Uhudler
Encyclopedia
Uhudler is a unique wine
from Austria
, which originates in the Südburgenland region (see Burgenland
). In appearance it is often a rosé colour, but is also made as a white wine. It has intense flavours of strawberry
and black currants, a characteristic taste often called "foxy" in wine parlance. The grape varieties used are highly resistant to phylloxera
and other diseases; as a result they do not often have to be sprayed with pesticide
s. They also require little fertilization because of their vigorous growth.
with the native North American Vitis labrusca
and Vitis riparia
. It is Vitis Labrusca which lends the wine its characteristic "strawberry" flavouring. "Uhudler" can refer to several varieties and today it is disputed which varieties rank in the "Uhudlergruppe" (Uhudler group) and which do not. Some of the varieties used include the grapes Concord
, Isabella, Elvira, Clinton, Ripadella and Noah.
infestations around 1860. The phylloxera aphid reached Europe in 1860 and Austria in around 1900. After the losses of the European grape varieties through phylloxera, many attempts were made to either exterminate the pest or use alternative, non-traditional viticultural practices which would prevail against infestation.
In time, disease resistant North American vines (including some used in Uhudler wines) were imported to Europe and used to produce wine. Many crossings between native North American and European varietals were created at this time. The wine produced did not correspond in any way to the established taste trends in Europe. During the early 20th century, however, some fruit from North American vines were blended with that from Vitis vinifera to enhance the "fruitiness" of the wine.
After the discovery that grafting
Vitis Vinifera onto native North American rootstocks was a solution to the phylloxera problem in Europe – and in order to allow European wine to regain its place in the first half of the 20th century – North American vines (like those used in "Uhudler") were forbidden under wine regulations across the European continent. In order to damage the reputations of wines produced from native North American varietals, it was also maintained that these wines contained a high content of methanol, and therefore were injurious to the health of the drinker. By the '70s in Austria, private drinking of the Uhudler was thus quite limited, but production for private consumption was permitted. However, prohibition led to the rising popularity of the beverage.
On the basis of the Austrian Wine Law uhudler can be marketed in 8 communities of the Burgenland. Uhulder is made from the varieties Concord, Delaware, Elvira und Ripatella.
Because of the enormous aggravation of the Austrian wine law due to the wine scandals of the middle of the 1980s, Uhudler was forbidden. This situation continued up to the beginning of the 1990s. During this time thousand of litres of Uhudler (particularly in Südburgenland) were destroyed by wine cellar supervisors.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, which originates in the Südburgenland region (see Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
). In appearance it is often a rosé colour, but is also made as a white wine. It has intense flavours of strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
and black currants, a characteristic taste often called "foxy" in wine parlance. The grape varieties used are highly resistant to phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
and other diseases; as a result they do not often have to be sprayed with pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
s. They also require little fertilization because of their vigorous growth.
Oenology
The grapes/clusters are usually red, but also (less commonly) white. The varieties used are inter-specific hybrids, which were developed from crossings between the European species Vitis viniferaVitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
with the native North American Vitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca is a species of grapevines belonging to the Vitis genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to the eastern United States and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba and Concord grapes, and many hybrid grape varieties such as Agawam,...
and Vitis riparia
Vitis riparia
Vitis riparia Michx, also commonly known as River Bank Grape or Frost Grape, is a native American climbing or trailing vine, widely distributed from Quebec to Texas, and Montana to New England. It is long-lived and capable of reaching into the upper canopy of the tallest trees...
. It is Vitis Labrusca which lends the wine its characteristic "strawberry" flavouring. "Uhudler" can refer to several varieties and today it is disputed which varieties rank in the "Uhudlergruppe" (Uhudler group) and which do not. Some of the varieties used include the grapes Concord
Concord grape
Concord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes....
, Isabella, Elvira, Clinton, Ripadella and Noah.
History
Uhudler originates from the time of the large phylloxeraPhylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
infestations around 1860. The phylloxera aphid reached Europe in 1860 and Austria in around 1900. After the losses of the European grape varieties through phylloxera, many attempts were made to either exterminate the pest or use alternative, non-traditional viticultural practices which would prevail against infestation.
In time, disease resistant North American vines (including some used in Uhudler wines) were imported to Europe and used to produce wine. Many crossings between native North American and European varietals were created at this time. The wine produced did not correspond in any way to the established taste trends in Europe. During the early 20th century, however, some fruit from North American vines were blended with that from Vitis vinifera to enhance the "fruitiness" of the wine.
After the discovery that grafting
Grafting
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation...
Vitis Vinifera onto native North American rootstocks was a solution to the phylloxera problem in Europe – and in order to allow European wine to regain its place in the first half of the 20th century – North American vines (like those used in "Uhudler") were forbidden under wine regulations across the European continent. In order to damage the reputations of wines produced from native North American varietals, it was also maintained that these wines contained a high content of methanol, and therefore were injurious to the health of the drinker. By the '70s in Austria, private drinking of the Uhudler was thus quite limited, but production for private consumption was permitted. However, prohibition led to the rising popularity of the beverage.
On the basis of the Austrian Wine Law uhudler can be marketed in 8 communities of the Burgenland. Uhulder is made from the varieties Concord, Delaware, Elvira und Ripatella.
Because of the enormous aggravation of the Austrian wine law due to the wine scandals of the middle of the 1980s, Uhudler was forbidden. This situation continued up to the beginning of the 1990s. During this time thousand of litres of Uhudler (particularly in Südburgenland) were destroyed by wine cellar supervisors.