Domäne Wachau

Country: Wachau - Austria

Region: Wachau - Austria


The Domäne Wachau has over 300 years of inspiring winery history marked by continuous innovation and cutting-edge ideas. Dynamic, fresh energy has once again infused the cooperative and its members with the duo Roman Horvath and Heinz Frischengruber leading the Domäne Wachau into the future. The Domäne Wachau now counts among the leading wine producers in Austria and the best cooperatives in the world.

250 Domäne Wachau vintner families cultivate close to 400 hectares of vines, around one third of the entire Wachau vineyard area. Every single grape vinified by the Domäne Wachau comes from a cooperative member. 20% of the wines are sold to Austrian specialty merchants and restaurants; a quarter is sold to supermarkets and 10 % directly from the winery. Nearly half of the wines are exported. Domäne Wachau has positioned its wines in over 40 different countries and is among the most well known Austrian wineries in the world. The most important export countries are the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, and the USA. Roman Horvath MW has been the winery’s managing director since 2004 and is responsible for the strategic positioning and consistent quality orientation. In 2009, he became the second in Austria to achieve the prestigious and internationally respected title “Master of Wine”. In Heinz Frischengruber, a Wachau native and graduate of oenology at Geisenheim in Germany, he has found a congenial management partner. Frischengruber has been the technical director and chief oenologist at the Domäne Wachau since spring of 2005.

Domäne Wachau History
The winery was first mentioned in documents dating 1137. Its first days of glory came while in the possession of the Catholic Church in the early 18th century as the historic caves and the magnificent “Kellerschlössel” (Baroque Cellar Palace) were built. Domäne Wachau is a member of the Vinea Wachau, the vintners’ association of the Wachau appellation and produces wines in the Wachau trademark quality categories Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd. The regulations of the Codex Wachau and their strict rules for protecting the appellation go above and beyond the already very stringent Austrian wine laws and are a guarantee for uncompromising quality awareness.

The Wachau
Meagre primary rock soils and a unique climate shape viticulture in the Wachau. Atlantic air masses from the west lend the region a temperate continental character with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Warm air from the Pannonian steppe to the east flows through the Danube River Valley and moderates the climate, particularly in the cold half of the year. The Danube River functions as a further climate regulator.
The Domäne growers own vineyard sites throughout the Wachau, many of which are among the most famous vineyards in the country. The best are vinified separately to yield single-vineyard Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from vineyards such as Singerriedel,
Tausend-Eimer Berg, Achleiten, and Kellerberg. The soils are predominantly meager primary rock, mostly gneiss with high quartz content, but also gneiss with mica or feldspar. Nearly two thirds of the vineyards are very steep and terraced with ancient dry stonewalls earning the region the status of an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Vineyard and Winemaking
A solid 70% of the Domäne Wachau vineyard area is planted with Grüner Veltliner; Riesling makes up about 20% of wine production. Elegant Federspiel and Smaragd wines are made from Pinot Blanc, Muscat, and Gewürztraminer. A Sommelier-Edition is dedicated to the rare Neuburger variety. A versatile and broad spectrum of rosé wines is produced from the Domäne’s red grapes varieties. Essential for the success of the winery has been a vineyard quality assurance program that was initiated by Heinz Frischengruber in the year 2005. This vineyard management system includes measures of quality cultivation that are customized according to the individual vineyard plots and the vintage. The great success of the program is based on the superb cooperation and faithful communication between the grape growing families and Heinz Frischengruber and his team. Sustainable viticulture has increasingly become a focus at Domäne Wachau. Ecological ideas and environmental projects have been realised and step by step have become a part of winery operations. Green cover has been planted in the rows between the vines to revitalise soils. Pest control through mating disruption with the use of pheromone traps has been successful and has made the use of insecticides obsolete. The use of alternative sources of energy at the winery also demonstrates the conscientious dedication to further enhancing sustainability.

The Wines
Authenticity and origin are essential key words in the Domäne Wachau wine concept. Of utmost priority is therefore the work in the vineyard. Healthy grapes are the foundation for every great wine. Despite the Domäne Wachau being one of the most modernly equipped wineries in the region, a traditional vinification philosophy is respected. Minimal intervention is understood and practiced as the ideal. The goal is to express the Wachau and its great vineyards with precision and clarity.
The Domäne Wachau endevours to produce clear, precise, vibrant and well-structured wines that express their origin - their terraces and/or unique vineyard site. The Domäne strives to cleary define the taut minerality that finds its origin in primary rock soils.
Finesse and vitality are always in the foreground. The impressive old wine archive at the Domäne Wachau testifies to the exceptional aging potential of the Wachau wines. Wellguarded treasures from the last century dating back to 1947 rest there. The wine assortment is complimented by a selection of exceptional Veltliner. These brandies were distilled twice and matured for decades in small oak barrels.

