2022 Wachau and Lower Austria: An Overshadowed Vintage Worth Exploring

BY ANNE KREBIEHL MW |&nbsp;FEBRUARY 01, 2024The first thing to state about Austria,
emphatically so, is that its weather patterns are quite different from those of
the more Atlantic-influenced classic and key regions in the rest of Europe, where,
though things differ dramatically at a local level, a general tenor does
nonetheless apply across the board. Not so in Austria. Its wine regions are tucked
away in the deeply continental east of the country, behind the Alps. Cooling
Alpine influences of a formerly marginal climate (just north of 48° latitude)
meet the warming influences of the Pannonian Plain in Hungary. That said, 2022
was marked by a very dry summer.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706713404978-Winter+sunset+in+the+Wachau_copy.jpg">Winter sunset in the Wachau. 2022: A Year with Challenges Across Lower Austria, a relatively late budburst
in late April, following a mild and dry winter, meant there was no danger of
being caught in spring frost. But things were not smooth sailing. Here is Heinz
Frischengruber, of Domäne Wachau in Dürnstein:
“Flowering in June took time because it was cool and rainy. It was round-the-clock
in the vineyards,” he notes, regarding the necessity of dealing with fungal
disease pressure. “In high summer, unusual heat lasted until mid-August, by
which time we had started performing rain dances.” The rain duly arrived from
late August onwards. “Rain and cool weather took over and lasted until late
September. Ripening and maturation were slow in a rather cool September, and we
started harvesting on 20 September. The selection effort was immense. In
October, an Indian summer with a spell of dry weather helped.” Their harvest
concluded on 8 November. Frischengruber notes that there was a big difference
between the flat sites closer to the Danube, subject to more disease pressure,
and the elevated vineyards. His take on 2022 is that “it was difficult for the
early-harvested wines.” Frischengruber casts some doubt about the longevity of
the early harvested wines, but since most Smaragds were harvested late, no such
doubt exists for them.Refreshing Honesty and Modesty While Frischengruber above speaks for the
Wachau, what he reports also applies to Kremstal. Michael Malat, of the
eponymous estate in Furth-Palt, on the right bank of the Danube, says that an
“extremely selective harvest was needed.” But he is also clear that, while rain
punctuated harvest, getting rain into the soil was a matter of survival for the
vines after the dry stress of the summer. In Traisental, south of the Danube,
in this slightly cooler and wetter region, Markus Huber says, “2022 was not
late, but rather late-ripening, which I see as positive because it gives the
wines lightness and freshness.” Likewise, Fred Loimer in Kamptal, where there
was, in fact, more precipitation than average and “great water availability,”
noted disease pressure at harvest. He says, “2022 is, by and large, a touch lighter, a touch less
concentrated than 2021, slightly softer.” Andreas Wickhoff MW, of
Weingut Bründlmayer in
Langenlois, Kamptal is up-front when he says, “We hoped for more ripeness,
especially in Grüner Veltliner.” Michael
Moosbrugger, also in Langenlois, praises the “wonderful Indian summer. In
Wagram, Anton Bauer notes that there was dryness in summer, which for him meant
“more concentrated wines
with slightly lower acidity.”<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706713442585-Urban+Stag%C3%A5rd+with+his+arm+in+a+cast+during+our+tasting+of+his+hair-raising+Rieslings_copy.jpg">Urban Stagård with his arm in a cast during our tasting of his hair-raising Rieslings. Stylistic Preferences Back in the Wachau, however, stylistic
preferences also come into play when it comes down to assessing a vintage. Franz
Hirtzberger in Spitz says, “For me, 2022 was an interesting year because it was
so different from 2021. Two thousand twenty-two was a hot year with a cool
harvest, while 2021 was a cool year with a warm harvest. In 2022, we had rain
