Jurtschitsch is a certified organic family owned winery in Langenlois in the Kamptal region of Austria.

Background: Having being run by the three brothers Edwin, Paul and Karl Jurtschitsch, the family-owned winery has now been passed on to the younger generation, to Alwin and Stefanie Jurtschitsch.This family business succession has been prepared thoroughly. The couple travelled around the world, gathering experience in New Zealand and Australia. Working as interns in famed wineries in France, they got to know the French school of the Old Wine World. A first step was the change-over to an organic cultivation of the family-owned vineyards. It was followed by a reduction of the wine-growing sites so that they could concentrate of the first-class appellations of the Kamptal. See also Fuchs und Hase, the collaboration with Martin and Anna Arndorfer.

Organic certification: 2006 C1. 2009 AB for the first time

 Estate vineyards-Kamptal: 45 hectares. Fairly big for Austria. Now may be as abig as 62ha of vines.

Winery: Old cloister buildings in the centre of Langenlois. Stainless steel.

Wines–Kamptal DAC range

Kamptal DAC Grüner Veltliner, Löss: “Löss” is the logical reply to “Stein”. While the “Stein” is marked by its primary rock origin, the “Löss” expresses its loess soils. Loess is principally sediment that is primarily comprised of silicate minerals like quartz, feldspar and mica and often limestone as well. The Spiegel is a southeast-facing site above Langenlois that is based primarily on loess and most of the grapes for the “Löss” are sourced from there. The reminder comes from Kremsfeld and because both vineyards are among the warmer sites, this is also correspondingly manifested in the wine. | 2013 12.5%. 1.1g/l RS. The most was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 18° C and left to rest on the fine lees before beeing bottled in spring.

Kamptal DAC Grüner Veltliner Stein: ‘The Stein is the so-called entry level of all our terroir efforts – a prelude to our series of single-vineyard wines. The grapes for this wine come from various mountain slopes with the Loiserberg and the Steinmassl making up the lion’s share. The goal is to deliver an elegant interpretation of Langenlois and the cool, elevated slopes that make it such a special origin,’ say the owners. 2012 Kamptal DAC. Dry, nice pepper and refreshing at Millésime Bio 2014. | 2013 Kamptal DAC Steel. Bottled in spring.

RR Platin [Riesling]: “Platinum” is the English translation for the name of this wine. The Platin is a true Langenlois native: the grapes come from various terraced vineyards predominantly of primary rock that surround the little wine capital of the Kamptal appellation. Only ripe and fully healthy grapes are selected by hand and gently pressed. The must flows into stainless steel tanks in the natural underground cellar without the use of pumps. It is allowed to ferment slowly and become the brightly shining wine of finesse that it is.

Kamptal DAC Erste Lage range

GrüVe: A Grüner Veltliner, 

Grüner Veltliner, Loiserberg: Schist. Richer on east side = Grüner Veltliner, rockier on west side = Riesling. “Our home mountain stems from the Proterozoic eon and is an estimated 800 million-years-old [Primary rock: Gfohler gneiss, thin humus layers]]. Grüner Veltliner drives its roots into mica-schist high on the mountain slope where the vines are exposed to constant winds that provide optimal aeration. We strive to transport the cool aspect of this site directly into the wine glass where it is expressed in a compact and vibrant structure. On its way there, it spends a good half-year on the gross lees (without b ttonage) in used 2000-litre oak casks.” 2012 Rich, bit closed at Millésime Bio 2014.

Grüner Veltliner, Schenkenbichl: ‘“Lesser known, yet spectacular: the Schenkenbichl is usually only known by insiders that are increasingly dedicated to this geological mixture. On her way to this vineyard, my grandmother always said she was going to the chalk. Indeed, there is no lack of chalk, but there is also gneiss and amphibolite that reach to 30 cm under the surface [black and brown earth over chalk, gneiss and amphibolite]. The site faces the sun directly, but is on an elevated terrace at 330 metres above sea level. The wind also blows constantly between the vines, so that grapes may ripen long while retaining the necessary fresh acidity. Like all our wines, this Grüner Veltliner is fermented spontaneously. Maturation takes place in large wooden casks on the lees before the wine is bottled in summer.” | 

Grüner Veltliner, Lamm: On 100% loess = “more baroque” compared to the Stein. ““A sexy site,” to quote the boss candidly. In any case this is an absolute Grüner Veltliner cult vineyard. By the way, lambs do not graze in this site (not yet, anyway) – the name is derived from the word “loam”. But even this is not completely true, this site is comprised primarily of deep, metres-high walls of loess [deep clay and loess layers]]. These are break lines from the Permian period. The Lamm is the first of the vineyards in Zöbing to greet the morning sun and with it the constant winds that stroke the terraces. Because it doesn’t get any evening sun, there is a significant fluctuation between day and night temperatures. Our usual regime is practiced in the cellar: a short couple hours of maceration, oxidative handling of the must, spontaneous fermentation, maturation in 1000-litre wooden casks, and a maceration duration that is dependant upon the vintage.” 2012 Round, warm, light middle at Millésime Bio 2014.

