Region of production: Kamptal
Winery Location: Kammern
Year Established: 1878

Vineyard Holdings

31 ha

  • Kammerner Lamm
  • Zöbinger Gaisberg
  • Zöbinger Heiligenstein

Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages

  • Grüner Veltliner
  • Grüner Veltliner Heiligenstein
  • Grüner Veltliner Renner
  • Grüner Veltliner Lamm
  • Riesling Zöbing
  • Riesling Gaisberg
  • Riesling Heiligenstein

Average Total Production

  • 150,000 bottles

Summary

Johannes Hirsch, considered a young pioneer of both Kamptal and Austria as a whole, manages the family winery along with his father and his wife Sandra. Their biodynamic farming practices are a core part of the Hirsch philosophy. Hirsch was also one of the first estates to bottle its entire portfolio under screwcap—a much more common practice currently than it was when Hirsch started doing so. The estate grows Grüner Veltliner and Riesling exclusively, making three single-vineyard bottlings of each, with recent plans to expand further. Generally the wines are lower in alcohol and, though predictably dry, may be bottled with residual sugar if the fermentation does not finish dry naturally. Johannes releases his wines when he feels they have seen proper maturation regardless of current vintage.


Style & Vinification Techniques

Grapes are hand harvested and whole cluster pressed. Fermentation begins by indigenous yeasts and commercial yeasts are not added if fermentation does not finish.  Wines are often left on their lees into the following year after harvest, though this practice varies by variety and vintage.

Producer Website: Hirsch