If you are asked what are the Central European peoples
contributions to the world, you may say that technology, modern engineering or renewable
energy. You may answer that luxury watchmaking, avant-garde artists, classical
music, ski slopes or thermal baths. Or maybe Franz Kafka,
Josef Strauß, Herman Hesse or Karol Wojtyla. If you
forget to talk about their wine, I invite you to read this brief introduction
to the Central-European vineyards and their historical evolution.
Germany
Marcus Aurelius Probos (3th
century BC) is considered the father of German viticulture although wild vines
have been found in the Mosel and the Upper Rhine valleys. The expansion of the
Empire and the number of soldiers
demanded a greater wine demand, including German wine that cames from the
Rhin and Mosel valleys. Winemaking techniques were imported from other Roman
Empire’s regions but with the native varieties from Rhin valley, on whose
western side it developed more than in other places.
Charlemagne converted the
Saxons to Christianity while expanding viticulture in the new conquered
territories (8th century). The relief of German viticulture came
from the hand of medieval monks. Benedictine
and Cistercians monks promoted quality wine through absolutely native
varieties such as Riesling, Elbling, Räuschling or Traminer. It is believed
that it is in the Middle Ages (around 1500) when more hectares of vineyards
were planted throughout Germany, especially in Rhine’s valley and its northernmost tributaries. Beer consumption
in northern Germany, the Protestant reform (16th century) and the 30
Years' War (17th century) were hard coups for the national wine.
The Rhin Valley and the Church
are two key elements for German wine before the arrival of Napoleon that will
wrest the entire German vineyard from the Church (the bourgeoisie and the rich
will take advantage of this new situation). In 1875 the phylloxera arrives in German Empire, at a time where
the popularity of German wine was enjoyed by Queen Victoria of England. The two
World Wars will mean the loss of the German wine quality, not until 1970, when
new laws and classifications will be established for the reconquest of quality
in German wine. Notable in 1971 the creation of two categories: Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein. And, finally a new classification: Deutscher Tafelweine < Landwein < QmP, QbA.
Before Tiberius Claudius
Cesare Augustus Germanicus conquered “Austria” in 14 b. C. here the vines
were already cultivated. Centuries later came Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probo,
who promoted viticulture in the provinces of western Austria until the
Germanic barbarians ended the development of this land. The Roman Empire
broke down and the northern tribes settled in currently Austria and germanized
it in the VI century, but three centuries later Charlemagne appears to
subdue those pagan tribes.
During Karolus Magnus era the wine that in his empire was made enjoyed a good deal thanks to measures like the selection of clusters, the conservation of wine in barrels and their classification. Everything was going well, the vineyards were managed by the abbeys while the borders of Austria extended to the east. Henri II moved his residence from Klosterneuburg to Vienna to become the capital of the kingdom (12th century) and there promoted viticulture.
From the XI to the XIII century Austrian wine became strong: regrouping of wine producing villages, rising of wine consumption, private interests appear and with it, taxes. The cultivation area spread throughout the geography of the Austrian county but is at the end of century XVIII when an unexpected enemy arrives: the phylloxera, that it sweeps with all the vineyard of continental Europe. To date, the vine is cultivated in eastern Austria and mostly with white varieties, where the Grüner Veltliner is the king.
Switzerland
The Swiss Valais region
treasures containers of what could be wine since the Celtic era. It was however the Romans who introduced the vineyard during the 500
years they spent in swiss Alps. The vine cultivation ceases
to be an anecdotal affair from the Middle Ages, when Cistercians monks drive viticulture. As
proof, of the 12th century there is a terraced vineyard called Le
Dézalay, in Lake Geneve area. The Swiss farmers were in
charge of working the vineyard of the High Clergy and the Nobles in exchange
for a tax: the ‘cens’. The 1847 Swiss Civil War will mean
the loss of clergy's viticultural possessions
in favor of the great bourgeois of Valais and Vaud, which will lead to the
country's great wine businesses.
With the development of the
railroad and the Industrial Revolution, Swiss wine goes from being a drink for
domestic consumption to an element of business and export. In
1874 the phylloxera arrives at the Old
Swiss Confederacy (one year before the German Empire), destroying almost
all its vineyard and therefore all the existing native varieties. The replanting will be done with the neighbors Pinot Noir, Gamay,
Chasselas or Johannisnerg. The interwar period will be a coup
to the Swiss wine industry, which will solve its demand with southern wines.
