We are Vintners. We are Family.
Our vintner families are the heroes of Domäne Wachau. With devotion to detail, they work the small plots, exercising artisanship based on sustainable principles. They are the ones who nurture the vineyards, who build and mend the dry stone walls, and carefully ensure biodiversity while increasingly focusing on organic farming. Each one is one of a kind – so unique and rich in character. Grape whisperers with creative minds and spirits. Whether young mavericks or experienced farmers. And with our winemaker, Heinz Frischengruber at their side, they always have a mentor to guide and support them.
WERNER KRANISTER
500-year-old Guesthouse. The lovely and lovingly renovated house in the “Auf der Berg” district of Weissenkirchen, offered by Werner and Gabriele as a holiday flat and as rooms for hire, looks back on 500 years of history. “Forever, and three days,” says Werner, talking of the partnership between the Kranister family and Domäne Wachau. Werner loves the quiet of the vineyards, even when it gets tough, especially when it comes to restoring the dry stone walls. At harvest, the entire family comes together, bringing a dose of joy to their labors.
Favorite wine: Riesling Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 1 ha at Weissenkirchen
FAMILY SCHNEEWEIS
Vineyard & Guesthouse. Tending to vineyards is a father/son affair in the Schneeweis family. Rupert and Julian share the work on steep single-vineyards (Ried) Trenning, Brandstatt and Bruck, while Ursula manages their small guesthouse with a loving hand. Experience and knowledge play a big role in Spitzer Graben, as does working by hand to keep the meter-high dry stone walls in perfect condition. When harvest arrives, so do helpers, including Melanie, a trained chef who isn’t afraid to do some picking.
Favorite wine: Riesling Federspiel Ried Bruck
Vineyards: 1.8 ha at Spitzer Graben (Ried Trenning, Ried Brandstatt, Ried Bruck)
REGINA & WOLFGANG HUBMAYER
From the Vineyard to the Motorcycle. “For me, the work in the vineyards brings something new every day and is a welcome alternative and fantastic compliment to my job at Danube University,” Regina says of her time out in the vineyard. She knows what makes each vine special, and its needs; and if she ever faces a question she can’t answer, then her husband Wolfgang usually has an idea. Together they also cultivate several apricot trees, as well as finding a bit of time to point their motorcycles towards Greece or Lake Garda.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Classic
Vineyards: 0.6 ha at Arnsdorf
BRIGITTE ZUSER
Wine, apricots, and pears. Brigitte Zuser has plenty to keep her busy. Her vines are distributed across 6.3 hectares of vineyards in Mautern, Bergern and Rührsdorf, making her one of our largest winegrowers. She also cultivates apricots and Williams pears. Husband Rupert and son Martin also lend a hand, even as the latter attends the winemaking academy in Krems. The three recently transitioned their vineyards to organic cultivation.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kreuzberg
Vineyards: 6.3 ha at Mautern and Rossatz (Ried Kreuzberg)
REGINA & CHRISTIAN TAUBER
A Childhood in the Vineyard. Regina and Christian Tauber grew up amidst the vines. “Wine simply represents tradition for us,” Regina says. “It’s part of our culture. We not only know every vine in our steep, terraced vineyards personally, we also know how to achieve the best from each one.” They’ve been part of the Domäne Wachau family for years and vinify their own wine as well. The locals all know to come to their seasonal Heuriger (wine tavern), open three times a year, both for those wines as well as for his homemade mayo salad.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kaiserberg
Vineyards: 1.2 ha in Weissenkirchen (Ried Kaiserberg)
PATRICIA & RENÉ SCHOISSENGEYER
All about wine. The Schoissengeyer family is dedicated to viticulture in heart and soul. Patricia works full-time in the vineyards and also leads the work in the seasonal Heuriger (wine tavern), where she prepares homemade paprika-crusted ham when it opens twice a year. René works at the college for viticulture in Krems, where son Lukas has also just begun his training. And Matthias, the youngest of the band, is also showing an interest in all things wine. Meaning the future of this team is secure.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kreuzberg
Vineyards: 2.2 ha in Rossatz (Ried Kreuzberg)
PATRICIA & ROBERT HICK
Hiking, hunting, and an exceptional garden. Oberarnsdorf is home to Patricia and Robert Hick. The small village, long famed for its apricot culture, lies on the southern bank of the Danube. Patricia and Robert do indeed own apricot trees, as well as several parcels of Grüner Veltliner on some of the steepest sections of the spectacular Ried Traunthal. 100% hand labor is demanded, especially with their recent transition to organic cultivation. Their passion for nature can also be seen in how they spend their free time: Robert is a dedicated hiker and hunter, while Patricia brings love and expertise to her unparalleled garden.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Himmelstiege
