Gleichgewicht - Six Unashamedly Awesome Wines from Austria - a six bottle box set

Austria may be less well known for its wines than its strudels and Sachertorte but we think it's actually one of the most interesting countries for wine production. It seems particularly well blessed with the kind of wine growers we like to work with, some exciting indigenous grape varieties, and an excitingly adventurous attitude to wine making.

The wines in the case are mostly from biodynamically farmed vineyards and made with deep love and carein the winery. This box set contains six bangers all seeking balance or 'gleichgewicht' within life and with the planet.

Sparkling wines

Schödl, Pet Naturel, Weinviertel, Austria

The Shödl family, Mathias, Viktoria, and Leonhard, make extraordinarily complex wines in a region that is Austria's largest wine growing area but has had a less stellar image than some others in Austria.

Weinviertel lies south of the Czech Republic and west of Slovakia, is relatively flat and fertile but what the Shödl family make shows that you should never let your prejudice get in the way of exploration. 

Out in the vineyard the family follow biodynamic principles and they are fond of their growing family of sheep whose grazing in the vines helps to keep the ground cover in check and hence allows them to farm in a no-till fashion for the most part. They make their own compost as well as spray preparations.

Producer - Schödl
Country - Austria
Region - Weinviertel
Variety / Blend - Gruiner Veltliner, Riesling, Roter(red) Riesling, Pinot Blanc
Wine Style - Sparkling
Farming - Organic/ Biodynamic
Vegan

White wines

Arndorfer, Vorgeschmack, Kamptal, Austria - 

Martin and Anna Arndorfer have a natural, biodynamic approach to growing grapes and making wine and believe in minimal interference. They sum it up perfectly, 'our wines are the best representatives of what, who, and where we are' ... 'we have made it our task to produce wines that unite origin and passion, wines that arouse curiosity.'

This Gruner Veltliner is sure to do that! Light, spicy and herbal with a dry finish. Grown in the valley of the river Kamp, a tributary of the Danube, it’s a wine from the hills with balance and verve.

Producer - Arndorfer
Country - Austria
Region - Kamptal 
Variety / Blend - Gruner Veltliner
Wine Style - White Wine   
Farming - Organic / Biodynamic
Vegan

Weingut Sepp Muster, Opok, Steirerland, Austria -

Maria and Sepp Muster live and breath the earth they work, so much so that they’ve named this line of wines Opok. This is the local name for the soil the vines grow in, blue and rocky clay and silt that lies above chalky marl subsoil.
This wine is a belter that ticks all the boxes, biodynamic, organic, vegan and sulphate free and delicious with fresh, clean minerals.

Producer - Muster    
Country - Austria
Region - Steirerland
Variety / Blend - Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller
Wine Style - White Wine
Farming - Organic / Biodynamic
Vegan         
Sulphate Free

Orange wines

Heinrich, Muscat Freyheit, Burgenland, Austria

Gernot and Heike Henrich are life long innovators. Since taking over the family estate in 1985 they have constantly sought to improve and explore. Now farming biodynamically, which they see as being right for the planet and better for the wines, they were among the first to move to focus on quality and champion local grape varieties.

The grapes are hand harvested between the beginning and mid September when conditions are right. Fermentation occurs spontaniously with wild yeasts and left on the skins for 12 days before being gently basket pressed and then a malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for 11 months in Amphorae before being bottled in ceramic unfined, unfiltered and zero added sulphur.

Producer - Heinrich
Country - Austria
Region - Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Burgenland
Sub-Region - Leithaberg
Variety/ Blend - Muscat Ottinel, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay
Wine Style - Orange Wine
Farming - Biodynamic
Vegan

Pink wines

Judith Beck, Beck Pink, Burgenland, Austria

Judith Beck returned to her families vineyard after studying at Klosterneuberg wine school as well as internships in France, Italy and Chile. Once she returned and took over from her father in 2007 the vineyard and winery took on a more biodynamic approach and she lives by her philosophy of ‘natural, true, genuine and above all authentic’.

A beautiful (and beautifully labelled) dry but intense rosé made by Judith Beck from local grape Zweigelt. Bursting with red fruits and herbal touches. The grapes are hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel to retain it’s freshness. Brilliant with fish or why not try a soft goats cheese.

Producer - Judith Beck
Country - Austria
Region - Burgenland
Variety / Blend - Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch
Wine Style - Pink Wine
Farming - Organic / Biodynamic
Vegan

Red wines

Joiseph, BFF, Burgenland, Austria  - The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard called ‘Neuberg’ – out of all of Luka’s vineyards this is the closest to Neusiedlersee, the lake straddling the Austria- Hungary border whose climate-moderating influence is key to vinegrowing in the region. It is interesting to note that the particular clone of Blaufränkisch that is prevalent in this vineyard has slightly softer and thinner skins, and hence produces a more approachable, ‘friendlier’ style, though every bit as complex. 2018 was a very dry year, and due to the stress, the vines produced less grapes, smaller berries though more concentrated than other years.

Clean, bright and juicy. Lots of blueberries and a joyous mineral rich body. Minimal sulphites added prior to bottling, unfined, unfiltered.

Producer - Luka Zeichmann, Joiseph
Country - Austria
Region - Burgenland
Sub-Region - Jois
Variety / Blend - Blaufrankish 
Wine Style - Red Wine
Farming - Organic
Vegan

This case contains one bottle of each of these wines. If any is out of stock or becomes unavailable it will be replaced by one of equal or greater value and deliciousness.