Austria
2023 by ombiasy WineTours took place from Sunday, May 28 -
Thursday, June 08, 2023. We toured Austria for 12 days, starting and
ending in Vienna: Wien, Wagram, Carnuntum, Burgenland, Steiermark, Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental, Wien.
In the Steiermark, the focus was on the hilly Südsteiermark region which is famous for its crisp white wines. There is brilliantly fresh Sauvignon Blanc, delicious Welschriesling, crisp Schilcher and fruity Muskateller or Traminer. But also Burgundy varieties, above all Chardonnay - called Morillon here - thrive splendidly in Austria's southernmost wine-growing region. Nevertheless Sauvignon Blanc is king here.
We visited the following wineries in the Südsteiermark:
Weingut Sattlerhof, Sernau, Südsteiermark. See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Sattlerhof, Steiermark, with Justė Sattler- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Weingut Wohlmuth, Kitzek, Südsteiermark
Weingut Trummer, Spielfeld, Südsteiermark
Weingut Polz, Strass, Südsteiermark
Weingut Tement, Ehrenhausen, Südsteiermark
We stayed 2 nights at Weinrefugium Brolli and had dinner at there. See:Dinner with a View at Weinrefugium Brolli, Steiermark- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Weingut Wohlmuth, Kitzek, Südsteiermark
The Wohlmuth family has been growing wine at the foot of the Kitzecker mountains for over 200 years.
The winery is now managed by Gerhard Wohlmuth jun. He receives active support from Gerhard sen. and the family.
The passionate and always in a good mood winegrower family has proven over many years that they have a knack for the barren slate soils in Sausal and are not afraid of the hard manual work in the steep slopes at over 500m above sea level. Influenced by slate and the climate at this higher altitude, the Wohlmuth wines always show more structure and minerality than the rest of Südsteiermark.
Sauvignon Blanc, the most important variety at the winery, naturally benefits from this in particular, but the numerous other white grape varieties also produce excellent wines on the slate soil. The Gelber Muskateller Steinriegl, otherwise often a rather harmless, floral affair, is a tightly structured, mineral wine experience from the Wohlmuths.
The Wohlmuth winery has long since established itself as one of the top producers in the Steiermark, as evidenced by regular top ratings in all wine guides.
Weingut Wohlmuth - Weygandt-Metzler
The Wohlmuths have been cultivating wine in Kitzeck-Sausal for over 200 years. Now, as then, the solid slate formations in the soil are pounded by hammer to plant each new vine. For generations, some of the earliest mentioned single vineyards in Austria have been owned by the Wohlmuth family. This is exemplified best by the Edelschuh vineyard, first mentioned in documentation in 1322. Preserving centuries-old single sites and re-cultivating other faded vineyards means accepting incredible trials and challenges.
The vineyards lie at an altitude of 400 to 600 meters above sea level and with a slope of up to 90 percent, they are among the steepest vineyards in Europe. Up to 1,200 hours of work go into each hectare of these extreme vineyards every year. Labor-intensive hand cultivation is thus inherently at the heart of the estate's work, from pruning to the entire foilage work to the selective hand harvest. These single vineyards and the Kitzeck-Sausal appellation itself produces wines characterized by the tension between warmth (Illyrian climate, ripe grapes) and coolness (Alpine influence, poor slate soils, high altitude).
Weingut Wohlmuth was one of the first Austrian producers I wrote about when I started my wine blog in 2009. When we visited Weingut Wohlmuth Gerhard Wohlmuth sen. was our out host.
Visiting Weingut Wohlmuth in 2011
Weingut Wohlmuth is one of the first Austrian wineries I visited and wrote about on my blog schiller-wine. I have very good memories of the visit in 2011, followed by dinner at the Steirerland Restaurant.