Vineyards: 1.1 ha at Arnsdorf (Ried Traunthal)
MARIA & KARL BERGKIRCHNER
Hunting & Grape Growing. Maria & Karl Bergkirchner work together on over six hectares of vineyards in Schwallenbach and Willendorf. Their favorite thing is to head out to their hillside vineyards, a “fantastic place to work,” where they tend not only to the vines but also the maintenance and repair of the stone walls. Although there is always much to do, Maria and Karl always find time for their beloved hobby: hunting, whether in Schwallenbach or with friends in Carinthia.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 6.2 ha in Schwallenbach
KARL UNGER
The Rock upon which the Domäne is built. No one knows the terrain of the impressively terraced Weissenkirchner Weitenberg and the no less impressive Vorderseiber like Karl Unger does. Cultivating together with his father, Karl Sr., his vineyards have been sending grapes to Domäne Wachau for several decades. He’s a steadfast member of the local fire brigade and has also worked since 1988 as the logistics specialist for Domäne Wachau — making him the rock upon which the Domäne is built, and a very familiar face to wine retailers throughout the land.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Achleiten
Vineyards: 0.75 ha at Weissenkirchen
JULIA REITER & CHRISTOPH HINTERHOLZER
Triathlete in Wachau. Julia Reiter pushes Wachau to the limits. If the passionate triathlete isn’t swimming in the Danube, then she’s probably running or biking through the Wachau countryside. She also cultivates one hectare of vineyards (Ried Hochstrasser) together with her brother Reinhard, a gardener, and her uncle Christoph Hinterholzer. For all three, the parcel on the Loibenberg is much more than just a place to work — it is, in Julia’s words, “a place where we can enjoy the quiet and establish an intensive relationship to nature and our vines.”
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Loibenberg
Vineyards: 0,6 ha at Loiben
JOHANNES & ANNA STEINER
Family Vineyard. Heudürr is one of the most challenging sites in all Wachau. It’s as steep as the famous Kitzbühler Mausefalle ski run, with many terraces that never let us forget the difficulties growers face here. Johannes and his mother Anna cultivate one small parcel — alongside swimming, handicrafts, and cycling (Anna) and clarinet (Johannes). They know it’s also an occasion to see the whole family. Everyone comes together each year to help with harvest. Good mood guaranteed.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnstein
Vineyards: 0.4 ha at Dürnstein (Ried Liebenberg)
HERBERT BERNHARD
Achleiten, a Place Like no Other. The two Smaragd wines from the Achleiten have come to enjoy a tremendous international reputation. This is thanks to growers like Herbert, who for many years has cultivated several hectares of vineyards there with Domäne Wachau. He himself feels simply that “his life is tied” to the grand Weissenkirchner site, explaining that while it challenges him every year anew, it also provides him with endless joy. Son Alexander is now a full member of the business, helping both in the vineyard and his mother Heidi with the guesthouse.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Achleiten
Vineyards: 5.7 ha at Weissenkirchen and Dürnstein (Ried Liebenberg, Ried Steinriegl, Ried Achleiten)
ROMANA & ANTON PLAMETZBERGER
Vineyard, Singing & Dancing. “The quality has to be good,” says Romana Plametzberger. It may sound obvious, but the reality is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Especially since Romana and her husband Anton tend to their vineyards as a side job. They both view the time in the vineyards as an essential part of their life next to their daily work as a travel agent and electrician. When time allows, they sing in the Arnsdorf choir, folk dance, and are competitive shooters.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 0.26 ha at Arnsdorf
HANS WEISS
A Head for Numbers in the Vineyard. The single-vineyard Kirnberg, Hans Weiss feels, is anything but simple: “There are some parts that are really barren and others that are loessy.” Hans knows every centimeter of his site. Together with his sister Marianne, he cultivates a half-hectare of Grüner Veltliner vineyards for Domäne Wachau’s single-vineyard (Ried) Smaragd. Hans has a way with numbers. For many years until his retirement, he took care of the bookkeeping at Domäne Wachau, and thanks to his years of experience and approachable nature was also an important point of contact with our growers.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Kirnberg
Vineyards: 0.5 ha at Rossatz (Ried Kirnberg)
HEINRICH & FLORIAN MANG
The Next Generation, Ready to Go. Manghof is one of the loveliest establishments in all Wachau. Hilde, wife to Heinrich, books the guest rooms, while Florian & Heinrich are responsible for the steep vineyards around Weissenkirchen. The collaboration with Domäne Wachau has run splendidly for generations and will keep doing so in the future. The work in steep sites is, of course, strictly done by hand, especially the maintenance and creation of dry stone walls — an incredible and intensive responsibility that also has many moments of joy.