In the IIWW the Swiss borders are closed avoiding their
disasters, from there the national viticultural
surface is further developed and therefore the wine production grows.
In 1980, the yields per hectare in favor of quality began to be
controlled, and in the 90's and later the quality parameters were harmonized
between Europe and Switzerland.
Austria
During Karolus Magnus era the wine that in his empire was made enjoyed a good deal thanks to measures like the selection of clusters, the conservation of wine in barrels and their classification. Everything was going well, the vineyards were managed by the abbeys while the borders of Austria extended to the east. Henri II moved his residence from Klosterneuburg to Vienna to become the capital of the kingdom (12th century) and there promoted viticulture.
From the XI to the XIII century Austrian wine became strong: regrouping of wine producing villages, rising of wine consumption, private interests appear and with it, taxes. The cultivation area spread throughout the geography of the Austrian county but is at the end of century XVIII when an unexpected enemy arrives: the phylloxera, that it sweeps with all the vineyard of continental Europe. To date, the vine is cultivated in eastern Austria and mostly with white varieties, where the Grüner Veltliner is the king.
Old-Czechoslovakia
It all starts here with the
arrival of the 10th Roman Legion, recruited in northern Italy, to south of
Moravia in the 2nd century AD. In 278 Marcus Aurelius Probo Emperor gives his permission to plant vines
in the north of the Alps colonies. The Grüner Veltliner variety was already
known then. Magna Moravia is revealed
in the 9th century as a very
suitable area for viticulture. In neighboring Bohemia, viticulture begins
to be stimulated from the city of Melník also towards the year 870.
The monks are in charge during the 13th century to enrich the wine landscape with French and Germanic varieties as well as their cultivation techniques. During the Bohemian Kingdom, new vineyards are planted at the foot of the of Pálava hills (southern kingdom). Later it is in Moravia where administrative improvements and agricultural laws inspired by lower Austria are developed for the viticulture progress. It will be Míkulov (southern Moravia) one of the reference locations of Czech wine around 1400 A.D.
The monks are in charge during the 13th century to enrich the wine landscape with French and Germanic varieties as well as their cultivation techniques. During the Bohemian Kingdom, new vineyards are planted at the foot of the of Pálava hills (southern kingdom). Later it is in Moravia where administrative improvements and agricultural laws inspired by lower Austria are developed for the viticulture progress. It will be Míkulov (southern Moravia) one of the reference locations of Czech wine around 1400 A.D.
The Thirty Years' War (17th
century) devastated the Czech vineyard that was successfully replenished over
time until it became a commercial menace to the neighboring Austrian wine. From
the mid-19th century until the outbreak of the Filoxera, academies will be
opened to train Czech winemakers for the improvement of viticultural quality.
In 1995, the first wine law on winemaking practices was enacted and in 2004,
the Wine Law on them was applied with the Czech Republic in the European Union
and the Czech wine legislation was equated with the European one.
Míkulov (Moravia): Mikulovská wine region's capital |
Poland
The white grape is the best adapted to the climate of Poland, as continental as Germany and nucleus of the little wine tradition that left in the west country. These white varieties are represented by the Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. Currently Poland wants to be important in the world of wine thanks to the vintners exodus, laws promoting wine, wine tourism programs and regulations of general application.
Hungary
When the Ottomans lost Hungary in favor of the Austrians, there was a germanic influence with the appearance of grapes such the Blauer Portugieser. In 1882 the Phylloxera arrives and gives a hard coup to the national viticultural panorama because it destroys the majority of his vineyard. This misfortune would be followed by others: the Trianon Treaty, the Axis Time and the communist era where, as in other countries, they opted for quantity and not quality. From the 90's Hungarian wine lives a revival led by the Tokaj-Hegyalja wines (7ooo Ha's and 28 villages).
The 'Hungarian Tuscany': Balaton wine region |
To know where we are going it is necessary to know where we come from.
For Central Europeans, if Romans and monks are not their
parents, they are the parents of his wine. A wine that
has endured all wars and environmental crises and has evolved with its inhabitants.
A product that is much more than a drink, is an ancient people’s
blood.
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