PUBLIKATIONEN ÖSTERREICH

Liebe Leserin, lieber Leser,

willkommen zu Ihrem E-Reader des Falstaff Magazins! Ihre persönlichen Zugangsdaten haben Sie per Post bekommen. Klicken Sie bitte oben rechts auf "LOGIN" und geben Sie Ihren Usernamen und Ihr Passwort dort ein.

Anschließend wählen Sie bitte unterhalb der aktuellen Ausgabe aus den Reitern Ihre Sammlung, für die Sie ein Abo besitzen. Darin finden Sie die Ausgabe, die Sie lesen möchten.

Wenn Sie ein gültiges Abo für die gewählte Ausgabe besitzen, können Sie im E-Reader das vollständige Magazin lesen. Haben Sie für eine Ausgabe kein gültiges Abo, werden die Seiten ab Seite 20 nur verschwommen dargestellt.

Viel Spaß beim Genuss Ihrer digitalen Falstaff-Ausgabe!

Ihr Falstaff Team

falstaff.magazin

Aufrufe

vor 1 Jahr

Flag

The Ultimate Austrian Wineguide 2023/24

Parndorfer Platte at

Parndorfer Platte at Lake Neusiedl VINTAGE 2022: A VERY GOOD VINTAGE IN ALL RESPECTS At the end of the harvest, there was a very positive resonance from all regions. Both white and red wines were of above average quality in good quantities. Although the acidity of many whites is slightly below that of the great 2021 vintage, the wines still show good balance and freshness. T he 2022 vintage was a challenge for Austrian winemakers due to the unusual weather conditions. At first it seemed to be a year of severe drought, were it not for sporadic rainfall - not always at the most opportune times. However, with much dedication and meticulous work, the winemakers were ultimately able to produce ripe, balanced white wines with fine fruit. The reds are outstanding, with power, structure and velvety tannins. Depending on the grape variety, microclimate and soil composition, the 2022 vintage was slightly more varied than the 2021 vintage. Overall, however, the wines show great maturity, fine fruit and harmonious acidity. At 2.5 million hectolitres, the 2022 harvest is slightly above the long-term average. THE WINE WEATHER IN 2022 First, let’s review the year’s climatic conditions: After an extremely mild winter with 12 falstaff WINE GUIDE 2023/24

VINTAGE 2022 very little rainfall, vegetation development was initially very similar to that of 2021. The vines did not bud until the end of April, which was relatively late. However, the danger of the dreaded late frosts was averted. On the other hand, after a long period of drought, the vines flowered quite early in warm weather, although, in most areas, this was accompanied or influenced by rainfall at this vulnerable time. Winegrowers in these regions have had their hands full with the threat of fungal infection, particularly peronospora (downy mildew). In addition, there was a natural thinning out of the crop due to the regional occurrence of coulure. The summer months were then characterised by numerous hot days and, above all, extreme drought, the likes of which had hardly ever been experienced before. Naturally, young plants and vines on poor soils that survive without irrigation suffered most from these conditions. Fortunately, there were no severe hailstorms or widespread heavy rainfall. However, the tide turned before the main harvest, which began around 20 August. There was rain, quite heavy in some areas, followed by two more spells of rain before the main harvest - usually a rather unfavourable date for rain, but this time it was welcomed in most wine-growing areas. While the must weight had been relatively modest before, the timely rains triggered a real ripening surge. At the beginning of September, gradations were suddenly recorded, as in the excellent 2019 vintage. The acidity was lower than in the previous two years, but on a par with the 2017 and 2012 vintages, which were also excellent. All the conditions were in place for another remarkable vintage. However, the unexpected rainfall required rapid action in the vineyards to prevent the risk of rot and botrytis. One consequence of these weather conditions was the almost simultaneous ripening of most grape varieties, which also required rapid action. As a result, in many wine regions the harvest was completed in record time by the end of September. Of course, this was only the case for some regions and varieties. Riesling, for example, was given the extra ripening time it needed in its growing areas north of the Danube, but at the expense of volume. Finally, even in the sweet wine strongholds along Lake Neusiedl, beautiful botrytis was able to develop, allowing for top quality Prädikat wines. There were also a few frosty nights before Christmas, allowing the harvest of the coveted ice wines. VARIETAL WHITES, GOOD ACIDITY In general, mature white wines with fine fruit aromas and slightly lower acidity than the previous two years are to be expected. Powerful single vineyard or reserve wines were also easily achieved. Distinct varietal expression can be seen in the leading variety, Grüner Veltliner, as well as in the surprisingly racy Rieslings and the Pinot varieties, which benefited from the prevailing conditions. The acidity is slightly lower, without affecting the balance of the wines. The aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller and Traminer are also very promising. The same goes for regional varieties such as Roter Veltliner from Wagram and Rotgipfler and Zierfandler from the Thermenregion. In addition, a few very cold nights in December made it possible to harvest the rare Eiswein. The Viennese vineyards of Nussberg, Grinzing, Neustift, Bisamberg and Mauer also achieved optimum sugar ripeness with lower acidity levels. After an unusually dry spell, the long-awaited showers arrived, aiding the ripening process and bringing the harvest forward from last year to early October. The result is round and balanced Wiener Gemischter Satz wines, as well as well-balanced, fruit driven Rieslings that can be enjoyed a little earlier than in previous years. DENSE, STRUCTURED RED In Conditions were very dry, especially in the wine producing areas along Lake Neusiedl. There was no late frost or hail damage and the grapes were very healthy with excel- 13