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 the visit of the Steiermark, we drove quite a bit to northern Austria to visit the Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental.
The day began with breakfast at the Palais Hotel Erzherzog Johann in Graz, an elegent 4-star hotel in a former 60-room Baroque right in the center of charming old town Graz and ended with a fantastic wine pairing dinner at Heurigenhof Bründlmayer, Langenlois, the iconic producer of Riesling in the Kamptal.
Befor dinner we checked-in at the Loisium Wine & Spa Resort in Langenlois, Kamptal, a 4 star, luxurious, very modern hotel designed by US star-architect Steven Holl on the outskirts of Langenlois with views towards the vineyards.
There, we were greeted by Klaus Wittauer and Eva Steininger with an impromptu Sekt Reception.
See: At Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois, Kamptal: Impromptu Steininger Sekt Reception with Eva Steininger and Klaus Wittauer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Klaus Wittauer, who joined us for the dinner at Heurigenhof Bründlmayer, is a Washington DC-based importer of Austrian wine and Eva Steininger is the owner of Weingut Steininger in Weingut Steininger, Langenlois, Kamptal, Niederösterreich, which we visited the following day.
After check-in, we walked a short distance through the vineyards to Heurigenhof Bründlmayer.
Heurigenhof Bründelmayer belongs to Weingut Bründelmayer. It is managed by Martin Schierhuber and his spouse.When were there, the kitchen team was headed by Chef Jan Pfeiffer.
We enjoyed a 4-course dinner with correponding Bründelmayer wines.
After dinner, some of us had a last drink at the wine bar of the Loisium.
Heurigenhof Bründelmayer - Gault-Millau Guide 14.5/20
Ein Glas Bründlmayer-Sekt, dazu Butter, Brot und Kresse. Auf Wunsch kann man im Restaurant das Gedeck auch mit einigen Spezialitäten erweitern. Wir verzichten diesmal auf diese Option und lassen uns lieber den gebeizten Hirschrücken mit gegrilltem Römersalat und die Consomée vom Waldviertler Bio-Huhn mit Bockshornnudeln schmecken. Beide Gerichte hätten mehr Pfiff – Stichwort Gewürze – vertragen. Die gleichen Erfahrungen machen wir beim geflämmten Karfiol oder der confierten Forelle mit gegrillter Zucchini: gutes Essen, aber das gewisse Etwas fehlt. Bei der Nachspeise bleiben wir diesmal bei den Marillenpalatschinken, die uns die Küche auf unseren Wunsch zubereitet.
Weingut Bründlmayer, Langenlois
Weingut Bründlmayer is one of the star producers of the Kamptal region in Austria.
Willi Bründlmayer owns 220 acres of vineyards on rocky terraces in Langenlois and these are farmed according to organic principles; since 2019 the winery is certified organic. The vineyards include several Erste Lagen (Premiers Crus), including one of Kamptal's best vineyards - Zöbinger Heiligenstein.
The winery is run by the Bründlmayer family and general manager Andreas Wickhoff MW. Together, the Bründlmayer team displays meticulous attention to detail. Careful harvesting and precise selection of grapes, always without botrytis, and minimal handling in the winery results in pure, restrained and mineral wines. A tiny portion of grapes is held back, de-stemmed, and macerated for 12 hours; Willi uses these as ‘seasoning’ during blending to add another dimension and tonality to the final wines. The focus is on excellent Grüner Veltliner and Riesling but the estate also produces fantastic Sekt and Pinot Noir.
At the turn of the millennium, Decanter magazine chose Bründlmayer as a member of the splendid group of 50 people worldwide to change the face of wine within the coming decades. Tim Atkin MW then added him to the list of 10 movers and shakers of the Austrian wine wonder.
We experienced an exquisite meal with exquisite wines. The Heurigenhof is listed in the Gault Millau Guide for Austria with 14,5 points out of 20 and with 2 Toques.
