High Life

[INDULGE] 以 「学海无涯苦作舟」形容葡萄酒探索之旅绝不为过。好不容易才记住了十 几个国际性葡萄品种，上百种某国家或地区独有的葡萄品种却旋即出现。 穷九牛二虎之力，也仅是认识了其中一半，却无奈地发现天下还有多如恒河沙数 的珍稀葡萄品种。这些珍稀葡萄品种不仅是葡萄酒词汇的重要组成部分，更细诉 着某国家或地区在全球化时代前的葡萄酒历史。在葡萄酒的大千世界里，并没有 起点或终点。 华格姆产区位于下奥地利州多瑙河沿岸，乃该州八个产酒区之一，却往往被 瓦豪、克雷姆斯谷及坎普谷的耀眼光芒所覆盖。位处首都维也纳与上述三巨头之 间的华格姆拥有温和的气候、平缓的地形及极其肥沃的土地，向来是奥地利的粮 仓，亦盛产酒体饱满且果味浓郁的葡萄酒。 华格姆是奥地利历史最悠久的葡萄酒产区之一，当地隶属斯定会的克洛斯特 新堡修道院早于十二世纪初已开始种植葡萄酒并酿制葡萄酒。世界第一所葡萄种 植及酿酒学院，于1860年在当地成立。多年来，奥地利一直以克洛斯特新堡度 衡量葡萄汁的浓度，德国则沿用予思乐度。顺带一提，一克洛斯特新堡度相当于 4.86予思乐度。 T he vinous journey is an eternal challenge. Having only just become acquainted with the dozen or so international varieties, one is immediately faced with more than a century of national and regional varieties. No sooner than half- emerging from the thick of it, one is further confronted by a myriad of rare varieties. Discovering themnot only enriches one’s vinous lexicon, but also sheds light on a particular country’s vinous history before the advent of globalisation. This is as much the bane of ampelographers as it is the joy of oenophiles. One in the octet of wine regions in Lower Austria along the banks of the Danube, Wagram is often overshadowed by the holy trinity ofWachau, Kremstal andKamptal. Situatedbetween themand the capitalVienna,Wagramis bestowed with moderate climate, gentle landscape and fertile soil, enabling it to produce not only bounteous foodstuff, but also full-bodied and fruit-driven wine. Wagram’s vinous history is amongst the most time-honored in Austria, as the Augustinian Klosterneuburg Monastery has been producing wine since the early 12th century. It is home to the world’s first viticultural and oenology school founded in 1860, and the Klosterneuburger Mostwaage (KMW), a hydrometer scale measuring the density of grape must, is named after it. For reference, 1 KMW in Austria is equivalent to 4.86 degrees Oechsle in Germany.