Lower Austria/Niederösterreich

The federal state of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) has a total vineyard area of 30.004 hectares, split among 18.038 grape growers. Lower Austria also represents a wine-growing region that is divided into 8 geographically distinct wine-growing regions. Together with the federal state of Burgenland it makes up the largest wine-growing region in Austria, known as Weinland Österreich. Even before the soldiers of emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus (232–282) brought wine presses to the Danube, the original inhabitants of this region were making the so-called Marcoman wine. Viticulture was strongly influenced by the capital of Vienna. However, other strong influences were the Augustine abbey of Klosterneuburg (1114), as well as the two Benedictine abbies Göttweig in the Krems valley (1072) and Melk in the Wachau region (976). These were centres of spiritual and cultural life, and are even today centres of great wine culture. Another strong influence came from what is today the Dinstlgut estate in Loiben (Wachau), the origins of which go back to the 9th century. The aristocratic Liechtenstein family was founded in the 13th century. The family acquired large tracts of vineyard land, and introduced progressive viticultural methods. For instance, a cellar regulation was issued in 1636, which, among other things, precisely regulated the „preparation of sulphur“ in the wine cellar. The Hofkellerei Stiftung Fürst Liechtenstein estate exists to this day. The wine-growing regions are:

* Carnuntum: 892 ha
* Wagram: 2.732 ha
* Kamptal: 3.869 ha
* Kremstal: 2.176 ha
* Thermenregion: 2.332 ha
* Traisental: 683 ha
* Wachau: 1.390 ha
* Weinviertel: 15.892 ha

The wine estates in each region are listed under the eight respective wine-growing regions. Well-known producers’ associations are: Falkensteiner Berggericht, Kamptal Klassik, Mailberg Valley, Premium-Weingüter Weinviertel, Thermenwinzer, Traditionsweingüter Österreich, Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus, Vinovative, Wagramer Selektion, Weingüter Retzer Land and Weingüter Wagram. Lower Austria supplies more than 60% of the total Austrian wine production. There is a wide variety of different wine styles as a result of very different climatic conditions (atlantic, continental) as well as of different types of soil (gravel, sand, loess, clay and bedrock). By far the largest wine-growing region is the Weinviertel, which includes more than half the vineyard area, and which is therefore divided into three large districts (see there). Lower Austria produces mainly white wines, they account for around 80% of the total production. The most widely planted variety, accounting for half the total vineyard area, is Grüner Veltliner, which is the base for the first wine to be classified as DAC, produced since 2002. Grape varieties planted (status 2001) are:
Variety Synonyms, variants Colour Hectares % share
Veltliner Grüner Veltliner, Weißgipfler White 14.801 49,3
Blauer Portugieser Portugieser Red 2.304 7,7
Zweigelt Blauer Zweigelt, Rotburger Red 2.135 7,1
Müller-Thurgau Rivaner White 2.133 7,1
Welschriesling - White 1.682 5,6
Riesling Rheinriesling, Weißer Riesling White 1.326 4,4
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc Feinburgunder
Weißburgunder, Klevner White 1.251 4,2
Gemischter Satz Vineyard blend White 868 2,9
Blauburger - White 687 2,3
Neuburger - White 632 2,3
Frühroter Veltliner Frühroter, Malvasier White 559 1,9
Gemischter Satz Vineyard blend Red 296 1,0
Roter Veltliner - White 253 0,8
St. Laurent - Red 218 0,7
Pinot Noir Blauburgunder, Blauer Spätburgunder Red 210 0,7
Blaufränkisch Blauer Limberger, Limberger Red 125 0,4
Rotgipfler Rotreifler White 113 0,4
Cabernet Sauvignon - Red 108 0,4
Traminer Roter Traminer, Gewürztraminer White 98 0,3
Zierfandler Spätrot, Gumpoldskirchner White 96 0,3
Muskat-Ottonel Feinschmeckerter White 90 0,3
Sauvignon Blanc Muskat-Sylvaner White 74 0,2
Merlot - Red 62 0,2
Scheurebe Sämling 88 White 60 0,2
Pinot Gris Grauburgunder, Ruländer White 46 0,2
Goldburger - White 45 0,2
Muskateller Gelber Muskateller, Roter Muskateller White 42 0,2
Silvaner Sylvaner, Grüner Sylvaner White 34 0,1
Cabernet Franc - Red 9 -
Blauer Wildbacher Schilcher Red 0,2 -
White varieties 23.943 79,8
Red varieties 6.061 20,2
TOTAL 30.004 100