Photo: Erhard Höbaus
Original Pielachtaler Dirndlbrand
Traditionally produced Austrian quality fruit spirit made from fruits of the Cornelian cherry tree (Cornus mas L.) in the Pielachtal (Pielach Valley), Lower Austria.Record Number: 38
Disclosure Date
The tradition to distil Cornelian cherries in the Pielach Valley can be traced back to the period of Empress Maria Theresia (18th century).
Title
Original Pielachtaler Dirndlbrand
Abstract or claim
Traditionally produced Austrian quality fruit spirit made from fruits of the Cornelian cherry tree (Cornus mas L.) in the Pielachtal (Pielach Valley), Lower Austria.
Name of product, Product class
Spirit drinks
Name of region
Pielachtal (Pielach Valley), Mostviertel (Must Quarter), Lower Austria, Austria.
Field of search
Agriculture and Spirit drinks
Name of information provider
Regionalbüro Pielachtal (Regional Office Pielach Valley)
Schloßstraße 1
3203 Kirchberg/ Pielach
Name of applicant for title
---
Holders of knowledge or associated resources
Members of the Pielachtaler Edelbrandgemeinschaft (Pielach Valley association of fruit spirit producers) and trademark.
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
Pielachtaler Edelbrandgemeinschaft (Pielach Valley association of fruit spirit producers)
Descriptors
- History:
Several classical Roman authors such as Horace, Ovid, Pliny the Elder, and Vergil mentioned the “cornus” (cornel cherry tree) in their works.
As early as in the 12th century, Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098 –1179) dedicated a chapter of her medical work “Physica” to the healing power of the Cornelian cherry.
The tradition of distilling cornel cherries in the Pielach Valley can be traced back to the period of Empress Maria Theresia (18th century).
- Region:
Pielachtal (Pielach Valley), Lower Austria. The Pielach Valley is situated in the Lower Austrian Must Quarter, south of the Danube, and is characterized by a relatively mild climate.
- Cornelian cherry:
The European Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.), also called Dirndlstrauch (Dirndl shrub) (origin of the name is unclear) or Hornstrauch (horn shrub), belongs to the dogwood family (Cornaceae) and is a large shrub or small tree growing 5-12 metres tall.
For centuries, the Dirndln have been of importance to farmers in the Pielach Valley, who have cultivated and preserved them for many generations already.
The Cornelian cherry grows mainly on the southern slopes of the Pielach Valley. It represents a distinctive element of the cultural landscape, amongst other things because the shrubs also serve as fences to delimit parcels of land.
The wild-growing shrub can grow up to 10 metres tall, is thermophilic and grows on sunny slopes with bushes, in sparse forests, fringes of forests, and hedgerows.
The shrub shows its bright yellow blossoms already in February, well before the leaves appear. It is one of the first heralds of spring and the first source of nectar for blossom-visiting insects.
Cornelian cherries are drupes which, though resembling cherries (Prunus cerasus), are not botanically related to them.
The oblong, oval-shaped fruits contain one single seed. From mid-August onward they start to turn coral red to nearly black, depending on the respective variety. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, have a juicy-acidous, slightly grassy, intensive flavour with an oily aftertaste. They have a high content of tanning agents and contain a broad spectrum of other ingredients.
The knowledge of harvesting has been passed down the generations and even today the “cherries” are hand-harvested in the traditional way.
For the purpose of harvesting finely woven plastic nets (blankets were used in former times) are spread under the shrubs. When ripe, the fruits fall down and then have to be picked out daily to achieve top quality for their further processing. As the fruit ripening period depends on the respective variety and covers about 6 weeks, harvesting is very labour-intensive.
- Utilization:
Cornelian cherries have been utilized in the Pielach Valley for centuries.
In addition to producing “Dirndlschnaps”, farmers use the vitamin-packed red fruit also for making jams, juices and liqueurs.
In order to maintain the cultivation and utilisation of the autochthonous Cornelian cherry shrub the ”Edelbrandgemeinschaft Pielachtal” (Pielach Valley association of fruit spirit producers) was established in 1996.
