Ausbruch

Ausbruch meaning in Austrian wine

Ausbruch is a prestigious Austrian wine classification within the Prädikatswein quality tier, positioned between Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese in terms of sweetness and concentration. The term historically derives from the Hungarian aszú winemaking method, where grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) were mixed with fermenting base wine. Modern Austrian Ausbruch requires a minimum must weight of 138° Öchsle (approximately 30° KMW), significantly higher than Beerenauslese’s 125° Öchsle requirement but lower than Trockenbeerenauslese’s 150° Öchsle threshold. These intensely sweet dessert wines are produced primarily in Burgenland, particularly around Neusiedlersee, where the lake’s microclimate promotes noble rot development. The botrytis fungus concentrates sugars and develops complex flavors of honey, apricot, and exotic spices. Ausbruch wines typically contain 100-200 grams of residual sugar per liter, creating luxurious, long-lived dessert wines with remarkable aging potential spanning decades. Production is labor-intensive, requiring multiple selective harvests of individually shriveled berries. The resulting wines showcase Austria’s mastery of noble rot winemaking, representing some of the country’s most prized and collectible bottles, often compared to Hungary’s legendary Tokaji wines.