🏷️ DAC
Austrian category for wine with the typical taste and variety of its area.
DAC is the Austrian naming system for wines with a taste and grape typical of their district. It stands for "Districtus Austriae Controllatus". The idea is that a district name is used only for wine of a clear, recognisable style.
The first, in 2002, was Weinviertel in the north-east of the country, which received DAC for the fresh, peppery Grüner Veltliner. Today Austria has 18 such districts, and each has its own grapes and requirements. A wine with DAC on the label names the district, not just the country.
The system belongs to the protected designations, that is PDO, but Austria also keeps the classic Prädikat scale, which divides wines by the sugar in the grapes. DAC adds a level of "district and style".
A similar principle is used by the VOC system elsewhere. Austrian wine can still be sold without DAC, under general labels.
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine)
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ Austrian wine
- Related to
- 🍇 Grüner Veltliner
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Austrian Prädikatswein, 🏷️ VOC (Czech Republic)
Frequently asked questions
What does DAC mean?
An Austrian controlled designation: wine typical of its district in taste and grapes.
Which district got DAC first?
Weinviertel in 2002, for the Grüner Veltliner grape.
How many DAC districts does Austria have?
Currently 18, each with its own rules on grapes and style.
Similar
🏷️ Austrian Prädikatswein · 🏷️ Czech and Slovak predicate wines · 🏷️ Qualitätswein · 🏷️ Prädikatswein · 🏷️ DOC (Italy) · 🏷️ DOCa / DOQ
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.