Abbreviation for "Districtus Austriae Controllatus", the Austrian designation for a area type and origin quality wine, corresponding to the French Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP). A reorganization of the quality system in Austria was established in the 1990s by representatives of the wine association, the wine trade, the ÖWM (Wine Marketing Service Company), and the Ministry of Agriculture. The aim of these efforts was and is to emphasize the distinctiveness of Austrian wine and to strengthen its identity in order to assert itself against the increasing competition from Europe and overseas. Similar to France, Italy, and Spain, the origin is given greater consideration or is brought to the forefront. This also illustrates the difference between "Germanic" and "Roman wine law".
The map shows the specific wine-growing area or DAC areas, all of which are located in the eastern part of the country.
Roman and Germanic wine law
Before the introduction of the DAC system, origin was not given much importance in Austria, although there were of course exceptions. There were no or hardly any origin-specific requirements or rules applicable to all winemakers. However, there were general wine law regulations or local winemaker associations that prescribed origin-related rules to their members. The Austrian consumer usually names a grape variety when ordering in gastronomy, such as Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, or Blaufränkisch, but less frequently a place of origin. The wine can therefore come from any wine-growing region. However, the taste differences can be relatively large due to other soil type and wine preparation.
The Germanic wine law thus places a strong emphasis on grape variety designation regarding wine quality. In contrast, a consumer from a Roman country usually names an area such as Alentejo, Barolo, Beaujolais, Brunello di Montalcino, Chablis, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chianti, Rioja, or Vinho Verde. Traditionally, in France, the indication of a winery such as Château Cheval Blanc, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Mouton-Rothschild, or Château d’Yquem corresponds to a narrower designation of origin. These establishments must, of course, also comply with the rules of the relevant appellation (e.g., Pauillac).
Area = Wine type
The appellation in France thus implicitly refers to a very specific wine type. For example, if you buy a Chablis, you know that it is a dry French white wine varietal made from Chardonnay. Among other things, minimum alcohol content and maximum yield are defined. And if it is one of the seven Grand Cru (privileged Chablis sub-areas), whose name is additionally mentioned on the label, then even stricter requirements apply. It is also clear with a Rioja that it is a Spanish red wine made from Tempranillo, as well as with a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano that it is an Italian red wine made from Sangiovese. However, the grape varieties are not necessarily mentioned on the bottle label for all three wines.
Production conditions
There are precise production regulations according to which the wines are sensory tested through tasting and analytical testing through measurement methods before they may be marketed. Thus, in the Roman system, wines are defined according to their origins, corresponding to a wine description;...
