The winery is located in the municipality of Straß im Straßertal in the Lower Austrian wine-growing region of Kamptal. It has been run by Erich and Michaela Haas since 1992. In the mid-1990s, a new, three-storey cellar was put into operation. A large part of the vineyards were replanted. On the famous Zöbinger Heiligenstein, two hectares of long fallow stone terraces were recultivated. The vineyards cover 26 hectares of vineyards in the Gaisberg, Hasel, Heiligenstein, Renner (Kammern) and Wechselberg vineyards. 80% of the vineyards are planted with the white wine varieties Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gelber Muskateller, and 20% with the red wine varieties Zweigelt and St. Laurent.
Natural viticulture is practised with the use of exclusively organic fertilisers and no weedkillers. Quality criteria are the selection of suitable soil for each grape variety, precise foliage management and yield-reducing measures with an average of 5,000 kg/ha. The objective is to vinify wines with a pronounced varietal and origin character. Premium wines are Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners Kamptal DAC and Kamptal DAC Reserve from different vineyards. About 120,000 bottles of wine are produced annually, of which about 70% are exported. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines, vinegar and noble brandies (grape, pomace, fruit) are also produced. Since the 2013 vintage, the winery has been a member of the Winzervereinigung Traditionsweingüter Österreich.
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Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena