The link between the church and wine has always been strong. Gottweig Abbey, Stift Gottweig in German, was founded in 1083 in Krems, about 70 kilometers west of the Austrian capital, Vienna.
Eleven years later Stift Gottweig was given to the Benedictine order. Monks have been making wine on the site for almost 1,000 years, a remarkable timeline given the relative newness of New World vineyards.
Benedict of Nursia, who lived from 480 to about 547, founded the Benedictine order, which focuses on solitude and contemplation, and rejects worldly things such as money, sex or power.
In recent years Austrian wine expert Fritz Miesbauer helped revive the abbey’s winemaking skills. He has dedicated his time and efforts to the Benedictine’s 20 hectares of vines in the Kremstal and Wachau regions to the west of Vienna which are on the same latitude as the Champagne and Burgundy regions of France and yet produce very different wines from the French.
Vienna is one of the few capitals in Europe to have vineyards in its city limits. I have walked to vineyards from my Vienna hotel; something that cannot be said of many capital cities.
Miesbauer revived two major Austrian wine groups, the Freie Weingartner wine cooperative in Wachau and the Stadt Krems winery. He said the high quality of the existing vines was “one of the main reasons” for getting involved.
The 2012 vintage was the first produced under the monastery’s own label since 1987, whose main grape varieties include Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. Gruner Veltliner is Austria’s most common grape variety, accounts for about a third of the country’s plantings.
At Stift Gottweig, Gruner Veltliner grapes account for about 60 percent of all planting, with Riesling at 30 percent and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir making up the rest. Miesbauer concentrates on the two white varieties.
All of the wines discussed here are from the Kremstal region.
The 2012 Gruner Veltliner is from the Gottweiger Berg vineyard. I must declare that this is not my favorite white grape; I prefer riesling. However, the Gruner Veltliner makes a pleasant wine with low acidity, an aroma like a confectionery shop and a charm that some people will love. By comparing the wine to a confectionery shop I mean it actually smells like it does the moment you step into a candy store and are embraced by the sweet smells of various treats.
Moving on to the Riesling, its 2013 vintage is a new release and also comes from the Gottweiger Berg vineyard. This wine has a zingy acidity like biting into crunchy green apples. In the mouth it feels round and well structured. The acidity is pleasant and not as pronounced as what one experiences with young German riesling.
Two days later I tried this wine again after leaving a small amount in the bottle. It had matured and evolved, suggesting this is a wine that will age with time and become more flavorful.
The best wine was the 2012 reserve from the Silberbichl vineyard. It is the complete Austrian riesling: crisp and penetrating acid combined with a sizzling tingle of a range of citrus fruits like grapefruit and green apples. It should be kept for at least a decade before it begins to show its majesty. Silberbichl is another name for riesling.
The monastery also makes a sparkling wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Unlike champagne, the mixture has low acidity, which will appeal to people who find the acidity of champagne overwhelming.
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