ProWein 2023
Who? What? Where? And above all, WHY?
The answers: our tips for the most exciting ProWein vintners and events.
Muster.Gamlitz Winery, Südsteiermark
ILLYR - is a new series of six charismatic wines from the south and west of Styria, which owe their name to the Illyrian Mediterranean climate. The vines and grapes are challenged here by capricious weather, and so the wines develop exciting specificities. Winegrower Reinhard Muster's hobby as a pilot is the reason behind his very special view of the weather. What role does the soil play then, you ask? Reinhard Muster has his own approach to this too – and will be happy to tell you about it in a personal conversation in Hall 5 / L47.
Langmann Winery, Weststeiermark
Grown – not made!
Pink is the natural colour of Schilcher, and it can confidently be called the oldest Rosé style in Central Europe. In airy West Styrian vineyards on the edge of the Alps, at altitudes of up to 600 metres, and with generations of know-how under their belt, the Langmann family vinifies great Schilcher from the indigenous Blaue Wildbacher grape. These are both dense and light-footed in equal measure. An impressive Schilcher vertical from different vineyard sites, exciting sparkling wines and Sauvignon Blanc with alpine grace will be shown by Stefan Langmann and his daughter Verena in Hall 5 / K52.
Doktor Wunderer Winery, Weinviertel
Dr. Gerald Wunderer is not only a general practitioner and specialist in psychiatry but also recently became the master of a 10-hectare vineyard. Global warming is getting to everyone – including Grüner Veltliner. The winery’s perfect location in the Lower Austrian village of Straning, on the border with the Waldviertel, ensures Wunderer's Grüner Veltliner tastes as pristine and fresh as it always has. The cool nights make the wines particularly light-footed, aromatic and refreshing. The doctor brings Veltliner from the Straning site and from the Sand and Steinperz vineyards. The self-confident Animus meets the uncompromising Corpus Delicati – and at two locations:
Gut Hermannsberg, Nahe
Seven VDP.GROSSE.LAGEN! What a privilege! For years, Gut Hermannsberg has been impressively demonstrating the potential of these outstanding sites, whose top wines are allowed up to five years of maturation before being released to the market. But the estate wines (Fine, Just and Weissburgunder) are also exceptional. And this year, for the first time, they have a new outfit.
Viña Montes, Chile
Aurelio Montes has achieved yet another pioneering feat: with his new wine Montes Wings, he has blended two grape varieties, Carménère (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%), for the first time. He takes the grapes from his highest vineyard, where they are allowed to enjoy the longest ripening period at lofty heights.
The new blend along with other icons like Montes Alpha M, Purple Angel and Montes Folly will be presented by Aurelio Sr. himself (!) at this year's ProWein and – drum roll – the first appearance of MUSE, a new wine exclusively traded via La Place de Bordeaux.
Rubin Carnuntum Wineries, Carnuntum
65% of the area cultivated by the Rubin Carnuntum wineries is, or will soon be, organic – equating to nearly half of the entire area. An impressive figure that demonstrates the collaborative nature of the Austrian wine region. When you do something in Carnuntum, it is usually together, and not motivated by trends but genuine conviction! At ProWein, 11 wineries will show vibrant red wines from the outstanding 2019 and 2020 vintages, as well as profound white wines from 2021 and 2022 – and everything in between from Pet Nat, orange wines and Rosés.
Gerhard Markowitsch Winery, Hall 5/J08
Philipp Grassl Winery, Hall 5/J10
Robert Payr Winery, Hall 5/J10
Artner Winery, Hall 5/K09
Franz&Christine Netzl Winery, Hall 5/K09
Riedmüller Winery, Hall 5/K08
Pelzmann Winery, Hall 5/K08
Taferner Winery, Hall 5/K10
Glatzer Winery, Hall 5/K10
Böheim Winery, Hall 5/L09
Auer Winery, Hall 5/L09
Michaela Riedmüller, Carnuntum
"When the sun shines, the Braunsberg sparkles like a diamond," Michaela Riedmüller enthuses about her local mountain, the nearly 400-metre-high Braunsberg. The hard granite and gneiss rock massif is covered by a fine layer of weathered limestone chips. Part of the Little Carpathians and with a view of the Danube, Braunsberg, situated in the very east of Austria, right on the border with Slovakia, has a unique selling point. The warmth in the river valley, cool winds that blow through the corridor between the Alps and the Carpathians, extremely low rainfall and very good sunlight distribution create unique conditions for exceptional Blaufränkisch wines. Winemaker Michaela Riedmüller knows how to impressively bring out this special feature. For many, she is still an insider tip, and this is only the second time she has exhibited at ProWein. In addition to the Rieden wines from Braunsberg and Spitzerberg, she also has her natural wine range Down to Earth in her luggage.
Wess Winery, Kremstal
With boundless energy and passion, Christina Juen-Wess has been running the winery her father Rainer built up for 20 years since the start of 2023. He gradually gathered vineyard parcels in the best locations, including the Ried Pfaffenberg 1ÖTW, Ried Kögl 1ÖTW and Ried Weinzierlberg, turning them into a stately winery. Christina and her husband David have converted the entire 15 hectares to organic and plastic-free cultivation, working the vineyards lovingly and with an eye to the future. Christina's great passion is bringing out the soil and climate variations in the more than 1,000-year-old area. That's why she lets her wines – especially the Rieslings – mature longer before they are put on the market, even if that means swimming against the commercial mainstream.
Event: Rubin Carnuntum Wineries, Carnuntum
The cool and elegant style of Carnuntum red wines is unique – and for many international wine experts the Austrian area is still an insider tip. Gerhard Retter leads – cheerfully, eloquently and competently – a masterclass through the region’s best sites and presents the now legendary 2019 vintage.
20th March - 13:30
Hall 5/ H36
Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige
The highest score to date (100 Parker points) for an Italian white wine is proof Tramin winery's idea to demonstrate Gewürztraminer’s ageing potential has been a total success. In the process, Willi Stürz has revived an old style: Epokale is incredibly complex, with perceptible residual sweetness, at the same time elegant and graceful, a wine of baroque splendour that is now traded on the secondary market. Behind it is a man of great height and stature, but with a penchant for understatement. With Epokale, Willi Stürz has made the ultimate gift to the wine region of Alto Adige. At ProWein, the latest vintage Epokale 2015 can be tasted in rare quantities.
Birgit Braunstein Winery, Leithaberg
Her vineyards are places of biodiversity, full of flowering herbs, buzzing insects and diverse fauna. This liveliness can also be felt in her wines. They are bursting with inner tension and are shaped by the soil on which the grapes grew. Birgit Braunstein follows a holistic approach: minerals, plants, animals and people form an overall system in which everything is connected to everything else. Her winery is certified as a Green Care business, and she is also a trained Qigong and yoga teacher. Curious? Meet Birgit in person, BEFORE the fair: