Gut Oggau Theodora Weiss 2022

Gut Oggau is a winery project in the small town of Oggau in Burgenland, Austria, started by Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe in 2007. Before founding the winery, Eduard produced conventional wine with his father in Styria, while Stephanie's family owned and operated the Michelin-starred restaurant Taubenkobel. The couple meticulously restored the 17th-century winery, which had been abandoned for 20 years, including its 200-year-old screw press. The vines' 20-year neglect allowed all pesticides and chemicals to wash away, enabling them to transition immediately to biodynamic farming. Today, their vineyards are fully Demeter-certified.

In the cellar, Eduard and Stephanie noticed that each wine had a distinct personality. They decided to reflect this by crafting labels that personified each wine. They created a family of wines, with each bottle named after a family member and illustrated by the artist Jung von Matt. The children, Athanasius, Theodora, and Winifred, are characterized by their forthright, light, bold, and energetic nature. The parents, Joschuari, Emmeram, Timotheus, and Josephine, come from vineyards with more sun exposure, producing wines with greater body and power.

The grandparents, Mechtild and Bertholdi, are from two single vineyards of older vines, yielding the most traditional wines in their lineup. Most vineyards are field-blended, so grape varieties are not prominently mentioned. However, they primarily work with Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), and Gewürztraminer.

Burgenland, nestled between the Austrian Alps' foothills to the west and Hungary to the east, holds a venerable position in Austria's vinicultural domain. Known as the Pannonian Plain, it extends over 32,200 acres, marking Austria's second-largest winemaking region. Burgenland embodies ancient winemaking traditions, modern viticultural techniques, and a burgeoning community of minimal intervention, natural winemakers.

Today, Burgenland is segmented into four DAC subregions: Mittelburgenland, Leithaberg, Eisenberg, and Neusiedlersee DAC, each exhibiting a distinct viticultural character. Mittelburgenland, a hub for red wines, particularly excels in Blaufränkisch production. Leithaberg, with its profound minerality, sits in northern Burgenland, one of the world's most ancient wine-growing locales. In the southeast, Eisenberg yields tart, tannic Blaufränkisch, while Neusiedlersee DAC, beside Lake Neusiedl, is famed for its sweet, botrytized wines.

Terroir and Climate

Burgenland's geographical composition is a meld of Styrian and Pannonian Basins, hosting a spectrum of soils like sandy gravels, silt to clay sedimentary deposits, alongside limestone and schist. The region's Pannonian climate, a hot continental variant, is conducive to red wine production. The climatic interplay between warm Hungarian air and cooler Alpine breezes from the west extends the growing season, aiding grape acidity retention. Particularly in the Neusiedlersee area, humidity and scattered water bodies augment the growing season, creating a haven for Botrytis (Noble Rot) wines.

The White Wines of Burgenland

Burgenland also nurtures a diverse white wine portfolio despite its red wine prominence. Grapes like Gruner Veltliner and Welchsriesling thrive here, with the climate lending the white wines a ripe, full-bodied character. Near Lake Neusiedl, sweet white wines like Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, and Eiswines have garnered global acclaim for their concentrated, exquisite profiles. The region's unique Ruster Ausbruch, a botrytized wine from Rust, stands in its own Austrian sweet wine classification. The region's "Zicklacken" lakes further facilitate Botrytis cinerea growth during Autumn.

The Red Wines of Burgenland

Blaufränkisch, the quintessence of Austrian red wines, finds its prime cultivation ground in Burgenland. Its often tannic and spicy wines bear blackberry and dark currant notes with a mineral undertone. Zweigelt, a Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent cross, yields tart, fruity wines with spiced cherry and raspberry nuances. St. Laurent, a Pinot Noir progeny, is cultivated in northern Burgenland, producing crisp, fruit-forward red wines.

Food and Cuisine of Burgenland

Burgenland's culinary scene, influenced by its geographical proximity to Hungary, often exhibits a spicy undertone. Goulash and sausages are common, reflecting the local emphasis on utilizing regional meats, produce, and Lake Neusiedl fish. The region's contemporary cuisine often features fish, chicken, and pork, with potatoes as a staple side, harmoniously accompanying the diverse wine offerings of Burgenland.