The Morning Claret

Simon J Woolf & Friends on Wild and Wonderful Wines

burgenland

Gernot Heinrich - Graue Freyheit 2016
4 minute read

Freedom at scale – Heinrich Graue Freyheit

Anyone who thinks that larger wineries can’t do quality, or show a serious commitment to sustainable, minimal-intervention production methods, should check out the wines from Gernot and Heike Heinrich in Burgenland, Austria. Simon takes a spin through their skin contact range.

Hofer Orange Sauvignon Blanc 2017 from Waldherr
4 minute read

Supermarket surprise – Hofer Orange 2017

Austrian supermarket chain Hofer (AKA Aldi) isn’t the first place one expects to find an orange wine for sale. But Waldherr’s “Orange” Sauvignon Blanc 2017 was on the shelves in December.

Rennersistas - Chardonnay 2015 © Taka Takeuchi
4 minute read

Rennersistas – Neusiedlersee Chardonnay 2015

As Amber Revolution approches its second stretch goal on Kickstarter, what better way to celebrate than by reviewing another orange wine? This time we’re heading to Austria to revisit a producer already mentioned briefly on this site: The Rennersistas Chardonnay 2015. I first Read more

Meinklang Graupert 2015
2 minute read

The joy of unkempt vines – Meinklang Graupert ’15

Create a 2,000 hectare farm on marshlands that used to be part of Austria’s biggest lake, let your Pinot Grigio vineyard run wild without any pruning, harvest, then ferment in concrete eggs with the skins for three weeks.

Martin Lichtenburger and Adrianna Gonzalez in their cellar, March 2017
4 minute read

Muscat Ottonel, a love story

Sometimes the path of true love really does alter everything. When Austrian Martin Lichtenberger and Spaniard Adrianna Gonzalez met in 2007, during their winemaking studies in California, they might not have predicted that they’d soon be making wine together on another continent. Not to mention a skin contact Muscat Ottonel (an orange wine).

Simon having a good sniff....
9 minute read

The unknown Austria – Part 2

For the introduction to this tasting, please see Part 1. Orange Interlude Austria shares borders with Northern Italy and Slovenia – both parts of the world with a long tradition of using extended skin maceration in white wine. So it’s Read more

The Unknown Austria - Line up
9 minute read

The unknown Austria – Part 1

A year living in the small Austrian town of Eisenstadt developed my considerable love not just for one of its natives, but also for the restrained and elegant wines. The issue? Availability of many of the greatest wines is pretty sparse, Read more

Andert Pamhogna 2012
3 minute read

Burgenland’s burgeoning orange scene: Andert Pamhogna

Some interesting Austria producers are well nigh invisible to the English speaking world, and at a guess this is why I’d never heard of Michael Andert (Andert Wein) until late last year. His tiny estate (4ha) in Burgenland (Easterly Austria, near the Hungarian border) has been certified biodynamic since 2003, and the white wines are all fermented on their skins.

Gut Oggau wines - Photo Simon Woolf
6 minute read

Bucking the trend at Gut Oggau

Somewhere, out there on the internet, the discussion rages on about natural wines. To true believers, it’s the one and only righteous path, to sceptics, nothing more than a farcical or even fraudulent movement. Regular readers of The Hosemaster have Read more