by Peter Moser
When Austria`s Weinviertel launched its new wine category, Districtus Austria Controllatus or DAC, and with this a clear regional flavour profile for Grüner Veltliner,
it at once became a major topic at tasting tables around the globe. Now a second Austrian region has created a similar DAC: Mittelburgenland for Blaufränkisch. Beginning in September 2006, wines from the area of Mittelburgenland produced from the local grape variety Blaufränkisch may be sold under the new DAC label. Thus, old labellings such as Qualitätswein, Prädikatswein or the different Spätlese, Auslese and so on become redundant.
Mittelburgenland DAC will be sold in three tiers: Classic in an unwooded, fruit driven style, single vineyard with slight hints of wood and Reserve, indicating barrel aging and longer bottle maturity at the winery. In the first official vintage, 800,000 bottles Mittelburgenland DAC were produced; the long term aim is two million bottles.