Domäne Wachau Collection


Grüner Veltliner Federspiel "Terrassen" Price € 15.80

DW GV Federspiel Terrassen 2

Sensory features: Fresh straw yellow in color with a bouquet of gooseberries with hints of green apple and white pepper. Medium bodied with a mix of citrus, apple and peach fruit. Light mineral character lingers on the finish and vibrant acidity makes the palate hum.

“Terrassen” or terraced signifys that this wine is sourced from multiple terraced vineyards, while the term "Federspiel" is a quality designation (specific to the Wachau from lowest to highest: Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smaragd).

 

Technical notes:

100% Grüner Veltliner. Harvest in mid-to-late October. Strict grape selection; destalked, left in contact with skins for four hours, followed by gentle pnuematic pressing. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 22 °C with cultured yeasts. No malolactic fermentation. No chaptalisation. Brief additional aging in stainless steel before bottling.

Alcohol content: 12.5%

Bottle size: 375 ml & 750 ml 

Share on your social network


Grüner Veltliner Smaragd "Terrassen" Price € 22.50

DW GV Smaragd Terrassen label

Sensory features: Pale green-yellow colour. An inviting nose displays fully ripe pear and apple, along with a subtle honeyed nuance. Juicy and complex, with peppery nuances spicing up the apple and pear flavours. A well-balanced, velvety wine with a persistent, minerally finish.

Best served: Grüner Veltliner Smaragd is a perfect accompaniment to fried fish dishes or fish with creamy sauces but also to fried meat (Cordon blue, fried chicken) and a wide variety of poultry.

Technical notes: 100% Grüner Veltliner. Planted to steep terraced vineyards in lean soil (primary rock). Cool fermented in stainless steel tanks followed by a short ageing period, mostly in tank but with a small portion in large oak barrels (3.000 litres) to add further complexity. Total production: 6000 cases

Alcohol content: 13%

Bottle size: 750 ml 

Share on your social network


Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten Price € 43.70

Achleiten

Achleiten is a legendary vineyard in the Wachau village of Weissenkirchen. It is famous for wines with inimitable mineral character. Dry stone walls dating back to the 12th century, which mount the steep slopes with their silicate-rich soil, dominate this vineyard‟s landscape. In the upper terraces, gneiss is the prevailing subsoil, the lower terraces are dominated by dark, schistous amphibolites.

Sensory features: Bright straw yellow with golden highlights. Expressive on the nose with aromas of white pepper and mango, offering a pronounced mineral character. The enticing aromas are generous and playful. Tightly woven, the crisp, yet perfectly balanced acidity lingers in the mineral, almost salty, long finish.

Technical notes
Grape variety: 100%
Grüner Veltliner from the Achleiten Vineyards
Vinification
Grüner Veltliner from Achleiten is characterised by low yields due to the meagre primary rock soils. In 2011, the grapes for this wine were hand-picked at the beginning of November. The grapes were delivered to Dürnstein in plastic bins of approximately 300 kg. After several hours of maceration and gentle pressing, the wine aged in big wooden casks for several weeks.

Best served: Grüner Veltliner Achleiten is counted among the most age-worthy wines of the Wachau. Served well chilled at 10°C, the wine perfectly accompanies roasts, pigeon and quail as well as mature cheeses.

Alcohol content: 14%

Bottle size: 750 ml 

Share on your social network


Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Axpoint Price € 33.50

csm DW GV Smaragd Axpoint 2015 WEB e14eb14780

Axpoint is a prime vineyard at the western end of the Wachau valley in the village of Spitz. Over thousands of years, particles of weathered and eroded primary rock have been deposited and compacted at the foot of the famous Singerriedel vineyard where they are now covered by rather a deep, argillaceous top soil. Wines from Axpoint combine the elegance derived from the cool marginal climate in this part of Wachau with the structure and body the rich top soil delivers.

Sensory featuresMedium yellow-green; on the nose very open and approachable, subtle and playful with aromas of yellow melon and mango, black pepper, tobacco spices and fresh wild herbs; appealing honey notes lead to a juicy palate which results in a beautiful balance; a lively and refreshing acidity; exotic fruit, elegant minerality; long-lasting with a spicy finish.

Technical notes
Grape variety: 100% 
Grüner Veltliner from the Axpoint Vineyards

Vinification: Very accurate and multiple selections in the vineyards reduced the yield to about 6.000 kg per hectare. Grüner Veltliner grapes for this wine were carefully hand-picked at the beginning of November. After spontaneous fermentation the fermentation and maturation took place in big wooden casks and in stainless steel tanks.

Best served: Serve well chilled directly from the fridge. The wine perfectly accompanies a variety of fish dishes, deep-fried dishes, the traditional Austrian "Tafelspitz“ (beef pot roast) as well as light meats. Already very approachable. Drink now or age for at least 5-8 years.

