For some time, PIWI varieties like Souvignier Gris, Muscaris or Blütenmuskateller were considered exotic. However, they have increasingly become an attractive alternative to well-known classic vines.
Due to their resistance or partial resistance to certain fungal diseases, plant protection measures can be reduced by up to 70 percent, which also means significantly fewer treatments in the vineyards and lower CO 2 emissions. These factors make them a crucial part of the environmentally-conscious viticulture for which Austria is increasingly famous. With approximately 24 percent of its total area under vines now certified as organic, the country ranks among the global leaders in organic wine production.
In Austria, particularly in the Styria and Lower Austria regions, many winegrowers have blazed innovative trails in cultivating these new varieties.
Pioneers in Pioneering Wines
Winegrowers in Styria and Lower Austria began cultivating PIWI grape varieties as early as the 2000s. Especially in areas with periodic heavy rainfall and steep or small-scale vineyards, PIWIs have proven to be ideal. Today, the pioneers of this movement possess a significant advantage in experience and knowledge both in viticulture and vinification. They frequently share their expertise and are in close contact with each other, passing on their experiences to colleagues looking to plant PIWIs for the first time.
The market for PIWI wines has also expanded. While these wines were once primarily sold directly from cellar doors or through small wine stores and organic specialty shops, this has now changed significantly. It has become clear that these wines can be just as sophisticated and age-worthy as those vinified from traditional grape varieties. Austrian estates are also finding success in exporting PIWI wines, with the country’s strong environmental consciousness playing a significant role.
Newly Classified
Souvignier Gris, Muscaris Blütenmuskateller, Donauveltliner and Donauriesling – along with the red varieties Roesler and Rathay, which were bred at the Teaching and Research Centre for Viticulture and Pomology in Klosterneuburg – are classified as Qualitätswein – quality - grape varieties. These wines with EU-protected designation of origin can always be recognized by the red-white-red capsule tops and the official quality wine control number on the label.
Additionally, other PIWIs such as Cabernet Blanc Johanniter, are authorised for production of ‘wine without protected designation of origin or geographical indication.’ Currently, some 900 hectares in Austria are planted with PIWI varieties, and this figure is growing. Initial scepticism is gradually giving way to greater open-mindedness, and those growers who believed in these varieties early-on are now showcasing multiple PIWI vintages. Looking forward into the future indicates that embracing new ideas can pay handsomely, and that there will continue to be many delicious wines to enjoy.
To delve deeper into the subject, visit austrianvineyards.com.
