Styria joins Austrian DAC system

The southern Austrian wine region of Steiermark (Styria) will introduce the DAC system to its three growing regions from the 2018 vintage onwards.

Announced on Monday this week, Steiermark will henceforth have three new Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DACs) – a classification system roughly analogous with AOC/DOC elsewhere in Europe – bringing the total in the country to 13.

Corresponding to the three current vinegrowing sub-regions of Steiermark, the new DACs are: Südsteiermark, Vulkanland and Weststeiermark.

As with other Austrian DAC, the three new Steiermark DAC will be sub-divided into three classifications: ‘Regional Wine’ which is the most basic expression of the region; ‘Ortswein’ which is wine produced from certain villages (see below) and ‘Riedenwein’ which are single vineyard expressions.

A wide number of grape varieties will be allowed across the DACs, namely: Welschriesling, Weissburgunder, Morillon, Grauburgunder, Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer and Schilcher and blends of these varieties.

Willi Klinger, managing director of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, said: ‘The Steiermark has long taken its time over the decision to create a new system of origin for wine, and this is a good thing! Because over the course of innumerable discussions and meetings – also arguments – they have managed to arrive at a functionally outstanding result, one that is advantageous to all parties.

“I would like to thank all of those who collaborated in the process, and who have placed the common good over individual interests, especially also the younger generation of estate owners, who have brought a new dynamic to the negotiations in the past year.

“With these three regions of the Steiermark, the number of DACs in Austria has grown to 13. I am optimistic now, that with this momentum built up we can bring the four remaining specified winegrowing regions under the DAC umbrella by the year 2020 at the latest’.

Ortswein

Südsteiermark DAC: Kitzeck-Sausal, Eichberg, Leutschach, Gamlitz, Ehrenhausen
Vulkanland Steiermark DAC: Oststeiermark, Riegersburg, Kapfenstein, St Anna, Tieschen, Klöch, Straden, Sankt Peter
Weststeiermark DAC: Ligist, Stainz, Deutschlandsberg, Eibiswald