Alcohol content: 13%

Bottle size: 750ml

 

Share on your social network


Riesling Federspiel "Terrassen" Price € 16.00

DW Riesling Federspiel Terrassen 2009

Sensory features: Pale green-yellow colour. Subtle blossom honey and hints of pineapple, mango and lime zest are all displayed on the reticent nose. A medium-bodied wine with flavours of peach and mango, and a refreshing acid structure giving the wine considerable class. Finishes with honey and slightly salty minerals.

Best served: One of the most versatile food pairs on the face of the planet. Great with traditional white fare light salads, light starters, fish, and white meats but also a surprisingly good pair with spicy foods like Indian and Thai dishes.

100% Riesling. Destalked and left in contact with the skins for 3.5 hours, followed by a gentle pneumatic pressing. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 18 degrees Celsuis. No malolactic fermentation. No chaptalisation. Brief additional aging in stainless steel before bottling. Total Annual Production: 9000 cases.

Alcohol content: 12.5%

Bottle size: 375 ml & 750 ml 

Share on your social network


Riesling Smaragd "Terrassen" Price € 23.60

DW Riesling Smaragd Terrassen 2009

Sensory features: Deep yellow-green colour. Intense peach and passion fruit with lime zest on the nose. Juicy vineyard peach and a touch of lichee are pierced by a racy acid structure. Finishes fruity and long. This harmonious wine offers tremendous drinking pleasure.

Technical notes: 100% Riesling. Dry style Riesling from various terraced vineyards in the Wachau. The slightly riper fruit and fuller structure than the Federspiel designation makes a world of difference on the palate. "Smaragd" is one of three Wachau specific quality designations for dry white wine. Total production: 4000 cases

Alcohol content: 13%

Bottle size : 750 ml 

Share on your social network


Beerenauslese Terrassen Price € 24.20

DW Beerenauslese 1

Beerenauslese Terrassen is a cuvée composed of Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Rivaner, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay. The grapes were carefully hand-picked from steep terraced vineyards. The Riesling grapes were sourced from Kellerberg. Grüner Veltliner was harvested in Dürnstein and Weissenkirchen. The wine reflects the elegant and precise style and character of Wachau wines.

Sensory features: Deep, brilliant straw yellow with delicate golden highlights. Offering overt aromas of tropical fruits such as passion fruit and pineapple backened by hints of cinnamon, lemon balm, meadow honey and yellow plum. The aromas are multilayered and deep. Sweet and harmonious on the palate, the crisp acidity perfectly balances this fresh and lively sweet wine.

Serve well chilled. Best enjoyed in the company of patés, foie gras or fruity desserts. A perfect accompaniment to the traditional Austrian“ Kaiserschmarrn“ (cut-up and sugared pancake with raisins). Drink now or age for 6-8 years.

The cuvée consists of 25% Grüner Veltliner, 20% Riesling, 30% Rivaner, 15% Chardonnay and 10% Weissburgunder. Riesling and Rivaner contribute elegance, noblesse and fine fruit aromas, Grüner Veltliner adds structure and spice while the burgundy varieties are responsible for additional complexity and overall balance. Vinification

The cultivation of pre-selected vineyards was adapted to producing sweet wines. Botrytis-spraying was abandoned at a rather early stage and canopy management was adjusted to enhance the drying up of the grapes after rainfall. The vines were protected using special nets to prevent bird predation. Particularly Riesling on Kellerberg yielded

botrytised grapes of very high quality. Essential for top quality sweet wines is a small portion of healthy, non-botrytised grapes to retain the fine fruit character and precision of the wine. The grapes were carefully hand-picked in the middle of November. The average yield amounted to 15 hl per hectare. Temperature-controlled fermentation and vinification in stainless steel tanks guarantee particular elegance and structure.

Alcohol content: 11,5 %

Bottle size : 375 ml 

Share on your social network


Blauer Zweigelt Terrassen Price € 13.90

csm DW Blauer Zweigelt Terrassen 2015 WEB 963ed8913a

Blauer Zweigelt, also known as Rotburger, is a typical Austrian grape variety and a crossing of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. Zweigelt is mostly vinified to fresh, fruity and appealing red wines in Austria. Only 6% of Domäne Wachau’s total production is red wine (mainly Zweigelt, some Pinot Noir and St. Laurent). 

Sensory featuresMedium ruby red with intense purple highlights. Offering intense fruit notes of wild strawberries, blackcurrant, sour cherry, forest soil, hints of cloves and black pepper. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate. The present, yet balanced acidity and the soft tannins make this Zweigelt an enjoyable and pleasant red wine. 

Technical notes:

Grape variety: Grapes for Blauer Zweigelt Terrassen were carefully hand-picked from different small vineyards throughout the Wachau valley. A major part of the grapes originates from the villages of Weissenkirchen, Wösendorf, Joching, Rossatz-Arnsdorf and Mautern. The Zweigelt vines grow mainly on terraced vineyards, partly loess terraces with heavier sandy soils, partly on steep walled terraces with primary rock. 

Zweigelt can be indicated as being relatively uncomplicated in cultivation but requires due to great fertility a rigid quality control as yields can become too high. The unique growing conditions on the terraces restrict the yields appropriately without any human intervention. The grapes for this Zweigelt were harvested at the beginning of October with an average yield of 4.800 kg/ha and were afterwards destemmed, crushed and fermented by applying classical mash fermentation with 15% juice extraction for several days. The wine had its malolactic fermentation and maturation in big wooden casks for achieving balance and rounding off the tannins. 

Best servedServe at 17°C. This wine perfectly accompanies a wide variety of dishes such as pasta or pizza and veal- or beef dishes. Drink now or store for maturation up to 3-5 years. 

Alcohol content: 13%

Bottle size: 375ml & 750ml

Share on your social network


Pinot Noir Reserve Price € 31.70

csm DW Pinot Noir Reserve 2012 QR 02 b4a669c027

Domäne Wachau is one of Austria’s most renowned wineries, based in Austria’s most prestigious wine growing region, the Wachau. Steep terraced yineyards, a cool, marginal climate and meagre primary rock soils define the wines.

Sensory featuresMedium ruby red with discreet purple highlights. Open and multi-layered on the nose displaying spicy liquorice, discreet smoky aromas and fruity impressions of cherries and raspberries. In the mouth, the wine is quite firm and well-structured yet elegant and juicy. The medium acidity and ripe, silky tannins lend abundant drinking pleasure. Long and lingering finish. 

Technical notes

Grape varietyPinot Noir is an international grape variety with origins in Burgundy, France. Pinot Noir is cultivated around the world, but prefers cooler regions and sites. Power and opulence are never its virtues, but rather fine-boned elegance, charm, finesse and inimitable, seductive aromatics. In the Wachau valley, Pinot Noir is very rare. Under ideal conditions, a high level of ripeness and skilled vinification, Pinot Noir can yield some of the world’s best red wines even though the variety is challenging in both vineyard and cellar for the grower.

Origin & TerriorRed wine grapes for this Pinot Noir were sourced from vineyards surrounding the wine village of Weissenkirchen, small lots were sourced from Rossatz on the Danube’s south bank. In Weissenkirchen, the vines grow on lower stone-walled terrace slopes which are dominated by meagre primary rock soils. In Rossatz, the vineyards are planted on loess soils with a high lime component. 

VinificationPinot Noir generally produces low yields, in 2012 only 400 kg/hectare. Pinot Noir grapes for this Reserve were harvested in the first half of October and vinified in two separate charges. Both charges were fermented in stainless steel, one with pump over sprinkling, for the other the cap was punched down by foot treading. The wine matured in used 300-litre casks for 16 months. 

Alcohol content: 13.5%

Bottle size: 750ml

Share on your social network


Riesling Amphora - € 31.80

DW Riesling Amphora 2017 NEU 311x1030

Sensory features: Intense and open on the nose: subtle notes of beeswax, honeydew melon, biscuit and rich tropical fruit flavours integrate well with tertiary aromas of cloves and cedar. On the palate this wine is very deep and complex. Fine tannins and crisp acidity are accompanied by notes of caramel, subtle hints of marzipan, tropical fruits and dark chocolate. This wine is dense, compact, complex and extremely long on the finish.

Technical notes

Grape variety: 100% Riesling

Grapes for Riesling Amphora are sourced from steep terraced vineyards. The unique combination of warm Pannonian air masses and the poor primary rock soils in this part of the Wachau valley yields distinctive wines with powerful elegance.

Work in the vineyard takes place based on sustainable and, increasingly, organic principles, without the use of insecticides or herbicides, and grapes are hand-picked. Fermentation lasted for about five weeks and the wine continued to mature on the mash for another five months. The wine was gently separated and the remaining mash was gently pressed by hand in a small hydraulic press. It was bottled unfiltered and without Sulphur.

Best served: Serve chilled but not too cold, at around 14°C. Riesling Amphora offers a very unique and exceptional tasting experience. It goes well with various fish dishes such as a grilled monkfish with sauteed vegetables, calamari fritti or spaghetti alle Vongole. He also accompanies hearty Austrian dishes such as rissoles with mashed potatoes, beef carpaccio or baked asparagus with sauce hollandaise. The wine also goes well with a spicy Indian fish curry or a spicy mango-papaya salad.

Alcohol content: 12.5%

Bottle size: 750ml

Share on your social network