Austria's southernmost wine-growing region, Styria, has exactly 5,096 ha of vineyard area according to the current vineyard area register of the wine cadastre (as of 2020). Compared to 2016, 278 ha more vines were planted. That is an increase of six percent. Sauvignon Blanc is the most cultivated grape variety there, with 902 ha and a 17.7 percent share. The area of the variety has grown by 194 ha since 2016.
More than 80 percent of Styrian areas, in absolute figures 4,102 ha, are planted with the nine varieties from the DAC origin system Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Weißburgunder, Schilcher, Gelber Muskateller, Morillon/Chardonnay, Grauburgunder, Traminer and Riesling. This results in an increase of more than 8 percentage points since 2016.
The Styrian DAC areas Südsteiermark DAC, Vulkanland DAC and Weststeiermark DAC were the first areas in Austria to make hand harvesting of grapes mandatory. More than half of the vineyard area is mountain viticulture with slopes of sometimes extreme inclination.
(al / Photo: Wein Steiermark - Flora P.)