The mash of Cornelian cherries is fermented at a temperature of about 20°C, using specific yeasts. After the fermentation process the mash is distilled twice.
The yield is very low. One hectolitre of mash yields only 4 - 5 litres of ready-to-drink fruit spirit with 39 - 45% alcohol by volume.
The exceptional taste of this fruit spirit is characterized by a nice sweetish fruit flavour and a discreet truffle aroma as well as by its delicate grassy and slightly oily aftertaste.
“Dirndlbrand” is popularly called a “medicine” and has a pleasant effect after heavy food.
“Dirndlbrand” without the additional labelling ”Original Pielachtaler” is produced and sold also in the areas surrounding the Pielach Valley (e.g. at the village Eschenau and in the Traisen Valley), as the cornel cherry shrub does not occur exclusively in the Pielach Valley.
- Protection:
The designation “Original Pielachtaler Dirndlbrand” is protected in the Codex Alimentarius Austriacus, Chapter B 23: Spirits. Annex 1: Protected Designations, for the small geographical area of the Pielach Valley, encompassing the villages Hofstetten/Grünau, Rabenstein, Kirchberg/Pielach, Loich, Schwarzenbach, and Frankenfels.
Key Words
Agriculture and Spirit drinks, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Lower Austria, region, Must Quarter, Pielach Valley, Dirndl, Dirndl spirit, Dirndl schnaps, Cornelian cherry, cornel cherry tree, horn shrub, dogwood, Pielachtaler Dirndlbrand, Cornaceae, Cornus mas L.
Bibliography / References
- Codex Alimentarius Austriacus Chapter B 23. Annex 1: Protected Designations.
- ARNDORFER, M.:Auswirkungen der Erntetechniken und Sorteneigenschaften auf die Qualität
verschiedener Verarbeitungsprodukte der Kornelkirsche. 2002; p. 86.
- Dirndl - Wasser – Lebensraum
http://www.naturbegleiter.at/fruehling/nachlese_vollfruehling.htm
- Das Pielachtal und seine Dirndln
http://www.mostviertel.info/mostviertel/portal/default.asp?id=32726
- Pielachtal das Dirndltal
http://www.dirndltal.at/
- Brennerei "Am Eibenberg" Fam. Josef Fuxsteiner Landwirt
http://www.schnapsnase.at/monat/schnapsbuch4.htm
- Dirndlbrand
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirndlbrand
- Kornelkirsche
http://www.zauser.at/schnaps/sorten/Kornelkirsche.shtm
- Dirndlprodukte
http://www.dirndltal.at/tal-der-dirndln/dirndlprodukte.php
- Das Pielachtal - das Dirndltal
http://www.steinschaler.at/willkommen/region.php
- Dirndlschnaps
http://oewb.retti.info/oewb-public/show.cgi?lexnr= vXre
- Hartriegel
http://www.naturlexikon.com/Texte/GJ/001/00002/GJ00002.html
- Die obstbauliche Nutzung von Wildobstgehölzen
http://www.garteninfos.de/wildobst/Dipl2-3.html
- Kornelkirsche
http://www.thgweb.de/lexikon/Kornelkirsche
- "In hitzigen Kranckheiten kühlende Labung"
http://www.cornelissen.de/name/cor_kir6.htm
- Kornelkirsche (Cornus mas)
http://www.schnaps-net.de/788.html
- In der Küche wieder geschätzt
http://www.cornelissen.de/name/cor_kir7.htm
- Delikate Dirndln
http://www.noe.co.at/tiscover/uewl29782.htm
- Berglandbrand
http://www.prinzbach7.at/Berglandbrand/Berglandbrand.htm
- C.Gr. Tsipouridis: Description of Cornelian cherry
http://www3.unifi.it/ueresgen29/ds10.htm
- European Cornel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Cornel
Language Code
German
Product of www.genuss-region.at
No
Regional contact
Regionalbüro Pielachtal
(Regional Office Pielach Valley)
Schloßstraße 1
3203 Kirchberg/Pielach
02722-7309-25
e-mail: regionalbuero@pielachtal.info
Authors: Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
22.02.2010, Lebensministerium III/4