Vintage 2021

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”

Henry David Thoreau

Vintage 2021 was a mix of everything which gave us many sleepless nights. It started of with winterly temperatures and some snow, which is normal for that time of the year. What we weren’t expecting was the mild climate in February and the constant variation of temperatures. March and April where just as nail biting due to the late frost. The budding was delayed because of the drought which finally ended in May. Working on the vines in springtime was mandatory to secure top quality e.g. pinching out the weak growing shoots to relieve the strain on the stem.

The blossoming began approximately on June 10, which was the latest ever recorded since the 1990s. As of June, everything went according to plan, with very warm days, cool nights and regular rainfalls. The growth of the vines and the work in the vineyards literally exploded, we could hardly keep up the pace. The warm winds, which are ideal for the concertation of sugar and aromas, arrived with perfect timing at the beginning of September.

The harvest began with perfect sugar levels, ripeness and acidity on the 13 September. The grape variety Sankt Laurent was the first to be harvested followed by Pinot Noir, Muskat and Sauvignon Blanc. The harvest ran smooth and without any further delay Zweigelt, Welschriesling, Blaufränkisch, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were brought into the cellar. The harvest was completed just in time before the big rain began in October.

To sum it all up – quantity was slightly below average, the workload was demanding but what all winegrowers young or old agree on: the quality was outstanding.