One to watch: Michaela Riedmüller

Determined

Michaela Riedmüller's path was clear early on – even as a child, she was drawn to nature in the vineyards of her parents' winery, which she took over at the age of just 19. "Being a winemaker has always been my dream job," she says today, with a touch of pride. With passion and determination, the 34-year-old has realised her vision of a modern winery. This makes Riedmüller a special case, as she is the last remaining female winemaker in Hainburg an der Donau in Austria's eastern region of Carnuntum, which stretches from Vienna to the border with Slovakia.

Unique

It is not only Michaela Riedmüller's career that is special, but also her prized Braunsberg vineyard. In addition, Riedmüller also has vineyards on the wind-exposed slopes of the Spitzerberg. She grows vines over eight hectares in total – vineyards which, like the winegrower herself, are strong in character and characterised by their origin.

Rising around 400 metres above the Danube river, the Braunsberg is part of the Little Carpathians and has an exceptional geological composition and microclimate. The vines grow here on hard granite and gneiss rock, which is covered by a fine layer of weathered limestone chips. Lots of sun and warmth from the river valley, comparatively low rainfall and cool winds blowing through the Carpathian-Alpine corridor demand a lot from both the vines and the winemaker. But Michaela Riedmüller knows how to work her beloved Braunsberg, drawing on her considerable experience, consistency and sensitivity.

Close to nature

For Michaela Riedmüller, nature is always above everything else. Treating nature and its resources with respect is an elementary part of the winemaker's philosophy, which is why she organically cultivates her vineyards, whose vines which are on average 35 years old, and is also certified with the rigorous 'Sustainable Austria' seal. Riedmüller relies on methods such as gentle pruning and the application of compost to ensure that the sometimes barren soil on which the vines, grow is optimally supplied with nutrients. Deliberately grown foliage provides natural shade and the humid Danube air compensates for the low rainfall, so additional irrigation has not yet been necessary. For Michaela Riedmüller, however, harvesting by hand is indispensable, as it enables precise and gentle grape selection.

Inquisitive

Anyone who has ever met Michaela Riedmüller in person (the next opportunities are at the end of this article) will probably remember her open gaze, her drive and the passion with which she talks about her vineyards, her work and her wines. "Curiosity is always a driving force for me. I want to try things out, develop myself and my wines further and thus broaden the horizons of all those who have these wines in their glass," says the winemaker about her philosophy. Michaela Riedmüller gets her inspiration from her travels at home and abroad. She packs experiences into her rucksack, brings new ideas home and then ponders them further. This is what happened with her natural wine series ‘Down to Earth’, which she launched in 2016, anticipating the natural wine trend. The time factor plays a decisive role in all Riedmüller wines and is also reflected in their ageing potential. With each vintage, Michaela Riedmüller goes into even greater depth and the winemaker aims to emphasise and reflect the origin as clearly as possible by using different ageing vessels like wooden and ceramic barrels as well as concrete eggs.

Outstanding

Michaela Riedmüller's endeavours not only bear fruit in the form of exceptional wines. She has an ever-growing international fan base, which includes national and international experts and critics. In the current Gault&Millau Wine Guide, for example, Michaela Riedmüller has top ratings – above all, for her flagship wine, the 2021 Carnuntum DAC Blaufränkisch Ried Braunsberg. It was awarded 18.5 out of 20 points and the editorial team also chose it as a favourite wine. You can taste it and other exciting wines from Michaela Riedmüller's portfolio here: