Manufacturing with state-of-the-art wine technology
Short distances from the vineyard to the winery, gentle pressing of the grapes and smooth fermenting and storage – these are the basic conditions of pressing high quality wine from the plucked grapes.
From the Grape to Wine
According to the weather conditions - ideally on warm, sunny days – we begin with the first vintages. This is the highlight of the wine year!
What is decisive for the beginning of the vintage in the individual vineyards is the grapes' physiologic maturity and their sugar content, which we measure by means of a refractometer at the °KMW (Klosterneuburger Mostwaage/Zuckergrade) gemessen wird.
With the help of gravity
The freshly plucked grapes are then taken to the press house as fast as possible. The wine press is filled from above, in free fall. As we utilize the law of gravity, the grapes are not burdened mechanically. With classic wines, the mashing rest is approximately four hours, with more powerful wines up to twelve hours.
For our quality wines, we use free run exclusively. Free run is the must that runs off without any pressure applied. Free run hardly contains any bitterns that could impair the wine's quality and it is perfectly suitable for delicate, elegant wines. Pressed must is processed to vin du pays and table wine.
Temperature-controlled steel tanks
Most of the white wines are fermented in temperature-controlled steel tanks, while large fermenting stands are used with red wines. Due to constant temperature regulation, the wines are fermented smoothly, so that the fine aromas are preserved. Classic, light wines are fermented at cooler temperatures; powerful wines require more heat and remain longer on the yeast.
We abstain from long pumpings and let the wine mature slowly. White wines are stored in stainless steel tanks, classic red wines in a large wooden barrel. These oak barrels with a volume of between 800 and 4,000 liters give the wine its corpulent note.
High quality barrique barrels
Powerful red wines mature for at least 9 months in barrique barrels. In a barrique barrel of a filling capacity between 225 and 300 liters, the wine has enough surface to breathe – this is why barrique wines are particularly full-flavored and powerful.
