Wine Diary
In A Flow!
Rush hours in vineyards and cellar!
A sunny late summer almost seamlessly changed into a golden early autumn! Still the days are getting unusually warm, mostly accompanied by beneficial winds. Temperatures are already dropping considerably overnight; a fact that promotes the aromatic profiles of the grapes.
This week we received good quantities of Zweigelt for our popular rosé wines. At the same time, we are looking forward to fine reserve qualities from the best, oldest Zweigelt vineyards, such as the Langenloiser Hasel. Fresh Grüner Veltliner is also coming in for our lighter, dry whites, while over the weekend, our Burgundy varietal harvest may find its “happy ending” with a true highlight: Chardonnay from Steinberg!
Rhythm & Blues
It is impressive to follow our team working: at first sight, the rhythm in the vineyards may seem slower, however, a close look quickly reveals how deeply concentrated our pickers are: steadily and with great care each grape cluster is cut off, examined, selected when necessary and softly placed into our small crates. These cases are then strapped on pallets and cautiously transported to our cellar.
In the morning, as soon as the first lots arrive at the press house, there too starts a choreography of well-synchronised working steps. All work in line, compared to our people in the vineyard, the cellar allows a faster rhythm but concentration is the same. It needs just a quick snapshot to know: today the team works in a perfect flow! Dominik at the grape receiving station sets the pace: after evaluating the fruit, he gets back on the forklift, weighs the pallet and documents quality, quantity and origin by means of a small tablet that sends all details directly to the cellar. Today, Philipp and Sigi are taking over from there, loading the pneumatic presses. Katharina, one of our young trainees is overlooking the washing of the just emptied crates, while her colleague Lukas is responsible for interim cleaning of soil and all equipment with pure spring water. One of the presses is being emptied and cleaned. The pomace will be transported via an auger to a special loading trolley, and off it goes back into the vineyards!
One level below, in the working cellar, fermentation vats are filled, barrels racked, juices examined, tasted and analysed…, in short, all musts are carefully accompanied during their marvellous transformation into wine and again…washing, rinsing, scrubbing…fine wine needs cleanliness!
Back to the vineyard where harvest has ended for today: it has been a good day!
-In the mild evening light, one gets a moving view over the vines relieved of their fruit. A touch of blues might bring up some inspiring old songs: “when the day is done…”
