Lower Austria/Niederösterreich

Wine-growing region in Austria, it has a total vineyard area of 683 hectares with 706 grape growers. It is one of eight such regions in the federal state of Lower Austria, and is located to the west of Vienna. To the north, it borders on the Danube river, and the southern boundary is marked by the capital of Lower Austria, St. Pölten. This region has a very long viticultural tradition. At a tasting held in 1673, wines from Inzersdorf were rated more highly than those from the Wachau region. In its present shape, the region dates back to 1995, when it was separated from the Donauland wine-growing region (today known as Wagram). The name is derived from the Traisen river, which flows through the region from Herzogenburg in the south to Traismauer in the north, it flows into the Danube at Krems. Finds of grape seeds dating back to the bronze age (2000 BC) as well as a Celtic bronze bucket showing scenes of a drinking party, dated 450 BC provide evidence this is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Austria. The city of Traismauer was an ancient Roman city, and the Limes wall, built as a defence against the Germanic tribes, ran through here. Legend has it that the Nibelungens, on their way to meet king Etzel, were hosted with wine in Traismauer. Dry sandy soils as well as clay and gravel mixtures predominate. The clomate is subject to both continental and pannonian influences, the Danube helps to regulate the temperatures. Traismauer is the largest wine-growing commune, with a vineyard area of around 200 hectares. Some church institutions such as the abbies of Passau and Salzburg owned vineyards in Inzersdorf, which has a total vineyard area of around 75 hectares, as long ago as 1000 AD. Other well-known communes include Ambach, Angern, Getzersdorf, Herzogenburg, Inzersdorf, Nasenberg, Nussdorf, Oberndorf, Oberwölbling, Reichersdorf, Statzendorf and Waldlesberg. The best-known single vineyard sites are Engelreich, Gießgraben, Grillenbühel, Hausberg (first mentioned in 950 AD), Händlgraben, Pletzengraben, Rafasetzen, Wöbling and Zwirch. The third DAC wine to be proclaimed in Austria was introduced in the Traisental region in the autumn of 2006, with two grape varieties permitted. The wines may be sold as either Traisental DAC Grüner Veltliner or Traisental DAC Rheinriesling. They may show no evidence of oak (no maturation in barrique), nor any botrytis notes, and must not be excessively alcoholic in taste. Wines may be sold using the additional designation „Reserve“ if they have a minimum alcohol content of 13% vol. The wines must be dry and must exhibit a "full-bodied style" and an "obvious varietal character“. For these wines, moderate notes of oak and botrytis are permissible. The classic wines may be marketed as from the 1st of January of the year following the vintage, the reserve wines amy be sold as of the 1st of May. Well-known producers include Dockner Gerhard, Hauleitner, Herzinger, Holzer, Huber Markus, Kreimel, Neumayer Ludwig, Pernikl and Schöller. Grape varieties planted (as of 2000):
Grape variety Synonyms, variants Colour Hectares % share
Veltliner Grüner Veltliner, Weißgipfler White 434 63,5
Blauer Portugieser Portugieser Red 42 6,1
Gemischter Satz Vineyard blend White 40 5,9
Müller-Thurgau Rivaner, Riesling x Sylvaner White 34 5,0
Zweigelt Blauer Zweigelt, Rotburger Red 32 4,7
Riesling Rheinriesling, Weißer Riesling White 21 3,1
Neuburger - White 15 2,2
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc Feinburgunder
Weißburgunder, Klevner White 13 1,9
Gemischter Satz Vineyard blend Red 13 1,9
Frühroter Veltliner Frühroter, Malvasier White 12 1,8
Blauburger - Red 5 0,7
Roter Veltliner - White 4,7 0,7
Sauvignon Blanc Muskat-Sylvaner White 3,4 0,5
St. Laurent - Red 2,9 0,4
Silvaner Sylvaner, Grüner Sylvaner White 2,3 0,3
Welschriesling - White 1,9 0,3
Bouvier - White 1,9 0,3
Muskat-Ottonel Feinschmeckerter White 1,8 0,3
Pinot Noir Blauburgunder, Blauer Spätburgunder Red 1,6 0,2
Muskateller Gelber Muskateller, Roter Muskateller White 1,3 0,2
Traminer Roter Traminer, Gewürztraminer White 1,3 0,2
Pinot Gris Grauburgunder, Ruländer White 1,2 0,2
Blaufränkisch Blauer Limberger, Limberger Red 0,7 0,1
Cabernet Sauvignon - Red 0,6 0,1
Merlot - Red 0,2 -
Rotgipfler Rotreifler White 0,2 -
Scheurebe Sämling 88 White 0,2 -
Zierfandler Spätrot, Gumpoldskirchner White 0,1 -
Goldburger - White 0,1 -
Cabernet Franc - Red 0,1 -
White varieties 587 85,9
Red varieties 96 14,1
TOTAL 683 100