Grüner Veltliner, Dechant Alte Reben: “The Dechant site is different. The site is warm, situated at the base of the mountain and faces the east towards the morning sun [south-east]. The soil is based on deep loess [rich clay-loess]. These preconditions are predestined for a voluptuous, soft wine – to be honest exactly the type of wine that we don’t want to make. The fact that despite it all, we do like to produce this wine and we do it with passion, lays in the challenge of preserving the balancing components. Acidity is absolutely essential because it forms the corset that must fit perfectly snug. Essential is the choice of picking time in order to achieve the balancing act that pairs a full body with firm structure. If achieved, one has an exemplary Grüner Veltliner at hand that offers vibrancy, dark fruit, and abundant spice. Maturation takes place over the course of several months on the lees in used 2000-litre oak casks.”

Riesling, Loiserberg: Gneiss rock (primary rock, Gföhler gneiss] covered with a very thin layer [thin layers] of humus is literally the foundation of this single-vineyard wine from Loiserberg. The vines must thrust their roots deep into the rock in search of nourishment. The sunny terraced Loiserberg vineyard is known as a hot spot, yet the vines are constantly bathed in the cool breezes coming from the Forest Quarter to the north. This allows ripe aromas to develop in a cool-climate wine style.” 2013 Kamptal DAC Reserve, Erste lage. 13.0%. 4.0g/l RS. “After a few short hours of maceration, this wine was fermented spontaneously and matured in large, used wooden casks on the fine lees without stirring.”

Riesling, Zöbinger Heiligenstein: “The Heiligenstein is legendary for its Rieslings – and justifiably so! Its unusual geological formation offers the best preconditions for the aristocratic white grape variety: meagre, weathered, red desert sandstone is veined with volcanic conglomerate from the Permian period. A nature reserve and unique microclimate provide remarkable biodiversity above ground: dry mountain grasslands between the vine rows with Mediterranean flora and fauna. Grapes that have achieved perfect ripeness and are botrytis-free are selected by hand and brought to the winery in small crates. The grapes are gently pressed and macerated cold for a few hours before being fermented spontaneously and then matured on the fine lees in 2000 litre wooden casks in a 700-year-old natural underground temperature at 11°C (52°F).” | 2012 Creamy at Millésime Bio 2014. | 2013 Kamptal DAC Reserve, Erste lage. 13.0%. 6.8g/l RS.

Riesling Alte Reben, Zöbinger Heiligenstein: “The “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” among our Rieslings – both gentle and wicked: juicy, mouth-filling, creamy texture flatters the palate while the Riesling acidity cuts with the precision of a dissecting scalpel. What initially appears charming is in reality very tightly knit. Ripe, sweet apricot fruit and notes of white blossoms are juxtaposed with piquant spice and salty minerals. This vibrant play of aromas, flavours and structure extends from the tip of the tongue all the way through the impressive length. Contrary to the fiend from the novel, this Heiligenstein does not have a split personality. The contrasting characteristics unite like pieces of a puzzle to create exciting tension and complexity. Sherlock would only hunt this wine for pure enjoyment.” The “Alten Reben” has earned its name honestly: the Riesling vines were planted in 1962 and are among the oldest in the entire Heiligenstein vineyard. They root deep into the desert sandstone and volcanic conglomerate rock. Due to their naturally low yield and small berries, they produce a highly concentrated, extremely mineral wine. The nature reserve on Heiligenstein and a special microclimate are responsible for a unique, nearly Mediterranean dry grassland fauna and flora. Only fully ripe, healthy grapes are selected by hand and transported in small crates. After de-stemming, grapes are left to macerate for a couple hours before being gently pressed. The free-run is transferred without the use of pumps to large wooden casks in the natural underground cellar. There, it is fermented spontaneously and matured on its fine lees).”

Grüner Veltliner, Käferberg: “The Käferberg is a monument built on a foundation of gneiss, mica, and amphibolite. Many of the vines have thrust their roots several metres deep under the surface [thin humus layers over gneiss, mica and amphibolite] with some even anchored in volcanic rock. Many of the vines are over 50 years old and the yields are low with corresponding concentration of flavour. Over the meagre rock, a bit of loess has collected in some patches and the layer of humus on the surface is slowly accumulating and becoming increasingly vital and green with vegetation. The site faces south towards Italy, but the warmth is often interrupted by cool winds. The wine is fermented spontaneously and the time spent on the lees is adjusted each year to fit the vintage. Maturation takes place in large, used, wooden casks. It enters the market first in the September in the year following the harvest – usually with the vintner’s request to allow the wine more time to develop in the bottle.” 2013 Kamptal DAC Reserve, Erste lage. 13.5%. 2.4g/l RS.

Website: www jurtschitsch.com

Contact

Jurtschitsch

Sonnhof, Rudolfstrasse 39

3550 Langenlois, Austria

Tel+43 02734.2116 Email weingut@jurtschitsch.com Website www.jurtschitsch.com

Bibliography

Catalogue to the Real Wine Fair, Tobacco Dock London 7-8th May 2017.