in late August and early September, so disease pressure was on, and harvest meant
much selection. We had to work hard.” To ensure the late harvest, which is
customary at the estate, Hirtzberger says that three weeks were spent
mitigating damage, which meant that any diseased or non-promising fruit was cut
off so as to enable the remaining fruit to ripen. This effort paid off, as the
late part of the harvest, concluding on 12 November, could be performed
swiftly. Leo Alzinger, of Weingut Alzinger in Dürnstein, on the other hand, noted
about 2022: “As of mid-August, it was relatively cool. Harvesting took its time,
but we could pick fruit with good physiological ripeness, relatively moderate
sugars and great acidity.” I can confirm that 2022 suited the Alzinger style
and their more restrained approach. Rudi Pichler in Wösendorf sums it up: “The 2022
wines are just a little more moderate in alcohol.”Rules, Regulations and Differences of Opinion The other discussion point, apart from
vintage quality, is the changing legal framework within Austria. Over the past
two decades, starting with the introduction of the first DAC, or Districtus
Austriae Controllatus, for the Weinviertel with the 2002 vintage, Austria has
gradually moved from a German-inspired ripeness-based wine law to a
provenance-based wine law that seeks to define “regionally typical wines.” This
includes defining grape varieties typical for a region. As an example of this,
a Grüner Veltliner made according to DAC
standards in the Weinviertel can be labeled Weinviertel DAC, whereas a Zweigelt
or Riesling made to the same standards will have to be labeled Niederösterreich
because the Weinviertel DAC was created only for the regionally-typical Grüner Veltliner. Each DAC has its typical grapes—sometimes just one,
sometimes several, as in the Thermenregion, for instance. Another layer of the
DAC system is that regions can distinguish between Gebietswein, i.e. regional
wine, Ortswein, i.e. village wine, and Riedenwein, i.e. wine from a single
vineyard. While a private classification of single sites has been underway for
years now by the association of the Österreichische
Traditionsweingüter, or ÖTW (founded in 1991), in August 2023 the possibility of country-wide
site classification was enshrined in a new federal law. While this process of
delineating and classifying sites will take time, it will inevitably also lead
to the kind of conflicts we know from around the globe. The ÖTW, however, under its chairman, Michael Moosbrugger of Schloss
Gobelsburg, must be commended for its well-thought-through approach. The best
example of this is that all eligible sites are initially classified as Erste
Lage, i.e. Premier Cru, rather than Grosse Lage or Grand Cru. The new
federal law is linked to the DAC regulations, and the overall and long-term aim
is, no doubt, to prove to the world that Austria takes its vineyards, wine
culture and wine quality seriously. So far, so good. Wine is a complex subject,
so when pushing it into a legal framework that is supposed to accommodate
numerous philosophies, a certain amount of shoehorning is inevitable.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706713468958-Lucas+Pichler+of+F.X.+Pichler+with+his+bottle+of+Unendlich_copy.jpg">Lucas Pichler of F.X. Pichler with his bottle of Unendlich. What Is Relevant? Reporting on legal minutiae can be tricky –
is it really interesting to a consumer whether the wine label says Kamptal or
Kamptal DAC when the wine is good? Is there not a thriving scene of creative
and imaginative winemaking that turns its back completely on all of this and
simply labels slightly cloudy, skin-fermented wine as Wein aus Österreich? And in the early 21st century, is it really
still contemporary to make “quality” contingent upon the clarity of the liquid?
Perhaps we are right in the middle of another slow cataclysm, spurred on by
climate change and evolving consumer behavior in ever-more-competitive global
markets. These are big philosophical questions, and I know several winemakers
are grappling with these ideas. So where do I stand?