Favorite wine: Riesling Federspiel Ried Steinriegl
Vineyards: 4.5 ha at Weissenkirchen and Dürnstein (Ried Liebenberg, Ried Steinriegl, Ried Achleiten)
CHRISTA & KARL STIERSCHNEIDER
Vineyards are Part of Wachau’s Identity. Christa and her husband Karl enjoy working in the vineyards. When it comes to the terraces of the single vineyard Loibenberg, everything is done by hand. While that means a lot of hard work, Christa sees it as part of her Wachau identity. She considers it a privilege to be able to cultivate her own vineyard. A portion of her vineyards are contracted to Domäne Wachau, and another portion she tends for herself, serving the wines to guests at her pretty guesthouse along the Danube.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Loibenberg
Vineyards: 0.9 ha at Dürnstein (Ried Loibenberg)
ALEXANDRA & EMIL GRAMEL
Vintner, Mother & Nurse. For Alexandra, working in the vineyards in Wösendorf is an essenttial balance to working in a hospital. She is always open to new ideas, including converting her vineyards to organic cultivation — “The vineyards challenge me, but also give plenty in return.”
Any time you see Alexandra, you’re likely to see her white Shepherd Nanook by her side. The whole family joins in at harvest: husband Manfred, her parents, and recently her son Emil too.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kollmütz
Vineyards: 1.8 ha at Wösendorf (Ried Kollmütz)
ANTON MACHHERNDL
A Diver among Winegrowers. Anton Machherndl’s lovely winegrowing farm sits in Oberarnsdorf, on the right bank of the Danube. He tends vineyards — organic since 2020 — in almost all of the small single vineyards of the village. And like any true Arnsdorfer, he also cultivates apricots, which he processes into juices, liqueurs, and jellies. Every winter, when there are a few quiet weeks, he heads someplace warm. Beautiful spots like the Caribbean or Thailand allow him to pursue his big hobby: scuba diving.
Favorite wine: Sauvignon Blanc Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 5,4 ha at Arnsdorf
WALTRAUD BERGKIRCHNER
The Specialist — Waltraud likes to help. As a specialist in temp worker placement, Waltraud is always the first port of call for our winemaker Heinz Frischengruber when he finds himself temporarily short on agricultural workers. Yet she’s also a winegrower herself, working from Schwallenbach, where she maintains a few small vineyards. She enjoys working with her hands, out in the quiet of nature, and enjoys “making something that you can see and taste.” She’s always out and about with her father Walter and her dog Aiko.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Terrassen
Vineyards: 0.7 ha at Schwallenbach
ELISABETH & ALOIS BRUCH
Red overalls & diving If you see a red dot hopping around the terraces on the single-vineyard 1000-Eimer-Berg, you can bet it’s Alois Bruch. His red overalls have been his trade mark around Spitz for a long time already. We have been partners with him and his wife, Elisabeth, for almost five decades now. “The 1000-Eimer-Berg was practically made for Riesling,” explained Alois. When Alois is not spending time outdoors and in his vineyard, he loves to go diving. He knows almost every lake in Austria and all the world’s oceans from a fish’s perspective.
Favourite wine: Gelber Muskateller Terrassen
Vineyards: 0.3 ha at Spitz (Ried 1000-Eimer-Berg)
GEORG PÖCHLINGER
Winegrower and Chef — Many Similarities. “In truth,” Georg explains, “I always wanted to be a chef and to create good food that makes people happy.” His path to becoming a winegrower is clearly a product of his family history, although he also knows that his wines are plenty capable of making visitors to his family’s seasonal Heuriger (wine tavern) happy too. His family has been working with Domäne Wachau for many decades, and together with his parents Marianne & Gottfried converted the vineyards to organic cultivation.
