Top Grüner Veltliner Producers in Wachau

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s signature grape variety, and the Wachau region is its undisputed heartland. This picturesque valley along the Danube River is home to some of the world’s most acclaimed Grüner Veltliner producers, including:

• Domäne Wachau
• Weingut Rudi Pichler
• F.X. Pichler
• Franz Hirtzberger
• Emmerich Knoll

These producers are known for their unwavering commitment to quality and their ability to produce wines that are both expressive of their terroir and incredibly delicious. Their Grüner Veltliners are typically characterized by their high acidity, minerality, and complex flavors of citrus, white pepper, and spice.

In this blog post, we will take a closer look at each of these top Grüner Veltliner producers in the Wachau. So whether you are a seasoned Grüner Veltliner aficionado or simply curious to learn more about this amazing grape variety, be sure to read on!

Understanding Wachau’s Winemaking Excellence

Grüner Veltliner became famous in the 1950s thanks to Lenz Moser‘s high training method, which brought high yields but uninteresting wines.

Quick reminder on Wachau’s terroir

The Wachau wine region in Austria is dominated by weathered granite and gneiss, with rocky soils that are often fissured, allowing the vine roots to go deep in search of water. You’ll come accross terraces supported by drystone walls, which means the vineyards are worked by hand. Water stress is a problem in the Wachau, due to low rainfall and well-drained soils.

The region’s topography creates a variety of microclimates, and the Danube River plays a major role in shaping the local climate. Warm air from the Pannonian plains to the east meets cold air flowing down from the Weinviertel, resulting in a wide diurnal temperature range. This contributes to the high acidity and structure of the Wachau’s wines.

Grapes varieties in Wachau

Grüner Veltliner is the most important grape variety in the Wachau, followed by Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Neuburger, Weissburgunder, Gelber Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, and even Zweigelt.

The tree-tier system in the Wachau classification

Top growers in the Wachau have created the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus (Vinea Wachau for short), a three-tier classification system for their wines:

• Steinfeder: These are light, fresh wines with an alcohol content of 11% to 11.5%. They are named after a local grass, and are meant to be drunk young.
• Federspiel: These wines are equivalent to dry Kabinett, with a minimum alcohol content of 11.5% and a maximum residual sugar content of 12.5 grams per liter. The name refers to a lure used in falconry, a popular sport among the nobility in the Wachau in the past.
• Smaragd: These are the top wines of the Wachau, with an alcohol content of at least 12% and a maximum residual sugar content of 9 grams per liter. The name refers to a lizard that is sometimes seen in the stony vineyards during hot weather.

Vinea Wachau also imposes other rules on its members, such as prohibiting chaptalization, the use of concentrated must or mechanical concentrators, wood chips, and tannin additions, as well as alcohol-reducing techniques such as reverse osmosis and spinning cones. Malolactic fermentation is discouraged by most producers, although partial malolactic can occasionally occur.

“Grands Crus” in the Wachau

When asked by some growers and merchants to name their “grands crus”, the only vineyards on which there was near unanimity were Loibenberg, Kellerberg, Klaus, Achleiten, Hochrain, Singerriedel, and Tausend-Eimer-Berg.

Grüner Veltliner winemaking and food pairing

There are two main ways that Grüner Veltliner wines are made: in the “Klassik” style, where the aging takes place in stainless steel tanks, or in the “Reserve” style, where the aging takes place in new oak barrels.

Due to its high acidity, pepperish and herbaceous aromas, and freshness, Grüner Veltliner can pair with a variety of foods, from fish and spicy Asian food to fried and creamy dishes, which are flagships of Austrian cuisine.

Domäne Wachau – Tradition Passed Down Generations

Domäne Wachau is one of the largest and most successful wine cooperatives in Austria, producing over 3 million bottles of wine each year. But what sets Domäne Wachau apart is its commitment to both innovation and tradition.

Winemaker Heinz Frischengruber is a passionate advocate for ecological viticulture and experimentation. He has introduced a number of innovative practices at Domäne Wachau, such as using amphoras and granite vats for fermentation and aging. He is also experimenting with fortified Grüner Veltliner, a unique and exciting new wine style.

Despite his commitment to innovation, Frischengruber also deeply respects the traditions of Austrian winemaking. He makes the final call on the harvest date by tasting the grapes, rather than relying on analysis. He also ages his wines longer than is typical, giving them the time to develop their full potential.

Domäne Wachau’s wines are a reflection of Frischengruber’s philosophy: they are innovative and exciting, while still respecting the traditions of Austrian winemaking. If you are looking for a winery that is at the forefront of Austrian wine, Domäne Wachau is a must-visit.

Rudi Pichler – A Maniac for Quality

“I’m a wine caretaker not a winemaker”

Rudi Pichler is one of the most respected and acclaimed winemakers in Austria. He is known for his fanatical dedication to quality and his meticulous attention to detail. Pichler’s wines are renowned for their purity, precision, and complexity.

Pichler was born in 1964 in the Wachau Valley, one of the most prestigious wine regions in Austria. He grew up surrounded by vineyards, and he developed a deep understanding of the region’s terroir at a young age.

Pichler took over the family winery in 1990, and he quickly established himself as one of the leading winemakers in the country.

Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, Weißenkirchen, and Mautern. Wösendorf and Joching lie in the heart of the Wachau Valley where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River.

