Considered by most to be the oldest winegrowing region in Austria, Weinviertel is, geographically, the largest in the country, although the land is also used for other agricultural production in addition to vineyards. While the famed appellations of Kremstal, Kamptal, and the Wachau are situated roughly an hour northwest of Vienna, the large Weinviertel appellation, also in Lower Austria, stretches from the Danube in the south to the far northeastern corner of the country, near the borders of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The name, which translates to, “wine quarter,” reflects the region’s rich and ancient wine heritage, although it is only in recent years that serious producers like Ingrid Groiss and Dürnberg have been drawing attention to the area’s incredible potential. The Dürnberg Estate is located in the northern part of the region, in the historic village of Falkenstein where winegrowing reaches back to the 12th century (the town also functioned as the wine business hub between Vienna and Brno until the 17th century).

 

The Dürnberg Estate, located along the Falkenstein cliffs, benefits from a unique topography that is 17 million years in the making. The loam, humus and limestone soils are wholly unique to this special pocket of northeastern Austria. Warm days and drastically cooler nights result in fruit which retains refreshing acidity and tension, while later harvesting captures a weight, texture, and complexity that rivals top examples of Wachau’s Federspiel styles - but, at a fraction of the price. This striking terroir is further enhanced by Dürnberg’s passionate dedication to maintaining a thriving ecosystem in their vineyards. The only estate currently certified by Sustainable Austria in the Weinviertel, Dürnberg embraces low yields and green management, eschewing the use of nitrates and insecticides; this results in a profound expression of terroir in the glass. This Reserve Weinviertel is harvested late, between late-October and mid-November, and is then cold macerated and pressed before spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts. In the historic cellar, which belonged to winemaker Christoph Körner’s grandparents, the wine is aged on its lees in 1,000-liter and 500-liter barrels for ten months, which results in a textured yet refreshing expression of Grüner Veltliner that you simply must experience.