| Region of production: | Wachau |
| Winery Location: | Dürnstein |
| Year Established: | 1938 |
Vineyard Holdings
450 ha
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Kollmitz
- Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Kaiserberg
- Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Loibenberg
- Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Axpoint
- Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Pichlpoint
- Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten
- Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kellerberg
- Riesling Federspiel Bruck
- Riesling Federspiel 1000-Eimer-Berg
- Riesling Federspiel Loibenberg
- Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel
- Riesling Smaragd Achleiten
- Riesling Smaragd Kellerberg
- Riesling Smaragd Loibenberg
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Previously known as Freie Weingärtner, Domäne Wachau is a cooperative association of growers with about 800 members. For many years, the cooperative was reputed as a top quality cooperative. But internal politics in the early 2000s led to the departure of the team of directors, and the cooperative underwent various changes in the next few years as wine quality declined. In 2004 Roman Horvath MW was brought on with winemaker Heinz Frischengruber, to reestablish the cooperative among the region’s best, and in 2008 the cooperative changed its name to Domäne Wachau. Today, Domäne Wachau remains the largest producer in the Wachau, working with 250 growers (contracted for five-year terms) who cultivate approximately 450 hectares.
In recent years, Domäne Wachau established a quality assurance initiative that provided a reward system in which co-op members could participate voluntarily through the use of holistic and sustainable viticulture methods to ensure fruit quality. Grüner Veltliner (55%) and Riesling (18%) make up the majority of production. The cooperative is the largest producer of Neuburger in the Wachau, but also produces small amounts of Rivaner, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muskateller. Blauer Zweigelt, St. Laurent, and Pinot Noir red wines make up only 6% of production.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Domäne Wachau practices protective juice handling and reductive fermentation. The juice is given two days to settle and cool fermentation using commercial yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel follows. Smaragd wines ferment slightly warmer than others. Single-vineyard wines remain on the fine lees and may be aged in large neutral cask. Sulfur additions are made several weeks after fermentation and again prior to bottling.
Producer Website: Domäne Wachau