Vineyards & Philosophy
The Art of Omission – let’s leave something out!
‘Making’ good wine is a bit of a balancing act: it is important to simultaneously respect tradition and remain open to new ideas. It also means being patient and accepting that one can only work with nature and never contrary to it. And that it pays off to invest one’s time & effort in an extra bit of work wherever & whenever it might be necessary and/or sensible.
Exhibiting elegance, the clear expression of fruit and a classic dry flavour profile, Buchegger wines provide authentic expressions of Austria’s winegrowing region Kremstal. They embody the essence and expression of its powerful climate and its incomparable soils, but also articulate the result of quality-awareness, in both vineyard and cellar.
Buchegger wines are vinified exclusively from absolutely healthy grapes that have been thinned out in summer to reduce yields. These come exclusively from controlled integrated viticulture. Because we prioritise near-to-nature vineyard management and the protection of both human health and the environment, insecticides or pesticides or herbicides may not be utilised. Instead, biological measures against pests are used; employing beneficial organisms to combat harmful ones is also common practice here.
And the art of omission comprehensively plays a major role at Buchegger: with our gentle whole-cluster pressing, there is no need for destemming. This is how a cellarmaster achieves extraordinary elegance, because tannin and phenol content remain particularly low. There are no unnecessary interventions made during the fermentation in stainless steel tanks, which allows the wine to develop naturally.
This winemaking philosophy stands directly in correlation with the nature of the sites on which the estate’s grapes ripen – these parcels are among the best in the entire Kremstal & Kamptal. Because most of these vineyards face due south, the consistently high ripeness of the grapes ensures sufficient natural alcohol content. In addition, the loess soils are instrumental in making our wines a special treat. And that is an important factor: because Buchegger wines should not only score points at tastings, but also offer a great deal of drinking pleasure.