Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg's small vineyards extend from Bregenz through Röthis and Feldkirch towards the Arlberg foothills and Bludesch. Conditions can be harsh, with marked day-night temperature changes. Wines often have pronounced acidity, though the varied sites make a single regional flavour description unhelpful. Much of the wine comes from family businesses using their own grapes and selling from the farm. Still wine is usual, although quality sparkling wine is permitted. The main category is Qualitätswein; bottles can also carry the classifications Kabinett, Spätlese or Eiswein. Wines sold as Vorarlberg require an official quality-check number following laboratory analysis and tasting. Winegrowing declined sharply during the cooler nineteenth century and resumed at some sites in the twenty-first. Röthis has maintained its winegrowing tradition for more than 1,000 years.