Kamptal, Austria

Alwin and Stefanie’s winery dates back to the 16th century, making it one of Austria’s oldest estates. The Jurtschitsch family bought the property in 1868 and in 2010 Alwin and his wife Stefanie took over and have taken the winery from strength to strength ever since. Their first step was to convert to organic farming and place sustainability and site expression at the heart of their winemaking practice. They also started to cut down on the number of hectares they cultivate so they could dedicate their time to their top vineyards - including the renowned vineyards of Loiserberg, Lamm, Käferberg and Heiligenstein.

Alwin and Stefanie produce some of the most highly regarded single vineyard Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners in the Kamptal. They also produce some stellar Champagne Method sparkling wines from local varieties.

Alwin and Stefanie shy away from producing wine in the rich, ripe style Kamptal is often associated with. Instead, they work with densely planted vineyards and older vines, giving their wines concentration and depth of flavour while maintaining moderate alcohol levels and keeping the focus on site expression. In recent years they have also allowed themselves to work on 'experiments' both in the vineyards and cellar, which play an incredibly important role in the evolution of the wines and the overall estate.

Despite being regarded as a 'classic' estate, many of the region’s most forward-thinking projects have originated within the Jurtschitsch's deep thought process (Fuchs und Hase is a brainchild of theirs alongside fellow winemakers Martin & Eva Arndorfer) and we are excited to see what's to come next!