Bernhard pioneered organic and biodynamic winemaking in Austria after a trip to the Domaine Romanee Conti in Burgundy, where Aubert de Villaine was making the world’s greatest wines with biodynamics.

Upon his return to Austria he and fellow winemakers Johannes Hirsch and Fred Loimer established respekt-BIODYN, a community oriented group of biodynamic farmers committed to helping each other and the earth through biodynamics.

He even goes as far to make his own compost, a task most growers avoid, but which makes Bernhard giddy as a school boy when showing off his tarp covered piles. Composting may sound like a bunch of shit to some, but his heaping use of the stuff has enabled enough water retention that he doesn’t need to irrigate, even in these record breaking hot recent vintages.

Even though he’s been in charge of his 5th generation estate since 1993 (at the age of 21), he has never stopped experimenting, whether with vessels, stem and skin contact, farming techniques or different grapes. His ultimate goal has always been to prove that his single vineyards: Rosenberg and Spiegel were capable of producing world class, long lived wines.

Grüner Veltliner soars to new heights in his capable hands and even his first three tiers Am Berg, Fass 4 and Der Ott are some of the best values in Austria.

What importer Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine...

Region: Wagram
Grape: Grüner Veltliner
Vineyard: Mainly from the 1er cru sites of Spiegel, Stein, and Rosenberg
Soil: Loess, red gravel, and calcareous soils
Production: Basket pressed, fermented and aged in large Stockinger oak of various sizes, 90% is “new” oak, but from wood that cured for 13 years
Farming: Respekt certified biodyamic