In 1998, Fred Loimer made a statement by constructing a striking black cube atop a 19th-century cellar—an architectural manifestation of his forward-thinking approach to winemaking. After studying at Austria's prestigious Klosterneuburg and gaining experience in Germany's Nahe and California's Napa Valley, Fred returned to his family's estate determined to revolutionize Austrian wine. Not even the label design was spared re-thinking.

Unlike his peers, Fred avoids residual sugar, focusing instead on full grape maturity and terroir expression. His conversion to biodynamics in 2006 wasn't just for show—it was fundamental. As founder and co-president of the Respekt certification, he helped formalize standards for biodynamic viticulture throughout Austria.

The Käferberg vineyard is a warm, wind-protected site that sits between 310-345 meters above sea level with a complex geology spanning ancient crystalline rocks and younger clay marl deposited by the Paratethys sea 16 million years ago. It’s a First Growth of the Kamptal, hence the 1ÖTW (Österreichische Traditionsweingüter) on the label. Unsurprisingly, it’s a Grüner of extraordinary depth and structure.

Why You'll Love It

• US Exclusive—you can't find this wine elsewhere in America. Back vintages, if you can find them, are $70 and up.
  

• Unfiltered, spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts, aged 11 months in oak barrels and 8 months in stainless steel—a masterclass in minimal intervention.

How to Serve it

• Serve slightly warmer than most whites: 54-57°F
  

• Drink now through 2037—this is a seriously ageworthy white
  

• Pair with sashimi or something like a dungeness crab salad with grapefruit and fennel