Favorite wine: Grüner Veltiner Smaragd Terrassen
Vineyards: 3.2 ha in Arnsdorf
DORIS, WILLI, PHILIPP & MATTHIAS FÜGERL
Family all the way. All of the Fügerls pitch in: Doris and Willi as well as their sons, Philipp and Matthias – they are always up for a joke or funny chat. They also share a love for the Wachau region and nature, which is reflected not only in words, but also by the fact that they now run their Kellerberg and Liebenberg single-vineyards organically, too.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Liebenberg
Vineyards: 1,84 ha at Dürnstein (Ried Kellerberg & Ried Liebenberg)
GUDRUN KROPF
Superwoman, 4 children and a top Heuriger! Gudrun Kropf’s winery along with its excellent Heuriger is located directly beside the Danube cycle path on the outskirts of Weißenkirchen, and the splendid views from the terrace extend down to the blue river and over to her single-vineyards Liebenberg and Kaiserberg. The two extremely steep sites have been in Gudrun’s family for generations. “We know every millimetre up there, as the majority of the terraces have to be tended by hand,” she explained. Alongside her work in the winery, she also has four children, who keep her on her toes and are already helping out with the family business.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kaiserberg
Vineyards: 5,2 ha at Weissenkirchen and Dürnstein (Ried Steinriegl, Ried Liebenberg, Ried Kaiserberg)
KARIN, SEPP & BIRGIT TRAUTSAMWIESER
Family power in Achleiten and the Heuriger. “Sustainable cultivation, an airy canopy and a lot of hands-on work”: Karin, Sepp and Birgit Trautsamwieser know their stuff. The expertise in growing perfect grapes all around Weissenkirchen has been passed down from older to younger family members for generations. Dad Sepp is a passionate stone terrace vintner, which is definitely an advantage considering the many terraces in the Ried Achleiten vineyard in particular, and mum Karin keeps everyone supplied with tasty cuisine in the Heuriger, which is open four times a year. Birgit is involved all over and has been a vintner with heart and soul for a long time already.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Achleiten
Vineyards: 2,9 ha at Weissenkirchen (Ried Achleiten)
WILFRIED SCHMELZ
Our neighbour. Wilfried Schmelz is our neighbour in Dürnstein and a frequent and very welcome guest in our Vinothek. He contributes to our Dürnstein village wines with his grapes from the vineyards around the town. Since entering retirement, the former tax inspector has poured all his time and energy into his vines, implementing our specifications meticulously and precisely.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Dürnstein
Vineyards: 0,32 ha at Dürnstein
CHRISTOPH RONGE
A man from Vienna in the Wachau region. Newcomer to the region Christoph Ronge left his busy life in politics behind in Vienna and is now enjoying his retirement as a novice Wachau vintner in Spitz. He performs almost all of the work in his vineyards alone and by hand. He is very pleased that organic management is a visible sign that the fauna in the vineyards is flourishing so well.
Favourite wine: Riesling Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 0,42 ha at Schwallenbach
SILKE & THOMAS LANGMAYER
A change of career. Silke and Thomas only decided to dedicate themselves to viticulture professionally in 2009. Prior to that, they were passionate about old cars, and they still love to tinker with them in their rare moments of free time. The couple loves the work in the vineyards of Ried Kollmitz and Kollmütz (single-vineyards) and looks forward every day to the stunning views of the Danube and their colourful and lively terraces. Alongside the winery, Silke in particular also dedicates her time enthusiastically to the guests in their small bed and breakfast.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kollmitz
Vineyards: 3,9 ha at Wösendorf (Ried Kollmitz and Ried Kollmütz)
NINA PREISBERGER & HUBERT MARTIN
A vineyard worked by several generations. Nina’s family repeatedly presents a pleasing picture: the children Lenny and Dennis, five and six years old, their great-grandpa Hubert and between them Nina, a full-time vintner and full-time mother, at the lofty heights of the Bruck vineyard in Spitzer Graben. While they are typical for many of our vintner families, it is not all that common for several generations to daily work side-by-side in the vineyards, with great devotion to detail and the most painstaking manual labour.
Favourite wine: Riesling Federspiel Ried Bruck
Vineyards: 1,5 ha at Spitzer Graben (Ried Bruck)
HERBERT KERZENDORFER
Full of energy. Herbert Kerzendorfer can’t complain of having nothing to do. He teaches, is an avid clarinet and saxophone player, runs and cycles. As if that weren’t enough, he and his wife, Sabine, also cultivate a number of terraced plots on the single-vineyards Brandstatt and Trenning almost entirely by hand. Herbert is “not at all” bothered about having so many activities and duties – he understands the work in the vineyard as “balancing out his main job” and is proud of the “crisp acidity, beautiful fruit and top qualities” of his grapes.
