Gut Oggau Bertholdi Rot 2022

Eduard Tscheppe and Stephanie Tscheppe-Eselböck founded Gut Oggau in 2007 after acquiring an abandoned 17th-century winery in the village of Oggau overlooking Lake Neusiedl. Eduard brought winemaking experience from his father's operation in Styria; Stephanie's family owned Taubenkobel, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Burgenland. The estate had sat untended for approximately 20 years—a circumstance that proved advantageous, as chemical residues had cleared from the soils, enabling immediate conversion to biodynamic practices.

Today, Gut Oggau maintains full Demeter certification across roughly 25 hectares. Among the estate's treasured equipment is a restored 200-year-old vertical screw press, reserved exclusively for the grandparent wines: Bertholdi and Mechthild. These top-tier cuvées come from the oldest vines and receive the most traditional treatment. Annual production across all wines averages 40,000 bottles, making these among Austria's most allocated.

The Gut Oggau concept centers on a fictional family. Each wine represents a family member with a distinct personality, illustrated by artist Jung von Matt. Three generations comprise the lineup: children (Theodora, Atanasius, Winifred) from younger vines yield lighter, energetic wines; parents (Joschuari, Emmeram, Timotheus, Josephine) derive from warmer sites producing fuller-bodied cuvées; grandparents (Mechthild, Bertholdi) represent the oldest vines and most structured expressions.

Bertholdi embodies the family patriarch—Mechthild's husband, described as a steadfast Burgenländer who remains connected to the earth yet full of vitality. As 100% Blaufränkisch from 60-year-old vines, this wine receives the estate's most intensive treatment: fermentation in large old oak, pressing on the antique vertical press, and two full years of barrel aging. The result is the estate's most traditional and age-worthy red.

Discover more from Gut Oggau: Joschuari Rot, Mechthild Weiss, Theodora Weiss, Winifred Rosé. Browse best-selling natural wines.

Burgenland extends along Austria's eastern border with Hungary, its terrain defined by the Pannonian Plain and the shallow expanse of Lake Neusiedl. Encompassing approximately 32,200 acres of vineyards, this is Austria's second-largest wine region and its warmest—conditions that have made it the country's premier zone for red wine production. Lake Neusiedl, one of Europe's largest steppe lakes, moderates temperature extremes and generates humidity that influences growing conditions throughout the season.

Oggau sits on the lake's western shore within the Neusiedlersee zone. Hillside vineyards above the village feature limestone and gravel soils—geological formations that produce wines with pronounced structure and mineral character. The Pannonian climate delivers warm continental conditions: hot air from Hungary collides with cooler Alpine breezes descending from the west, extending the growing season while allowing grapes to retain natural acidity despite the warmth.

Burgenland comprises four DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) zones. Neusiedlersee surrounds the lake; Leithaberg in the north showcases mineral-driven wines from ancient soils; Mittelburgenland centers on Blaufränkisch, Austria's signature red variety; Eisenberg in the southeast produces structured, iron-inflected reds.

Blaufränkisch thrives in Burgenland's warm climate, developing the ripeness necessary to balance its naturally high acidity and firm tannins. Old vines—those 50 years and older—yield concentrated fruit with greater complexity and depth. The variety produces wines with dark fruit, pepper, and distinctive mineral undertones that reflect specific terroir. Natural and biodynamic winemaking has flourished here, with estates like Gut Oggau, Claus Preisinger, and Meinklang establishing Burgenland as a destination for minimal intervention viticulture.

Explore Austrian natural wines and biodynamic wines.