What does DAC mean?

DAC, Districtus Austriae Controllatus, is Austria's system of designations of origin, in which a wine must be typical of its area and its grapes.

Also known as: Districtus Austriae Controllatus

DAC stands for Districtus Austriae Controllatus and is Austria's system of regional designations of origin. A DAC wine is a quality wine from a defined area, made from the grape varieties and in the style considered typical of that particular area.

The system began in 2003 with Weinviertel DAC, where grüner veltliner is the grape. Since then most of Austria's wine areas have gained their own DAC, for example Kamptal and Kremstal for grüner veltliner and riesling, Mittelburgenland for blaufränkisch, Südsteiermark for sauvignon blanc among others, and Wachau.

Each DAC has its own rules on grape varieties, minimum alcohol, style and sometimes ageing. Many DACs also have an origin pyramid of regional wine, village wine and wine from a named single vineyard, a Ried, with stricter requirements at each step. Wines from the area made from other grapes or in another style are sold under the name of the wider state instead, for example Niederösterreich.

The label shows the area's name followed by DAC, for example Kamptal DAC. In the EU, DAC counts as a protected designation of origin.