Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Tasting at Weingut Polz, Strass, Südsteiermark, with Sommelier Philipp Heidenbauer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours





Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours took place from Sunday, May 28 - Thursday, June 08, 2023. We toured Austria for 12 days, starting and ending in Vienna: Wien, Wagram, Carnuntum, Burgenland, Steiermark, Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental, Wien.
Following:
"Brettljause" and Wine at Buschenschank Trummer, Weingut Trummer, with Jürgen Trummer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

we drove a few miles to Weingut Polz, Strass, Südsteiermark. This was a tasting-only visit.
Sommelier Philipp Heidenbauer was our host.

Weingut Polz, Strass, Südsteiermark

The Polz winery was founded by Johann Polz in 1912. Today the 4 th generation is running the estate. Erich jr. takes care of the business side and brother Christoph is responsible for the cellar and vinification. 

They farm around 200 acres of vineyards partly in unbelievably steep sites which naturally require manual work. Sustainability has been a focus for more than a decade which led to a conversion of all vineyards to
biological-organic cultivation. Their filet pieces such as the Theresienhöhe, which is characterized by different types of slate, and the Hochgrassnitzberg, which consists of rare shell limestone, give racy, crisp Sauvignon Blancs.

This winery has a special place in my heart. When we lived with the family in Zagreb in the early 90s, Croatia had just come out of a brutal war and some of the goods we and the kids were used to were not available. Hence, we drove to Graz, the closest western city to stock up on items. Before heading home, facing the aspect of being thoroughly checked when crossing two heavily guarded borders, I had to catch my breath for some minutes. We stopped at the Buschenschank at Weingut Polz, had some local cheese and one glass of beautiful Sauvignon Blanc sitting on the bench in front of the house enjoying the tranquility and the stunningly beautiful landscape. 

Polz wine estate. Now new since 1912.

It has now been 109 years since our great-grandfather Johann Polz laid the foundation for our winery on Grassnitzberg, since Rilke wrote his Duino Elegies and since the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic. What a year!

Today, we are already the 4th generation of our family dedicated to transferring our idea of excellence into a glass. With our hands. With our soils. With nature.

Since the spring of last year, Erich Polz Jr. has been heading the estate with a crystal-clear vision of guiding all the magnificent potential and valuable know-how inherent to his family's long history and winemaking tradition into a fruitful, robust future. A future for many more generations to come here on the estate. And a delectable future for all lovers of our wines throughout the world.

Erich’s brother Christoph is responsible for the cellar and vinification. Sensitive, calm, with great confidence in every single grape. Because at the Polz wine estate, every single fruit is carefully handpicked as it sets out on the honourable journey to its gratifying destiny. It makes no difference whether we are talking about territory wines typical of the region and variety, full of freshness and liveliness, or about the greatest possible growths of our domain that have aged to perfection. Fact remains: we are passionate about working by hand. And our skills grow directly from our origins in southern Styria, from our terroir.

Sustainability has been a major focus of our work for many years - and in future it will be even more pronounced. This includes gentle grapevine pruning, which we have been practising for more than a decade, the complete avoidance of insecticides and glyphosates, and the conversion of our vineyards to organic farming, which is already being implemented.

In the words of Erich Polz Jr.:  “We have been constantly learning and evolving at the wine estate for 109 years. We work with thriving vines that are planted in healthy soils. We strive for harmony, balance and excellence in our wines with great passion. And we are now also stepping more and more onto paths that have never been travelled before. After all, there is nothing riskier than risking nothing. 
 