Favourite wine: Riesling Smaragd Terrassen
Vineyards: 1,3 ha at Mühldorf (Ried Trenning and Ried Brandstatt)
CHRISTOPH DONABAUM
Dry stone walls and a Heuriger. Christoph is a prime example of the Wachau’s young and highly motivated vintner generation. His favourite playgrounds are the dry stone walls supporting vineyards at Spitzer Graben, where sustainability and biodiversity crown his list of values. He is assisted by the whole family: his father Josef applies ancient handcraft skills in tending the dry stone walls while his mother Herta manages the Heuriger tavern, an almost cult venue, especially at the close of the winter carnival season.
Favourite wine: Riesling Federspiel Ried 1000-Eimer-Berg
Vineyards: 0,7 ha at Spitzer Graben
MONIKA TAUBER & GERTRUDE STERNECKER
Their favourite vineyard: Ried Pichlpoint. Monika associates vineyards not just with grapes and wine but with an abundance of childhood memories. Today she is directly responsibility for working our vineyards, which even her parents Gertrude and Anton before her used to cultivate for us. Monika’s goal is first and foremost to invest great energy and conviction in maintaining biodiversity as well as a pleasing landscape harbouring variety.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Pichlpoint
Vineyards: 3,5 ha at Weissenkirchen and Joching (Ried Pichlpoint, Ried Steinriegl)
JOSEF & MARTIN BERGKIRCHNER
Wine & apricots. The vintner family around Renate and Josef Bergkirchner in Arnsdorf has been a long-standing partner of ours for decades. And luckily, there is no sign of that changing any time soon: Martin, the youngest Bergkirchner, has also been involved in the winery for a few years now and has already made his mark. They now work organically and are 100% convinced that it was the right step for a healthy and assured future. The family’s second crop is apricots, which are available to buy fresh and in a range of delicious products.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen
Vineyards: 4,7 ha at Arnsdorf
GERTRUDE & JOSEF SEIDL
Organic quality for more than 30 years. The diverse fauna and splendid flora Gertrude & Josef Seidl encounter on their vineyards is the result of decades of organic cultivation that began in 1988, at a time when most of us had no idea what ecological viticulture even was. This work is even more amazing and impressive when you consider that the Biern and Offenberg vineyards are some of the steepest sites in the Spitzer Graben, where the weather is also often less than accommodating.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Steinwerk Spitzer Graben
Vineyards: 0,7 ha at Spitz
HANS MARTIN
Organic & music. When Hans Martin is not playing the trombone in the Spitz Trachtenkapelle brass band, hiking or skiing, he can be found tending his vines around Spitz and Wösendorf, including some famous single-vineyards such as Pichlpoint and Kollmütz. In addition, Hans established one of our first Traminer vineyards on the Setzberg mountain in Spitz in 2007. In 2018, he decided to switch over to organic cultivation. It was a brave step that involved new challenges, but also brought with it great satisfaction. In spring, especially, the plants flourish and transform his vineyards into a blossoming and vibrant sea of flowers.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Pichlpoint
Vineyards: 4,5 ha at Spitz & Wösendorf (Ried Pichlpoint and Ried Kollmütz)
SUSANNE, KARL & LISA BRANDL
Grapes, apples, apricots, plums and more. Unlike most Wachau vintners, the Brandls, Susanne, Karl and their daughter, Lisa, don’t have the difficult choice between apricots or wine: they have both – and apples, pears and plums to boot. The orchards are located around Rossatz and Rührsdorf, with the fruit available in stores all across Austria. And also the vines grow there in the single-vineyards Steiger and Kirnberg. They are cultivated on the basis of the motto “work with nature, not against her.”
