The cultural Heritage of Austrian Wine

One of Austria’s oldest and richest-in-tradition wine estates will celebrate its 850th vintage with the 2020 harvest. The history of Schloss Gobelsburg is closely interwoven with that of the Cistercian Order, which spread from Burgundy throughout all of Europe and arrived at the Danube in the twelfth century. In the year 1171, the monks of Zwettl Abbey obtained a farmyard at the foot of the famous vineyard Ried HEILIGENSTEIN near Langenlois. That year saw the cornerstone laid for a tradition that would then grow and flourish over hundreds of years.

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The Renaissance chateau with its baroque accretions nestles picturesquely into the gentle terraced vineyards of the Danube River Valley. When travelling from Vienna and coming upon the first vineyards at Fels am Wagram, the attentive visitor will notice hilly landscapes moulded from a soil called loess, in which the flagship grape variety of Austria –Grüner Veltliner – is cultivated predominantly. Approaching the estate, the impressive terraced vineyards of Ried HEILIGENSTEIN arise on the right, its expression best characterised by the Riesling that grows there. Historians are keenly aware of the significance of this vineyard site, which is not only unique in Europe for its geologic makeup, but also occupies a historically pre-eminent position in Austria’s viticultural landscape.

Arriving at Gobelsburg, visitors are immediately aware of the eye-catching ensemble constellation, which reaches back through history to pre-Celtic habitation some 4,000 years ago. Entering the inner courtyard, one is immediately embraced by a sense of security. A sundial shows that even in modern times, the Cistercian leitmotif of ‘simplicity & strictness’ most definitely retains its relevance. The door to the wine cellar creaks open, and automatically upon entering one breathes the characteristic & familiar cellar aroma that remains so difficult to describe. The visitor proceeds onward through corridors hundreds of years old, past wine in barrels & bottles, until arriving at the core of the cellar facilities – a cloister whose centre serves as a fountain of light, air and water. Michael Moosbrugger, who took over management of this traditional house in 1996, tells us that the monastic ways still exert their influence on operational matters today. Not only that folks celebrate the yield of the harvest together after picking, and feast on the traditional Sankt Martin’s Day goose, but also that the spirit of the Cistercians remains an important influence on many decisions. And at the wine tasting in these historic chambers, one begins by becoming acquainted with the classic wines of the Danube Valley – Gebietswein (regional wine), Ortswein (village wine) and Riedenwein (harvested from individual vineyards) serve as points of focus for the estate.

There is also a series of specialties that demands attention as well. The fine red wines of the Pinot family, or the sweet wines – but their classy sparkling wines (Sekt) are now also numbered among the best that Austria has to offer. And then the subject ‘Maturity in Wine’ receives special attention in the line of wines known as TRADITION. By the time one exits the gate of Schloss Gobelsburg, it has become abundantly clear what it means, to express the cultural heritage of Austrian wine. www.gobelsburg.at n

Mit dem Jahrgang 2020 feiert eines der ältesten und traditionsreichsten Weingüter Österreichs seinen 850. Jahrgang. Die Geschichte des Weinguts ist eng verknüpft mit der Geschichte der Zisterzienser, die sich im 12. Jh aus dem Burgund kommend in ganz Europe verbreiteten. Im Jahre 1171 erhalten die Zwettler Mönche einen Wirtschaftshof am Fuße des berühmten Ried HEILIGENSTEINS bei Langenlois. Dieses Jahr markiert den Grundstein einer Jahrhunderte alten Tradition.