Here, rieden such as Kirchweg, Hochrain, and Kollmütz are marked by occasional deposits of loess over base rock.

Here are some of the things that make Rudi Pichler’s wines so special:

• Cooler climate: The Wachau Valley has a cooler climate than many other wine regions in Austria. This means that the grapes ripen more slowly, which results in wines with higher acidity and more complex flavors.
• Low yields: Pichler keeps yields low to ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality. Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with harvest and botrytis carefully removed by hand. Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins depending on the vintage and style. “The skin has information about the specific place where it is from,” says Rudi. This results in wines with more concentration and intensity.

• Meticulous winemaking: Pichler is a meticulous winemaker who takes great care in every aspect of the winemaking process. He uses a variety of traditional and innovative techniques to produce wines with unique flavor profiles. For instance, indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation, though temperature control is used in the cellar. Rudi does not use commercial yeast to finish stuck fermentations, choosing to allow residual sugar if fermentation does not finish. He experiments with fermenting wines on the skins for extraction and prefers blanketing with carbon dioxide in lieu of sulfur additions. Stainless steel, large format neutral oak, and small oak barrels are all used for fermentation and aging, but oak is never prominent in the wines. Malolactic fermentation is avoided. The resulting wines are pure, dense, and taut with energy.
• Long aging: Pichler ages his wines for several years in old oak barrels. This gives the wines time to develop their full complexity.

Over the years, Rudi Pichler has made some deliberate changes to his winemaking operation. One notable change is the complete absence of drain channels in his new cellar. This is in stark contrast to most modern wineries, but Pichler explains that he prefers to clean his cellar manually, with a toothbrush, rather than spraying it down with chemicals.

Another significant change is Pichler’s decision in 2012 to begin crushing all of his grapes by foot. This traditional practice is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but Pichler believes that it produces gentler results, which leads to better wines.

F.X. Pichler – The most admired Wachau producer

F.X. Pichler is one of the most prestigious and acclaimed wineries in the Wachau region of Austria. It is known for producing world-class wines that are characterized by their purity, precision, and complexity.

Pichler’s vineyards are located on some of the best sites in the Wachau, including Dürnsteiner Kellerberg, Loibner Berg, and Steinertal. The winery farms its vineyards organically and sustainably, and yields are kept low to ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality.

In the cellar, Pichler uses traditional winemaking methods, including fermentation with indigenous yeasts and aging in large casks. He avoids chaptalization and added acidity, allowing the wines to express their natural character.

The result is a range of wines that are truly exceptional. Pichler’s wines are known for their high acidity, minerality, and complex flavors. They are also incredibly age-worthy, developing even more depth and complexity with time.

His Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Steinriegel is a benchmark for Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau. It is characterized by its intense minerality, citrus flavors, and white pepper spice.

Franz Hirtzberger – A family legacy

The Hirtzberger family has been making wine in the Wachau region of Austria for over 500 years. In 1897, the family moved to Spitz, where they remain today. Franz Hirtzberger Jr. is the current custodian of the family estate, and he is carrying on the tradition of producing world-class wines.

Hirtzberger’s top Grüner Veltliner wine is the Hongivogel. This wine comes from a single vineyard that is planted on steep terraces of loess and gravel soils. The Hongivogel is known for its purity, intensity, and complex flavors of citrus, white pepper, and spice.

The vines are carefully pruned and tied up to promote even ripening. They harvest their grapes by hand, in multiple passes through the vineyard, to ensure that only the ripest and best fruit is selected.

Once in the cellar, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in large wooden barrels. Hirtzberger uses a combination of traditional and modern winemaking techniques to bring out the pure aromas and flavors of the grapes. His wines are a reflection of the terroir from which they come, and they have the potential to age for many years.

Hirtzberger is known for his white wines, which are fermented in stainless steel and then aged in acacia or oak barrels. He avoids aging his wines on fine lees, as he believes that they already have sufficient weight and flavor.

Emmerich Knoll – Where Heritage Shines in Every Glass

Emmerich Knoll is a perfectionist winemaker from the Wachau region of Austria.

Some of Knoll’s most acclaimed wines include the Grüner Veltliner Ried Loibenberg Steinriegel. His vines are mostly in the eastern part of the valley (Loiben and across the border of Kremstal).

His most celebrated vineyard is Schütt, with its low-lying alluvial fan soil containing a great deal of primary rock and rubble.

Knoll Sr. doesn’t like cool fermentation, so his wines lack aroma and immediacy in youth. He prefers to capture the typicity of each terroir and sufficient structure. His Smaragd wines are known for their power and high alcohol.

This high ripeness enabled him to produce Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese in vintages such as 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007, and 2015.

Knoll is committed to producing wines of the highest quality. He uses traditional winemaking techniques, such as spontaneous fermentation and aging in large wooden barrels. He also believes in aging his wines for several years before they are released. This allows the wines to develop their full complexity and potential.

Conclusion: Top Grüner Veltliner Producers in Wachau

Here are four examples of the most prestigious and acclaimed wineries in the Wachau region of Austria: Domäne Wachau, Rudi Pichler, F.X. Pichler, Franz Hirtzberger and Knoll.

Each winery has its own unique approach to winemaking, but all share a commitment to quality and a deep understanding of the Wachau terroir.

Have you ever tasted some? Which other wineries would you add? Let me know in the comments!

If you’re looking to find some, check out this post on where to buy Austrian wine online.