Hard work pays off – the 2023 vintage

What a viticulture year it has been! 2023 truly rolled out everything that keeps a winemaker up at night. The wine year kicked off with turbulence, featuring a relatively early bloom during the extremely dry first months of the year. Following a rainy and cold spring, we then faced very humid and hot summer months (especially July and August had us "sweating"). In addition, at the beginning of September, we had to endure trepidation at the onset of rainfall. Fortunately, thanks to the long-awaited beautiful and dry autumn, characterized by warm days and cool nights, we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. A roller coaster ride in the vineyard!

Extreme Weather Conditions – when fires break out on all fronts

Such diverse and extreme weather conditions naturally lead to significantly increased workload in the vineyards. The high risk of fungal infestation due to the humid and warm summer months, coupled with the challenging yield planning caused by the rainy August, demanded an above-average effort from our members. This is where the advantage of our cooperative became evident this year. The small-scale structure of our members’ smallholdings (each member manages an average of about 1 hectare) allowed us to implement specific measures precisely when needed. When fires break out on all fronts, such targeted and timely work is only possible when everyone can fully concentrate on their (small) vineyard. Through intensive and targeted work, combined with knowledge of each vineyard's peculiarities passed down through generations, we navigated the challenges well throughout the year and were rewarded for the extra effort in the end!

When Nature Delivers Exactly What You've Been Seeking: A Glimpse into the Cellar

After such a demanding wine year, our joy was even greater when we held the first samples of the 2023 vintage in the glass. Across the board, the new vintage of wines boasts low alcohol levels, and the wines in the SELECTION line are straightforward, impressing with abundant fruit, freshness, and minerality. Enjoyment is guaranteed! Since this perfectly reflects our desired stylistic approach to the wines, the decision was clear: this year, too, we want the vintage to speak for itself, with gentle guidance in the cellar.

Especially with the important red wines, the vintage influence is always crucial to the final result. The concerns we had in early September gradually diminished throughout autumn. Now we stand before unexpectedly beautiful, robust, and intense red wines. The favorable fall weather, with its warm days and cool nights, contributed greatly to this outcome. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested at the right time and with ideal ripeness, promising plenty of fruit, structure, and the alpine freshness that is so characteristic for our wines.

The high-altitude white wines also benefited from the beautiful autumn. The TERROIR white wines maturing in the cellar, from Sauvignon KOFL at 450-600 meters above sea level to Müller Thurgau GRAUN at 800-900 meters above sea level, offer exactly what we strive for: juicy, elegant wines with lots of freshness and minerality, paired with moderate alcohol levels.

This outlook sweetens the wait until the wines are released. In the meantime, we look forward to the quickly approaching release of the 2023 SELECTION wines as a promising preview!

As always, tasting a new vintage is better than just reading about it: we look forward to welcoming you in our wine shop or at one of the wine fairs to join you in tasting the new vintage!