The Wagram is, at its core, a terrace — a marked ridge of loess. The view is fantastic. It’s possible to see as far as the Ötscher and Schneeberg mountains. Linguistically, the Wagram name derives from the Middle High German: “wac” for wave or welter, and “rain” for meadow or hillside.

Our foundation

The loess. It’s a favorite topic of ours: a gift from the ice age, collected at the edges of the primordial sea. The soil is rich in fossils and minerals, giving it a calcareous character. It also retains water effectively. Many hold the loess to be the soul of the region — and they may well be right. For winegrowing it is a true blessing.

Unique

Our climate is unmistakably ours. Hot Pannonian weather patterns come to us from the southeast, while the cool of the forest district to the north has its own distinct influence. From the south, the Danube sends us pleasantly cool and moist air. This latter factor brings us lovely hot summer days with cool nights. It is an ideal site for winegrowing, which has been practiced here since the Middle Ages.

Österreichische Traditionsweingüter

The same quality does not grow everywhere that vines are planted. There is an age-old wisdom amongst vintners that there are vineyards which, when carefully tended each year, consistently yield exceptional wines. Of course, there are other vineyards that deliver only good or somewhat mediocre wines.

Some parameters for maintaining excellent vineyards, however, are wellknown. But this cannot be looked at as a single fact in itself, because meager soils alone are not responsible for the growth of a great wine. There is always the essential combination of soil structure, rainfall, air flow, exposition, height and, of course, temperatures throughout the year – especially their day and nighttime differences.

So far, until now, it has not been possible for scientifically-based comparisons and evaluations to be made of the world’s terroirs. Year after year, the vintners, especially those whose families have been growing vines in the same locations for generations, know exactly which sites are yielding wines with the utmost finesse, the richest character, the longest life.

Consumers are increasingly rediscovering the joys of fine, authentic wines. These quality-minded aficionados have found a willing partner in the Traditionsweingüter, which have embraced the shared mission of capturing the true and authentic in each bottle. The Traditionsweingüter stand in opposition to wine as a uniform mass product, without individuality or distinction. Their open discussions have also proven a lively venue for critical reflection about greater environmental sustainability in their work.

The members of the Traditionsweingüter are committed to expressing the characteristics of their various regions, soils, climates, varieties and cellars through their wines. Each pour should always pay homage to its origin. The wines maturing in the cellars of the Traditionsweingüter proudly celebrate and never hide their distinctive personalities.

Ried Georgenberg 1ÖTW Erste Lage

‘St. George’s Mountain’ is named for the church in Grossweikersdorf. Its vineyard was once owned by the parish church of St. George, which has existed since at least 1241. The finest parcels were typically owned by cloisters or the Church, and this single site is even today one of the best in the area. The bedrock of our vineyards contains gravel from the proto-Danube, covered with a deep and broad layer of loess.

Georgenberg is a pure southern exposure, quite warm and protected from the wind. Our finest vineyard parcel is the forge for our authentic Grüner Veltliner Ried Georgenberg, an elegant wine of tremendous complexity and character.

Ried Hohenberg 1ÖTW Erste Lage

The Hohenberg name refers to a high mountain ridge. The site is located at 350 m of elevation on the powerful loess hillside and faces towards the southeast. Our parcel serves as the incubator for our Grüner Veltliner Ried Hohenberg, a strong-minded wine of unmistakable character. The windy and somewhat cooler climate lends the wine fresh, dark aromatics with an elegant minerality.

Ried Hohenberg is the estate’s oldest holding: it was here that Josef Ehmoser’s grandfather planted his first vineyard and laid the cornerstone for our current estate.