Jun 22, 2020
Carnuntum is a small wine region in Austria with only 2% of the
wine growing area, but it packs a punch in quality. A short drive
from Vienna, Carnuntum is an old Roman hub, with a rich history and
its wine is only just making an impact on the international wine
scene. Christina Netzl, from Weingut Netzl joins – a producer who is largely responsible
for putting this region on the map and making its red wines,
especially of Zweigelt, so well-known and respected.

Here are the show notes:
- We discuss the location of Carnuntum, its storied Roman
history, and its unique position in Austria as an extremely
high-quality wine region.

- Christina gives us an idea of what the terroir is
like in Carnuntum, the challenges with a windy climate, and the
positive effects of the Danube, Lake Neusiedl, and the Pannonian
Plain (which was once an old seabed!) on the climate and weather in
the region.
- We learn about the differences between the reds of Burgenland
to the south, and the small Carnuntum region: the reds in Carnuntum
are acidic, fresh, with bright fruit and ample spice. The wines are
never overshadowed by the use of oak, which is used to support
flavors, not to get “in front of the fruit” (I loved this
phrase!).
Christina tells us about the very long, drawn out process of
getting a Districtus Austriae Controllus (DAC) designation for
Carnuntum.
- We learn how very collaborative Carnuntum is – all winemakers
had to agree to the standards of the DAC before it was finalized
(very unusual!)
- We discuss Carnuntum’s own classification system. Here are the
German names:
- Gebietswein (regional wine)
- Ortswein (village wine)
- Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine)
- When wines can’t be classified as Carnuntum, they’re designated
“Niederösterreich” which is sort of like Vins de Pays d’Oc (like
from all of the Languedoc, for example) in France. The wines can
come from a very large area all over the northeastern part of
Austria. For smaller producers, it’s usually from their individual
area, but the wine doesn’t qualify for the stricter DAC
regulation.
- Christina explains "Rubin Carnuntum”, a Zweigelt made in a
certain style by a small group of producers (each has one under her
own label – e.g., Netzl Rubin Carnuntum)

- We discuss the name Zweigelt, and the link to its
creator, an enthusiastic member of the Nazi party.
Christina tells us about the importance of Netzl working the land organically, how she is
thrilled when she travels that people even know Austria makes wine,
and the challenges she has had both as a woman, a young person, and
a daughter taking over a family business.
A really fascinating look at an up and coming, (yet old and
well-established) region!
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