Classification: DAC Kamptal, Erste Lage
Color: Powerful white wine
Country: Austria
Region: Kamptal
Producer: Schloss Gobelsburg, Langenlois
Grape varieties: gruner veltliner

Vinification: The grapes are hand-picked in November and checked for quality on sorting tables. Fermentation takes place in large 25 hl oak barrels from Manhartsberger oak, in which the wine also matures for 7 months. The yield of this wine is 40 hl/ha and the vines are on average 40 years old.

Producer information: Weingut Schloss Gobelsburg was founded in 1171 and belongs to the Cistercian monastery Zwettl. Over the centuries, the monks bought the best vineyard plots in the vicinity of the monastery. Since 1996, the estate, which covers 60 ha, has been managed by Michael and Eva Moosbrugger, with help from Willy Brundlmayer in the early years. On the Gobelsburg high plateau, there are dry, poor soils originating from Tertiary rocks. The vineyards are laid out in terraces and are mostly planted with the varieties gruner veltliner (50%) and riesling (25%). The soils are very diverse, which is why various Gruner Veltliners are offered. Mainly biodynamic methods are used. All wines are dry, making them very suitable for gastronomy. The pride of the estate are the more than 50-year-old gruner veltliner vines. Moosbrugger has meanwhile been named best winemaker in Austria by fellow winemakers in the Austrian wine guide Falstaff in 2006.

Area information: Kamptal, named after the small river Kamp, is located about 50 km west of Vienna. The area is part of the largest region, Niederösterreich (over 28,000 ha), and is known for its high-quality and gastronomic, dry wines. The soils of this very hilly area contain a lot of loess and clay, which lie on an ancient subsoil with volcanic structures and primary rock that is 270 million years old. Due to the great variety of soils, often each vineyard has its own character. This diversity is further increased by various microclimates. In Kamptal, the cool, fresh wind from the Waldviertel meets the gentle, warm wind from the Danube valley. This allows for a long ripening period while retaining plenty of fruit. With 3,870 hectares, Kamptal is one of the larger wine regions in Austria. Grüner Veltliner is the most important grape variety, followed by Riesling. Both varieties fall under the DAC Kamptal. In addition, there are, among others, zweigelt, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and Schloss Gobelsburg is famous for its blauburgunder/pinot noir.

To serve with: With rich fish dishes and shellfish such as lobster, langoustine, light meat, poultry dishes where a hint of residual sweetness is desired, rillettes, goose/duck liver, white and red rind cheeses.

Serving temperature: 10 to 12ºC

Other information: The 3.5-hectare vineyard 'Lamm' lies at the foot of the Heiligenstein hill with a perfect southern exposure. The vineyard (one of the warmest in the region) contains eroded material from the Heiligenstein slope and a lot of clay, producing wines with power and finesse. The association ÖTW (Österreichische Traditionsweingüter) has set up a classification comparable to the VDP in Germany. At the moment, the best plots are classified as 1ÖTW (Erste Lage) and the affiliated producers are allowed to mention this on their label.