For the first time both red and white wines are part of the appellation which distinguishes wines with all the general characteristics of quality Austrian wines while reflecting the typical style of their region.

A Leithaberg white must be made only from Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnay and/or Neuburger grapes, either singly or as a blend.

The red Leithaberg must be produced from the Blaufränkisch varietal,
but a maximum of 15% is permitted from up to three other red varietals - Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and St. Laurent. Both the white and red styles are dry with characteristic minerality.

Leithaberg DAC wines are structured wines with confident expression and a capacity to age. They reflect the characteristics of the soil rather than wood. The wines also demonstrate length, finesse and elegance.

As wines from Austria begin to appear on hotel wine lists in India, expect to see the first Leithaberg DAC white wines from the 2009 vintage and the first reds from the 2008 vintage in September 2010.

What does DAC mean?
When you have a bottle of Austrian wine with a label that has DAC written after the name of the wine region, it means this is a wine marked by distinctive regional typicity. If the word "Reserve" also appears on the label, this means that the wine has additional body and power. So far, six Austrian wine-growing regions are part of the DAC system.