Gut Oggau Emmeram Gewurztraminer 2022

Eduard Tscheppe and Stephanie Tscheppe-Eselböck founded Gut Oggau in 2007 after acquiring an abandoned 17th-century winery overlooking Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland. Eduard had worked in conventional winemaking with his father in Styria; Stephanie's family operated Taubenkobel, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the region. The estate had been untended for approximately 20 years—a circumstance that proved beneficial, 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, with vineyards grazed by sheep, enriched by cover crops, and partly worked by horse to minimize soil compaction.

The estate's concept revolves around 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 on gravel soils yield lighter, more energetic wines. Parents (Joschuari, Emmeram, Timotheus, Josephine) come from warmer, sun-exposed sites producing fuller-bodied cuvées. Grandparents (Mechthild, Bertholdi) derive from the oldest vines and receive the most traditional treatment.

Emmeram occupies the parent generation—described as a "bird of paradise" and globetrotter with a charming, exotic personality. He is the son of Mechthild and Bertholdi, brother to Joschuari and Timotheus. Unlike most Gut Oggau wines, which are field blends, Emmeram is a single-varietal bottling: 100% Gewürztraminer from a dedicated plot. The brief skin contact before pressing allows the variety's aromatics to express fully while maintaining dry balance and finesse. Annual production across all Gut Oggau wines averages 40,000 bottles.

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

Burgenland occupies Austria's eastern flank, bordered by Hungary and shaped by the expanse of the Pannonian Plain. Covering approximately 32,200 acres of vineyards, this is Austria's second-largest wine region and its warmest, a climate that has historically favored red wine production. Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedler See), one of Europe's largest steppe lakes, defines the local viticultural character, moderating temperatures and creating humidity that influences everything from dry wine production to the botrytized dessert wines for which the area is celebrated.

The village of Oggau sits on the lake's western shore within the Neusiedlersee zone. Soils here range from gravel deposits near the water to limestone and sand on higher ground—conditions that allow aromatic varieties like Gewürztraminer to develop intensity while retaining freshness. The Pannonian climate delivers warm continental conditions: hot Hungarian air collides with cooler Alpine breezes from the west, extending the growing season while preserving natural acidity in the grapes.

Burgenland divides into four DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) zones: Neusiedlersee surrounds the lake; Leithaberg in the north features pronounced minerality from ancient geological formations; Mittelburgenland centers on Blaufränkisch, Austria's signature red variety; Eisenberg in the southeast yields structured, iron-inflected reds.

Though Burgenland built its international reputation on red wines—Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, St. Laurent—aromatic white varieties thrive here as well. The warm climate allows Gewürztraminer to achieve full phenolic ripeness, producing wines with concentrated aromatics and textural complexity. Natural and biodynamic winemaking has flourished in this region, with estates like Gut Oggau, Claus Preisinger, and Meinklang establishing Burgenland as a center for minimal intervention viticulture alongside its traditional strengths.

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