Wiener Gemischte Satz gets DAC status

Wiener Gemischter Satz, the traditional wine style from the city of Vienna, has been awarded DAC status.

Picture: © AWMB / Gerhard Elze

Wiener Gemischte Satz is the Austria’s ninth DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) but it is the first time a wine style – rather than a geographical region – has been given the status.

The new classification recognises the tradition of growing different grape varieties side-by-side in the vineyard, which has been revived over the past decade by local producers under the WienWein banner.

Originally designed to protect yields and minimise the risk of a poor harvest, the practice eventually resulted in ‘a unique aroma and flavour profile’, according to the Austrian Wine Marketing Board.

Vineyards in the DAC have to include at least three quality white grape varieties, planted together, and must be listed as Wiener Gemischter Satz in the vineyard land registry.

For the wines, the first of which will be released from the 2013 harvest, the first grape variety must constitute no more than 50% of the blend, and the third at least 10%.

The wine must be dry, no more than 12.5% abv and should not have a ‘strongly recognisable expression’ of wood.

Single vineyard wines made under the DAC must be at least 12.5% abv, do not have to be dry and cannot be released until 1 March in the year after harvest.

‘With the Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC, we’ve achieved a milestone in the consistent, years-long quality policy for wine growing in Vienna,’ said Herbert Schilling, head of Vienna’s Regional Wine Committee.

‘The new regulations sharpen the origin profile of Wiener Gemischter Satz and, at the same time, reflect Vienna’s diversity in the glass.’

All other Viennese quality wines can continue to be marketed as Wiener Wein.

Written by Richard Woodard