Wine Growing Region

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NEUSIEDLERSEE
The Diversity of Zweigelt – Strong Wines. Great Names.

Weinbaugebiet Neusiedlersee - Lerchenfeld Pamhagen (c) Isabella Andert

The Neusiedlersee wine-growing region is situated on the eastern shores of the large, shallow steppe lake, the Neusiedlersee or Lake Neusiedl. The designated vineyard area stretches from the wine town of Gols in the north, through the flat terrains of the Heideboden and down to the Seewinkel, adjacent to the Hungarian border. A wide variety of grapes flourish on its 7,649 hectares. Since March 2012, the new Neusiedlersee DAC stands for fruity and harmonious red wines made from the Zweigelt variety and that reflect the region’s climate and soil. The wines also are available with the additional designation of “Reserve” either as a pure Zweigelt or as a Zweigelt-dominated cuvée blend. The Neusiedlersee DAC region includes the political district of Neusiedl am See, except for the communities of Winden and Jois.

The white wines with the Burgenland designation of origin, reflect their beautiful body and balance when they come to the market as Qualitätswein (quality wine). The new generation of dynamic winemakers of this region are successful above all with powerful red wines, and the distinctive micro-climate in the Seewinkel brings with impressive frequency some of the greatest noble sweet wines of the world.

Weinbaugebiet Neusiedlersee - Weizenfeld in Pamhagen (c) Isabella Andert

These vines, planted in vast, enclosed vineyards flourish on long hours of sunshine. A drawn out growing period is encouraged by the influence of the Pannonian climate, of hot, dry summers and cold winters, as well as the moderating effects of the large surface area of water from the vast Neusiedlersee (Lake Neusiedl) and the countless, shallow, salt lakes found scattered inbetween many of the vineyards. Regular autumn fog and high humidity therefore provide the ideal conditions for the benevolent form of noble rot (botrytis cinerea), the basis of high quality dessert wines, such as Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, especially made from the white wine variety Welschriesling. These sweet specialities have undoubtedly contributed to the international recognition of Seewinkel, despite the region being much younger than other, more traditional Austian wine-growing regions. The diversity in soils, from loess and loam to gravel and sandy sediment, provides the conditions for a wide range of varieties to flourish.

Alongside Welschriesling, the region’s leading white variety, a wealth of white wines are produced from Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and aromatic varieties. The favourite red variety is Blauer Zweigelt, followed by Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent and Pinot Noir, as well as a choice of more recently planted international grape varieties. The red wines from Neusiedlersee are clearly on the right road to success, and come in a wide variety of styles from unoaked, fruit-driven examples, to those matured in oak, and as a single varietal or as a blend.

Quelle: http://www.austrianwine.com/