Ausbruch
Encyclopedia
Ausbruch or sometimes Ausbruchwein is an Austrian
wine term for a quality level in the Prädikatswein category. It is situated between Beerenauslese
and Trockenbeerenauslese
in requirements, which makes it a sweet dessert wine
typically made from grapes affected by noble rot
. The minimum must weight
requirements for Ausbruch is 27 degrees KMW. The Ausbruch Prädikat exists only in Austria and Hungary, not in Germany
. The category was introduced into Austrian wine legislation in 1970, as a legalization of the production method allegedly already used in the area of Rust
. Ruster Ausbruch are still the most common Ausbruch wines to encounter; in many other Austrian regions, producers classify their wines as Beerenauslese if they fall short of the Trockenbeerenauslese requirements.
from less concentrated grapes, in the Spätlese
to Beerenauslese range. This filled the purpose of dissolving crystallized sugar
s in the grapes in order to speed up the fermentation
and make it more efficient. This has also been called to "break out" the sugar, which is how the term was coined. This is the same as Aszú method of the Tokaji
Aszú wines are produced in Austria's neighbouring country Hungary, although a classification system with several levels is used there. However, in difference from the Aszú method, Ausbruch wines are not required to be made by mixing the two components, and in reality almost all present-day Austrian Ausbruch wines are produced in the same way as a Trockenbeerenauslese, but subject to a 27 ºKMW rather than 30 ºKMW requirement.
was used in Ausbruch production but today it is rarely found in Austria. Most producers use a mix of grape varieties with Chardonnay
, Pinot blanc
, Traminer and Welschriesling
being the most popular.
Austrian wine
Austrian wines are mostly dry white wines with some luscious dessert wines made around the Neusiedler See. About 30% of the wines are red, made from Blaufränkisch , Pinot Noir and locally bred varieties such as Zweigelt...
wine term for a quality level in the Prädikatswein category. It is situated between Beerenauslese
Beerenauslese
Beerenauslese is a German language wine term for a dessert wine-style late harvest wine. Beerenauslese is a category in the Prädikatswein category of the Austrian and German wine classifications, and is a category above Auslese. Beerenauslese wines, often called "BA" for short, are usually made...
and Trockenbeerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese is a German language wine term for an intensely sweet dessert wine-style wine....
in requirements, which makes it a sweet dessert wine
Dessert wine
Dessert wines are sweet wines typically served with dessert.There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines drunk after it...
typically made from grapes affected by noble rot
Noble rot
Noble rot is the benevolent form of a grey fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting wine grapes. Infestation by Botrytis requires moist conditions, and if the weather stays wet, the malevolent form, "grey rot", can destroy crops of grapes...
. The minimum must weight
Must weight
Must weight is a measure of the amount of sugar in grape juice , and hence indicates the amount of alcohol that could be produced if it is all fermented to alcohol, rather than left as residual sugar...
requirements for Ausbruch is 27 degrees KMW. The Ausbruch Prädikat exists only in Austria and Hungary, not in Germany
German wine
German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era. Approximately 60 percent of the German wine production is situated in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where 6 of the 13 regions ...
. The category was introduced into Austrian wine legislation in 1970, as a legalization of the production method allegedly already used in the area of Rust
Rust, Austria
----Rust is a city in Burgenland, Austria located at the shore of the Neusiedler See. Although it has only about 1,700 inhabitants, it is a Statutarstadt, as it was endowed with the rights of a free city by the Hungarian crown in 1681. As a Statutarstadt, it also forms its own administrative...
. Ruster Ausbruch are still the most common Ausbruch wines to encounter; in many other Austrian regions, producers classify their wines as Beerenauslese if they fall short of the Trockenbeerenauslese requirements.
Wine production
The term Ausbruch initially designated a wine made from mixing grapes strongly affected by noble rot with mustMust
Must is freshly pressed fruit juice that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace; it typically makes up 7%–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must is the first step in winemaking...
from less concentrated grapes, in the Spätlese
Spätlese
Spätlese is a German wine term for a wine from fully ripe grapes, the lightest of the late harvest wines. Spätlese is a riper category than Kabinett in the Prädikatswein category of the German wine classification and is the lowest level of Prädikatswein in Austria, where Kabinett is classified in...
to Beerenauslese range. This filled the purpose of dissolving crystallized sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
s in the grapes in order to speed up the fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
and make it more efficient. This has also been called to "break out" the sugar, which is how the term was coined. This is the same as Aszú method of the Tokaji
Tokaji
Tokaji is the name of the wines from the region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in Hungary and Slovakia. The name Tokaji is used for labeling wines from this wine district. This region is noted for its sweet wines made from grapes affected by noble rot, a style of wine which has a long history in this region...
Aszú wines are produced in Austria's neighbouring country Hungary, although a classification system with several levels is used there. However, in difference from the Aszú method, Ausbruch wines are not required to be made by mixing the two components, and in reality almost all present-day Austrian Ausbruch wines are produced in the same way as a Trockenbeerenauslese, but subject to a 27 ºKMW rather than 30 ºKMW requirement.
Grape varieties
Historically the Hungarian grape FurmintFurmint
Furmint is a variety of wine grape from the Pontian Balcanica branch of Vitis vinifera, used for white wines. The name Furmint is taken from the word "froment" for the wheat-gold color of the wine it produces. While it is possible that it the grape is native to Hungary, the grape was likely...
was used in Ausbruch production but today it is rarely found in Austria. Most producers use a mix of grape varieties with Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Pinot blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
, Traminer and Welschriesling
Welschriesling
Welschriesling is an ancient variety of white wine grape, unrelated to the Rhine Riesling, that is grown throughout Central Europe. The origin of Welschriesling is uncertain. The German name "Welschriesling" literally means 'Romanic Riesling', and most of the synonyms in Central Europe are...
being the most popular.