,3
Traminer Roter Traminer,Gewürztraminer White 2,5 0,3
Roter Veltliner - White 1,7 0,2
Muskateller Gelber Muskateller White 1,2 0,1
Bouvier - White 0,8 0,1
Rotgipfler Rotreifler White 0,7 0,1
Cabernet Franc - Red 0,6 0,1
Pinot Gris Grauburgunder,Ruländer White 0,6 0,1
Silvaner Sylvaner, Grüner Sylvaner White 0,3 -
White varieties 585 65,6
Red varieties 307 34,4
TOTAL 892 100