Weingut Bründlmayer (90ha) - Skurnik Wines
Langenlois / Kamptal / Austria
“Nearly every wine, from the light Grüner Veltliner to the red wines and the sparkling wines, has the potential to be the best of that vintage in its category,” declares Peter Moser, editor and publisher of Falstaff Wine Guide, Austria’s most respected and comprehensive wine publication. Also named in 2009 by Wine & Spirits Magazine “the best Austrian winemaker of the last 25 years,” Willi Bründlmayer farms 90 hectares of Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, St. Laurent, Zweigelt and Burgundian varieties from an impressive collection of grand cru vineyards around Langenlois. In 2016 Andreas Wickhoff MW joined the estate and as general manager works alongside Willi in all aspects.
Some of the most geologically diverse terroirs in Europe are here, in the heart of the Kamptal. The Danube and Kamp rivers and the wooded hills of the Waldviertel forest create a climate with large diurnal temperature swings, essential to a long growing season. These rocky, terraced vineyards are not the steep, jagged terraces of the Kremstal or the Wachau; these are larger wider terraces, each creating its own micro climate. The most famous vineyards in the region are located in the village of Zöbing. This small village is home to a number of ‘Grand Cru’ (Erste Lagen) vineyards, including the Zöbinger Heiligenstein, composed of 250 million year old sandstone and the Lamm, at the base of the Heiligenstein, where loess fills fissures and cracks in the sandstone. Bründlmayer has holdings in other top vineyards in the area, including Käferberg, across the Kamp river valley from the Heiligenstein, with marine deposits over primary rock, as well as the Loiserberg and Steinmassel. Bründlmayer has a very high proportion of old vines, with many plantings over 50 years old, and a parcel in the Heiligenstein planted in the 1920s.
Willi has converted some (17ha in total) of his vineyards to the Lyre training system, which he helped develop. Vines are trained low to the ground, to benefit from the warmth of the primary rock soils, then the canes are trained at an angle upward and perpendicular to the row, which doubles the sunlit and aired foliage surface and improves grape ripeness. The well-aired leaves also dry faster, thus reducing the risk of dreaded grape mildew.
As of 2019, Bründlmayer is certified organic by LACON, an outside, objective, certifying body. During harvest, multiple selections through the vineyard are made, as botrytis is never accepted. Grapes are never de-stemmed or crushed, and they are handled as minimally as possible. A tiny portion of grapes are held back, de-stemmed, and macerated for 12 hours; Willi uses these as ‘seasoning’ during blending to add another dimension and tonality to the final wines.
- Vineyard area: 90 hectares
- Top sites:
- Zobinger Heiligenstein: 250 million year old Permian desert sandstone with feldspar (volcanic) and siltstone
- Langenloiser Steinmassel: Literally “Stone Mass“ – Permian rock with mica-schist
- Kammerner Lamm: Calcerous and loamy with underlying loess, the sites higher on the hill have most sandstone and silt from Heiligenstein erosion.
- Langenloiser Berg-Vogelsang: A variety of mica schist called “Gföhler Gneiss” some of the amphibolite stones in the vineyards even contain garnets.
- Grape varieties: 33% Grüner Veltliner, 25% Riesling, 15% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay, 17% other varieties
Arriving
Dinner
General Manager Martin Schierhuber
Chef Jan Pfeiffer
Back to the Hotel Louisium
Last Drink at the Hotel
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, Strass, Südsteiermark, with Sommelier Philipp Heidenbauer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Tement, Steiermark, with Sommelier Andy Bodor and Manfred and Heidi Tement - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
"Steierisches Backhendl"-Lunch at Weingut Tement/ Restaurant Magnothek, Südsteiermark - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Gustav Mahler, Sinfonie Nr. 3, at Graz Opera, Steiermark - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
In Eisenstadt, Burgenland: Tour at Haydn House, Lunch at Restaurant Henrici, Tour at Esterhazy Castle - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
At Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois, Kamptal: Impromptu Steininger Sekt Reception with Eva Steininger and Klaus Wittauer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Wine-pairing Dinner at Heurigenhof Bründlmeyer (15.5 Point Gault Millau) - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
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
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