"Wien DAC New": WienWein Winemakers Demand Expanded System

Currently, the Viennese DAC system exclusively guarantees the origin and quality of the "Wiener Gemischter Satz." For all other typical Viennese grape varieties – including Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Weißburgunder, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir – there is a lack of corresponding regulation. Without an expansion of the DAC framework, these wines could only be labeled as "regional wine" from the 2026 harvest onwards – without indication of their origin from a specific vineyard.

Demand: More Varieties, Clear Origin

The WienWein winemakers are therefore advocating for an expanded DAC system that includes all grape varieties typical of Vienna and simultaneously applies the origin pyramid of regional, local, and single-vineyard wines to all DAC wines. Only in this way can the quality be made visible and the value of the single-vineyard wines be preserved.

"It is essential that this process is advanced as quickly as possible," said winemaker Michael Edlmoser. A lack of reform would be a setback for the international visibility and value of Viennese viticulture.

Sustainability as a Mandatory Criterion

In addition to origin, WienWein is also demanding mandatory certification of all future DAC wines according to organic or sustainable standards. Currently, around 259 hectares – about 44 percent of Vienna's vineyard area – are organically cultivated. Including sustainably managed areas, the share is already over two-thirds.

This makes Vienna a pioneer nationwide. The winemakers' goal is to manage the entire Vienna wine region in an environmentally friendly manner in the medium term. A mandatory sustainability clause in the DAC system is intended to secure this development.

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