Weinberghof Fritsch is a certified Biodynamic estate (respekt-Biodyn certification) in Oberstockstall in the Wagram region (formerly Donauland) of Austria, 60km west of Vienna.

Owner: Karl Fritsch Jr. He studied winegrowing at the Klosterneuberg wine school. Karl Jr made his first wine in 1992 (aged 24), and in 1999 took over from his father, who had made his own name in the 1970s for his red wines. Karl Jr further improved the estate and went Biodynamic in 2006 as a founding member of Respekt-Biodyn.

Vineyards: 25ha. The most significant varieties are Grüner Veltliner (one third), along with Riesling and Zweigelt. Pinot Noir is also one of Karl’s key wines

Viticulture: Pruning follows theSimonit & Sirch school.

Terroir: Loess soils (up to 15 metres deep), gravel, gneiss, granite (bedrock) and loam.

Grape varieties: Grüner Veltliner (said to be very good smelling of angelica and an “almost lentil-like flavour which the Austrians call ‘Pfefferl’” says MacDonogh, p.41), Pinot Blanc in Ried Hausberg, now called Schlossberg, Riesling (in Ried Mordthal and Ried Steinberg. Red varieties include Red Blauburgunder, Blauer Zweigelt, Merlot.

Biodynamic certification: 2006 Went organic from From January 2006. The late Dr Andrew Lorand consulted on Biodynamics. | 2007 Joined respekt-Biodyn. | 2010 First vintage with full organic certification (Lacon). | 2017 Certified Biodynamic by respekt-Biodyn.

Biodynamics: Quad bikes are used for sprays to minimise soil compaction. Have their own tea cooker. Nettle, yarrow teas.

Winemaking: spontaneous fermentation, ageing in tanks, no fining or filtration.

White wines

Burgunder Cuvée

Fritsch:

Gelber Muskateller: Made from Gelber Muskateller (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains).

Grüner Veltliner, Donaulöss

Grüner Veltliner, Dorn

Grüner Veltliner Ried Mordthal – 1 ÖTW: The name Mordthal is derived from mammoth hunt as mammoth bones and stone tools are found here. South-facing vineyards in a valley protected from the west. Sand and gravel subsoil covered with a layer of loess with crystalline rocks brought by a Danube tributary. | 2014 Bright pineapple aromas, honeyed palate, maybe lacks a bit of acidity (Manincor 24 June 2016). | 2017 13% alc. Smooth, salty yellow fruit, lively, mouthwatering (March 2020).

Grüner Veltliner, Ried Schlossberg – 1 ÖTW: 2012 Pineappley (Manincor 24 June 2016). | 2013 Hot. 36ºC at flowering. Very low yield (25hl/ha) in 2013. Quite honeyed (Millésime Bio 2015). | 2017 Wagram. 13% alc. Smooth, salty, bright yellow fruit, mouthwatering and well weighted (tasted March 2020).

Grüner Veltliner, Ried Steinberg: Loess over slate and granite. | 2014 Nice honey lemon (Millésime Bio 2015). | 2015 Lovely acid, pineapple, clean (Manincor 24 June 2016).

Grüner Veltliner, Wagram

Grüner Veltliner Windspiel

Riesling Reserve, Wagram: 2006 Loess soil. Very saline fruit with salty acidity; refreshing, intense but not heavy. Deep, long. Very clear, fresh. Real depth to this. No bitterness. Really very good (Tenuta Manicor June 2016).

Riesling Kapuzinerberg – 1 ÖTW

Riesling Mordthal – 1 ÖTW: 2014 Nice acidity, soft round fruit (Manincor 24 June 2016). | 2017 Wagram. Trocken. 13% alc. Lively, salty, bright green-yellow vertical fruit, mouthwatering and sleek (tasted March 2020).

Fritsch, Fritsch & Gottwald Tausend Weiss: 1,000 bottles. 75% Chardonnay, 5% Weissburgunder. South-facing, loess. 220-230m. Hand picked. 12 hours on skins. 35 months in used 500 litre barrels. 12.5% alc. 2.2g/l residual.

Roter Veltliner: 2018 Roter Veltliner vinified as a white. Unfiltered. Plenty of savoury texture, a ‘food’ wine because of its body but also very good on its own, mouth filling and mouth-watering (March 2020).

Traminer: Reliably excellent Traminer (Luzia Schrampf).

Pink wines

Rosé Donaulöss: The name means Danube loess.

Rosé vom Zweigelt, Windspiel: Hand picked. Steel. Spontaneous ferment in stainless steel. Does malolactic fermentation. Racked. Aged on fine lees. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a small addition of sulfur.

Red wines

Cabernet Sauvignon ‘P’:

Pinot Noir, Exelberg:

Pinot Noir, P: 2016 13% alc. Bright and savoury (March 2020).

Zweigelt Donaulöss:

Zweigelt Red Soil:

Zweigelt, Windspiel:

Cuvée Foggathal: Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Contact

Weinberghof Fritsch

Oberstockstall 24

Kirchberg am Wagram, Austria

Tel+43 (0)2279.5037 | Website: www.fritsch.bio