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35 years of Wine+Partners: From one-woman band to reinventing the culture of taste
Dorli Muhr (left) founded Wine+Partners in 1991; Ute Watzlawick (right) joined the company in 2001.
© Steve Haider
What began with a student’s big dreams and a fax machine tucked under her bed has led to a host of international success stories and brought considerable attention to the world of fine wine. From Robert Mondavi and Alois Kracher to Penfolds and the Douro Boys, Wine+Partners counts many big names among its clients, who credit the Vienna-based agency with being instrumental to their success.
Wine+Partners was founded on 1 February 1991 by Dorothea (Dorli) Muhr. Public relations for the food and drink industry was still a niche phenomenon then and the Austrian wine industry was in the doldrums. The term ‘start-up’ had not even entered the vocabulary of the young translation student back then. However, she did bring with her a great enthusiasm for fine wines and a flair for meaningful communication. Highly motivated and always keen to unearth hidden treasures, Dorli Muhr set to work. Within a short space of time, the Vienna-based company had become a flagship of the global wine and gourmet scene.
“Back then, it was still rare for wineries, restaurants and agricultural producers to communicate their messages in a competent and professional manner, indeed some regarded it as a luxury,” recalls Dorli Muhr. Time has proved her right: today, press and public relations work are taken for granted as a means of communicating a company’s values and unique selling points, and to raise its profile.
Company motto: smart upgrading
It’s difficult to imagine given the current state of the world, but the key to success was by no means to shout the loudest. “No superlatives - but facts and information,” is the company’s philosophy.
Much of the scene was still in its infancy back then. One of her first missions was to bring wine out of dark cellars and into a stylish setting. She organised her first major tasting for the ‘Collegium Wein Neusiedlersee’ in an art gallery – an unusual location at the time; today, museums and the Hofburg are established venues for wine events.
The 'Berlin Tasting' for Viña Errazuriz in 2004 also remains unforgettable. The plan seemed audacious. Chilean wines would prove themselves in a blind tasting against the biggest names from Bordeaux and Super Tuscans. But it paid off – trade press and sommeliers declared Chile the winner, and from then on, the country was hailed as a source of fine wine.
Whenever the Portugal’s 'Douro Boys' are asked about their success, the (now) four quintas readily admit that Wine+Partners helped turn them into stars with a brilliant strategy and firm hand.
Succeeding together: Alois Kracher with Wine+Partners
The partnership with Alois “Luis” Kracher (d. 2007), the iconic sweet wine producer from Illmitz, Burgenland was particularly close and successful. “Luis was unstoppable and, in any case, one of the most inspiring wine figures in the world,” recalls Muhr.
© Anna Stöcher
“We began working together in the early 1990s, at a time when Austrian sweet wine was considered taboo worldwide.”
Yet the duo managed to turn the tables with superb wines and targeted communication. A tasting of the glorious 1995 vintage at the State Library, for instance, made headlines. No fewer than 13 wines from that vintage received top international ratings, and the press was full of praise. Jancis Robinson MW sang Kracher’s praises, and The New York Times devoted a multi-page feature to him.
‘Who's Who’ client list
They were later joined by leading figures in the wine industry such as Robert Mondavi, Peter Gago (Penfolds), Michael Silacci (Opus One) and Miguel Torres, as well as entire associations such as Relais & Châteaux, Romantikhotels, Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe (JRE) and Österreichische Traditionsweingüter (ÖTW).
Saviour of Austrian brewing culture
In 2001, journalist Ute Watzlawick joined the company as managing director and co-owner. In addition to major wine clients such as the Pannobile Group and the Vienna Winegrowers’ Association (WienWein), she soon branched out into other gourmet beverages such as coffee and, eventually, beer. She is a passionate advocate for local and regional businesses.
“The growing influence of international corporations is threatening the historically developed beer culture in Europe. Our work aims to help people recognise the quality of well-brewed beers, rather than simply reaching for the cheapest option,” explains Watzlawick, referring to the large-scale #greifzumsiegel (reach for the seal) campaign by the Independent Breweries of Austria group. The ‘CulturBrauer’ group of breweries have also been a Wine+Partners’ client for many years.
Watzlawick has applied her talent and expertise across national borders. She led the establishment of the ‘Independent Brewers of Europe’ and oversaw the Europe-wide alliance ‘Slow Brewing’.
Best team for ultimate enjoyment
Since its foundation, the company has grown steadily. The space under the loft bed has long since become too small for Wine+Partners’ big ideas and projects. Today, a team of 20 works with passion and dedication for the national (40%) and international (60%) gourmet sector. These experts in good taste bring skills and perspectives from a wide range of fields: traditional PR, journalism, diverse wine training, consultancy, online marketing, as well as graphic design and art.
The work carried out by Wine+Partners is equally diverse. It ranges from press relations for top restaurants like Rutz in Berlin, PR for some of the world’s most famous wineries such as Penfolds (Australia), Abadia Retuerta (Spain) and F.X. Pichler (Austria), to social media marketing for the leading Austrian independent breweries, strategy workshops for agricultural investments (AgroHerc, Bosnia) and consultancy for retail companies (trinkreif), to name but a few. Work in digital channels in particular has increased significantly in recent years. Under the leadership of Marlies Auer, this division is in the hands of a young, highly competent and prudent team.
After 35 years, the Wine+Partners maxim still holds true:
"Ask Wine+Partners. They know how to do it."
Wine+Partners, Muhr&Watzlawick OG
In numbers:
Founding year | 1991 |
Number of employees in 2026 | 20 |
Turnover from clients in Austria | 40 % |
Turnover from international customers | 60 % |
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Public relations & press work | 50 % |
Online & social media | 30 % |
Strategic consultancy | 20 % |
Number of current customers | 63 |
Awards:
Event Award of Austrian Life Marketing | Several times |
State Award for the Most Family-Friendly Business | 2014 |
Induction into the Live Marketing Hall of Fame (Dorli Muhr) | 2022 |
Admission to the Académie Internationale du Vin (Dorli Muhr) | 2025 |
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