Favourite wine: Gelber Muskateller Terrassen
Vineyards: 2,8 ha at Rossatz and Rührsdorf (Ried Kirnberg and Ried Kreuzberg)
ANNEMARIE ARTNER & JOHANNES SCHREIBER
Multitasking! Annemarie Artner and Johannes Schreiber open their Heuriger wine tavern twice a year just a stone’s throw from the banks of the Danube in Rossatzbach. The remainder of the year, the part-time vintners, whose main jobs are as a nurse and policeman, cultivate the vines in the Kirnberg, Kreuzberg and Steiger single-vineyards for us with great attention to detail. Plus, as if all that isn’t enough and because both are passionate about the Wachau and wine, they also organise wine tastings on boats on the Danube and excursions to the region’s top attractions.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Kirnberg
Vineyards: 1,0 ha at Rossatz and Rührsdorf (Ried Kirnberg and Ried Kreuzberg)
DOMINIK STÖGER
Professional musician. Music is what sets Dominik’s tempo. A jazz-lover, he has played the trombone with Vienna’s VBW musical orchestra for years. To relax from the stress of performing professionally, he retreats to Dürnstein, to tend several small vineyards for us. “Having grown up among the vines, I feel a personal need to keep the vineyards strong and healthy. That’s also the reason why I now cultivate the vineyards based on organic methods.”
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnstein
Vineyards: 0,3 ha at Dürnstein
MARKUS, RENATE & MATTHIAS GALLHOFER
Rustic Heuriger with family hospitality. For the Gallhofer family fruit-growing, and grapes and wine especially, play a big role. The Gallhofer family are among our most faithful and wittiest vintner families. With keen energy and enthusiasm, they tend to our vineyards while following organic methods. This makes them pioneers among our winegrowers along the Danube left bank at Rossatz and Rührsdorf. They also manage their own rustic Heuriger, where almost exclusively homemade fare is served. Topping the list of recommendations here is the smoked beef with black salsify salad and honeydew melon.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kreuzberg
Vineyards: 7 ha at Rührsdorf and Rossatz (Ried Kreuzberg)
CHRISTIAN & ANTON GRITSCH
Father and son in the vineyard. The decision to convert our vineyards to organic cultivation was a joint one: Anton calls it “an important step in the right direction”, ensuring “thriving vineyards in harmony with nature”, Christian adds. Although much more effort is required, the yield is fantastic, Christian reports. “We are thrilled – everything blooms and teems with life. With the vines in harmony, the grapes are balanced and render full aromas.”
Favourite wine: Roter Traminer Reserve
FRITZ LEBERZIPF
In Spitzer Graben, with companion and protector Rico. Fritz is one of our most dynamic and highly motivated winegrowers, working the extremely step slopes of Spitzer Graben and the vineyards at Wösendorf almost exclusively by hand. Together with the whole family, most especially his mother Annemarie, who supports him wherever possible, he strives to achieve healthy, luscious and blossoming vineyards. His constant companion and protector in all activities is Rico, an Appenzeller mountain dog.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Ried Kollmütz
Vineyards: 5,5 ha at Spitzer Graben and at Wösendorf (Ried Bruck, Ried Kollmütz)
JOHANNES GLÜCK
Heuriger, hunting and yoga. With great experience and enthusiasm, Johannes, a passionate hunter, and his wife Michaela nurture our vineyards, ably assisted by Johannes’ uncle Ferdinand Schütz. The couple also run a Heuriger tavern in the village of Mitterarnsdorf. Their devoted helper is Corgi, a Bavarian Mountain Hound with a special talent for routing out voles. In the winter, when leisure is more plentiful, Johannes likes to take time for a relaxing yoga lesson.
Favourite wine: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Axpoint
Vineyards: 1,5 ha at Arnsdorf
MIRIAM & FLORIAN DRAXLER-TODT
It all comes down to thriving vineyards. “Vineyards that thrive, with biodiversity and vines that get just the right supply of water”: Florian is very passionate when summing up his philosophy in just a few words. It hardly comes as a surprise that together with his wife Miriam he made the move to organic cultivation several years back. One of our forerunner organic farmers, he carefully selects his own custom seed mixtures to enrich his vineyards with greenery.
Favourite wine: Riesling Federspiel Ried Loibenberg
Vineyards: 3,5 ha at Dürnstein and Loiben (Ried Liebenberg, Ried Kellerberg, Ried Loibenberg)
HANS BLAUENSTEINER
Our flesh-and-blood bedrock. Together with his wife Martina, Hans loves working the precipitously steep vineyard slopes in Spitzer Graben. Meanwhile, Hans has been working at our estate for almost 35 years. He knows it like the back of his hand and can answer any question. He repairs and assembles machinery and fixtures, tends the roses gracing the Kellerschlössel and supervises deliveries of grapes in the harvest season.
Favourite wine: Neuburger Federspiel Spitzer Graben
Vineyards: 2,2 ha at Spitzer Graben (Ried Trenning and Ried Brandstatt)