Starting with a Sekt





 
Tasting



 
The Wines
 




Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - Published and Forthcoming Postings

ombiasy WineTours: Wine Tour Schedule 2023 - Austria, Germany/East, Burgundy/ Champagne, Germany/ North

Announcement: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023 

The Wines of Austria - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City 

Wine Producer Austria - Not Only Gruener Veltliner

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria

Dinner at an Iconic Beisl in Vienna: Griechenbeisl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of the Monastery/ Palace Klosterneuburg and of the Weingut Klosterneuburg, with Wine Tasting - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz at Plachutta in der Wollzeile, Vienna. Plachutta is more than a Restaurant: it is a Vienna Institution - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

After Dinner Drinks at Vis-a-Vis Wine Bar, Vienna - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Vienna: Viaker City Tour and Tour of Schloss Schönbrunn - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Die Seejungfrau in Jois at Lake Neusiedl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leo Hillinger, Burgenland, with Jakob Scharner, Diplom-Sommelier - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Netzl, Carnuntum, with Franz, Christine and Christina Netzl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Mole West at Lake Neusiedl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Anita and Hans Nittnaus, Burgenland, with Anita, Hans and Martin Nittnaus - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Umathum, Burgenland, with Joseph Umathum - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours 

2 Nights at Schloss Halbturn at Lake Neusiedl: Sekt Reception and two Dinners - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Steindorfer, Burgenland, with Ernst and Roland Steindorfer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours 

Light Lunch at Gránátos Étterem at Esterházy Kástely in Fertöd, Hungary: Hungarian Goulash Soup and Esterházy Cake - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

At the Liszt House in Raiding, where the Great Pianist, Romantic Composer and Conductor was Born - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Straka, Rechnitz, Burgenland, with Thomas Straka - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

High-end Sleeping and Eating in the Vineyard: Wohnothek am Ratschen and Restaurant am Ratschen (16/ 20 Gault Millau), Deutsch-Schützen - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Wachter-Wiesler, Burgenland, with Julia Wachter - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Weingut Jalits, Burgenland, with Mathias Jalits - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Neumeister, Straden, Vulkanland, Steiermark, with Christoph Neumeister - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner with a View at Weinrefugium Brolli, Steiermark - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Sattlerhof, Steiermark, with Justė Sattler - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wohlmuth, Steiermark, with Maria Wohlmuth - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

"Brettljause" and Wine at Buschenschank Trummer, Weingut Trummer, with Jürgen Trummer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Polz, Steiermark, with Sommelier Philipp Heidenbauer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Tement, Steiermark, with Sommelier Andy Bodor

Lunch at Restaurant Magnothek/ Weingut Tement, Südsteiermark

Gustav Mahler, Sinfonie Nr.3 at Graz Opera, Steiermark

In Eisenstadt, Burgenland: Tour at Haydn House, Lunch at Restaurant Henrici, Tour at Esterhazy Castle

At Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois, Kamptal: Impromptu Steininger Sekt Reception with Eva Steininger and Klaus Wittauer

Wine-pairing Dinner at Heurigenhof Bründlmeyer with Chef Jan Pfeiffer, 15.5 Point Gault Millau

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Steininger, Kamptal, with Brigitta Steininger

The Wines of Stefanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch, Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, Austria

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Stephanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, with Alwin Jurtschitsch

Lunch at Braugasthaus zum Fiakerwirtin Langenlois, Kamptal

Tasting at Weingut Markus Huber, Traisental, with Markus Huber

2 Days in Dürnstein, Wachau, at Hotel Richard Löwenherz

Martin Mittelbach from the "Tegernseehof" and Klaus Wittauer from "KWSelection" Presented Tegernseehof Wines and Stefan Trummer and Chef Austin Fausett from “Trummer’s on Main” in Clifton Austrian Appetizers at the Austrian Embassy in Washington DC, USA

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Tebernseerhof, Wachau, with Owner/ Winemaker Martin Mittelbach

Tour and Tasting at Domäne Wachau, Dürnstein, Wachau

Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Nigl, Kremstal, 13.5 Points Gault Millau

Vintage 2011 Tasting with Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, with Dirk Wuertz at his Koenigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, Austria/Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut F.X.Pichler, Wachau, with Lucas Pichler

Tasting at Weingut Matthias Hager, Kamptal, with Doris Hager

Lunch at Gasthaus Gutmann, Zöbing, Kamptal

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schloss Gobelsburg, Kamptal, with Stefan Tabery

Farewell Dinner at Café Central in Vienna

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