Pittnauer

COUNTRY: AUSTRIA

REGION: BURGENLAND

The Pittnauer family managed by 4 winegrowing generations run a 17 hectare vine plantation. The vineyards cover 40 % white vines and 60 % red vines. Gerhard Pittnauer took on the running of his family estate at the young age of 18 after the unexpected death of his father.

In realizing the exceptionality of the land he farmed and of the indigenous grapes of the region, he allowed himself to experiment and set forth to ‘grow’ wine rather than to ‘make’ it in the cellar, from the local varietals. So, alongside his wife Brigitte, he wants to create what they call living wines along biodynamic principles. All work is done manually from composting to pruning. they believe in quality over speed. They taste for perfect ripeness, select the cleanest grapes, and begin the wine in the cellar in response to the conditions of the vintage. They do incorporate a bit of modern technology: a pneumatic press, temperature-controlled steel tanks and pumps, all to ensure the purity and freshness of the fruit remains. They are making wines that excite them with the unique voice of the varietal and the deep limestone soils of the terroir speaking clearly.

The Pittnauers specialise in St. Laurent, a dark-skinned aromatic red variety but also make increasingly impressive Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and Chardonnay.