Two thousand twenty-three was also the
year in which one of Austria’s most venerable and longstanding winery
associations, Vinea Wachau, celebrated its 40th anniversary. What Vinea
Wachau achieved for Austria is immense. They also created a hierarchy of
ripeness—Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd—and made it easy for consumers to
identify, always a winning move. This framework was created at a time when it
was still difficult to ripen grapes. Oh, how the world has changed. As of the
2020 vintage, Wachau has also adopted the DAC system, and the Vinea Wachau
members can still label their wines within their 40-year-old hierarchy. Should
I now lose myself in reporting these changes and squabbles? As I was traveling,
news broke of the Gritsch winery leaving the Vinea Wachau association, like
F.X. Pichler did, citing that the Vinea Wachau hierarchy was “no longer
contemporary.” The day before, I had discussed the challenges of the Vinea
Wachau ripeness scale with the association’s chairman, Emmerich Knoll, addressing
this idea that “ripest”, as in Smaragd, is no longer necessarily “best.” He had
a thoughtful answer:<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706713557149-Leo+Alzinger+with+his+latest+collection_copy.jpg">Leo Alzinger with his latest collection. 

“We are still caught within that scheme of
Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd, but all the world just reduces this to
alcohol,” he said. “We have a different situation today, but when Vinea Wachau
was created, we said that Samaragd was ‘the best’ because it was so hard to achieve.
These days are over, because achieving this alcohol level today is no longer difficult.
Yet it is not a completely obsolete system because it enables people to choose
a lighter wine if they want.” Since Vinea Wachau has upper limits for the
Federspiel and Steinfeder categories, 11.5% and 12.5% alcohol, respectively, he
has a point. “Buying a Steinfeder means that you will have a wine that is lighter.
Why should we give this up?” Knoll wishes for a “peaceful coexistence” of
regulatory frameworks, and I can only agree. Does it matter that F.X. Pichler’s
stunning Unendlich wines lack the term Smaragd, while others still carry it, with
many 2022 Smaragds hovering around the 13 to 13.5% mark? I decided to let the
wine in the glass speak. We are living through immense change, and there will
be a lot more to grapple with besides labeling. Good wine can only be a good
thing in these circumstances.

What is needed most is awareness. During my
visit to Jamek, I spotted an old, empty bottle of Stein am Rain Steinfeder Grüner Veltliner from 1985. The label proudly stated holzfassgelagert,
i.e. matured in wood, and the back label noted that Steinfeder wines, named
after the local wispy grass Stipa pennata, were “duftig, zart und leicht”,
or scented, tender and light. The back label also gave analytics: 10.4% ABV,
with 7.1g/L of acidity and 1.6g/L of residual sweetness. This tells us all we
need to know about climate change, and it tells us even more about winemakers
trying their hardest to bottle a wine that honestly expresses its place and the
culture from which it stems. So, in a way, everything has changed, and nothing
has.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1706713498280-A+wintery+idyll+in+the+terraced+vineyards+of+Kremstal_copy.jpg">A wintery idyll in the terraced vineyards of Kremstal. The Verdict When tasting 2022 and 2021 side by side, it
is evident that 2021 stands out. When tasting 2022 in isolation or simply on
its own merit, my observation is that the 2022 vintage is in line with global
trends. Blockbusters are no longer called for in this world. Even since I last
tasted Austria comprehensively back in 2020, a move toward more moderate
alcohol levels is evident, whether helped along by the vintage or not. When
speaking of a general standard, the entry-level quality in Austria remains
incredibly high. While I tasted many wines during my visits to Austria in
November 2023 (along with a few latecomers back home in London) it was a
pleasure to behold the immense stylistic spectrum in both Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Lovers of both varieties will find
gratification, whether they are after crystalline, hair-raising stuff, or more
emollient wines. I was also reminded that, while rare, Pinot Noir can excel in
Lower Austria. Austria simply delivers.© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2022-rheingau-pfalz-and-mittelrhein-before-during-and-after-the-rain-dec-2023">2022 Rheingau, Pfalz and Mittelrhein: Before, During and After the Rain</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, December 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2022-mosel-saar-ruwer-old-vines-and-steep-challenges-oct-2023">2022 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: Old Vines and Steep Challenges</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, October 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2022-rheinhessen-nahe-rain-in-the-nick-of-time-sep-2023">2022 Rheinhessen &amp; Nahe: Rain in the Nick of Time</a>, Anne Krebiehl MW, September 2023

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