Picture: Christian Schiller with Gerhard Wohlmuth sen. in Freising (2011)
Visiting Weingut Wohlmuth in 2023
Arriving
Cellar Tour
Tasting
The Wines
Bye-bye
Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - Published and Forthcoming Postings
ombiasy WineTours: Wine Tour Schedule 2023 - Austria, Germany/East, Burgundy/ Champagne, Germany/ North
Announcement: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023
The Wines of Austria - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City
Wine Producer Austria - Not Only Gruener Veltliner
Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria
Dinner at an Iconic Beisl in Vienna: Griechenbeisl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour of the Monastery/ Palace Klosterneuburg and of the Weingut Klosterneuburg, with Wine Tasting - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz at Plachutta in der Wollzeile, Vienna. Plachutta is more than a Restaurant: it is a Vienna Institution - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
After Dinner Drinks at Vis-a-Vis Wine Bar, Vienna - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Vienna: Viaker City Tour and Tour of Schloss Schönbrunn - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Restaurant Die Seejungfrau in Jois at Lake Neusiedl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leo Hillinger, Burgenland, with Jakob Scharner, Diplom-Sommelier - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Netzl, Carnuntum, with Franz, Christine and Christina Netzl - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Restaurant Mole West at Lake Neusiedl- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Anita and Hans Nittnaus, Burgenland, with Anita, Hans and Martin Nittnaus - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Umathum, Burgenland, with Joseph Umathum - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
2 Nights at Schloss Halbturn at Lake Neusiedl: Sekt Reception and two Dinners - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Steindorfer, Burgenland, with Ernst and Roland Steindorfer - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Light Lunch at Gránátos Étterem at Esterházy Kástely in Fertöd, Hungary: Hungarian Goulash Soup and Esterházy Cake - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
At the Liszt House in Raiding, where the Great Pianist, Romantic Composer and Conductor was Born - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Straka, Rechnitz, Burgenland, with Thomas Straka- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
High-end Sleeping and Eating in the Vineyard: Wohnothek am Ratschen and Restaurant am Ratschen (16/ 20 Gault Millau), Deutsch-Schützen - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Wachter-Wiesler, Burgenland, with Julia Wachter - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Weingut Jalits, Burgenland, with Mathias Jalits - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Neumeister, Straden, Vulkanland, Steiermark, with Christoph Neumeister - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner with a View at Weinrefugium Brolli, Steiermark- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Sattlerhof, Steiermark, with Justė Sattler- Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wohlmuth, Steiermark, with Maria Wohlmuth - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Tasting at Buschenschank Weingut Trummer, Steiermark, with Jürgen Trummer
Tasting at Weingut Polz, Steiermark, with Sommelier Philipp Heidenbauer
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Tement, Steiermark, with Sommelier Andy Bodor
Lunch at Restaurant Magnothek/ Weingut Tement, Südsteiermark
Gustav Mahler, Sinfonie Nr.3 at Graz Opera, Steiermark
In Eisenstadt, Burgenland: Tour at Haydn House, Lunch at Restaurant Henrici, Tour at Esterhazy Castle
At Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois, Kamptal: Impromptu Steininger Sekt Reception with Eva Steininger and Klaus Wittauer
Wine-pairing Dinner at Heurigenhof Bründlmeyer with Chef Jan Pfeiffer, 15.5 Point Gault Millau
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Steininger, Kamptal, with Brigitta Steininger
The Wines of Stefanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch, Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, Austria
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Stephanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, with Alwin Jurtschitsch
Lunch at Braugasthaus zum Fiakerwirtin Langenlois, Kamptal
Tasting at Weingut Markus Huber, Traisental, with Markus Huber
2 Days in Dürnstein, Wachau, at Hotel Richard Löwenherz
Martin Mittelbach
from the "Tegernseehof"and Klaus Wittauer from "KWSelection" Presented
Tegernseehof Wines and Stefan Trummer and Chef Austin Fausett from
“Trummer’s on Main” in Clifton Austrian Appetizers at the Austrian
Embassy in Washington DC, USA
Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Tebernseerhof, Wachau, with Owner/ Winemaker Martin Mittelbach
Tour and Tasting at Domäne Wachau, Dürnstein, Wachau
Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Nigl, Kremstal, 13.5 Points Gault Millau
Vintage 2011 Tasting with Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, with Dirk Wuertz at his Koenigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, Austria/Germany
Tour and Tasting at Weingut F.X.Pichler, Wachau, with Lucas Pichler
Tasting at Weingut Matthias Hager, Kamptal, with Doris Hager
Lunch at Gasthaus Gutmann, Zöbing, Kamptal
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schloss Gobelsburg, Kamptal, with Stefan Tabery