Heidi Schröck & Söhne
Heidi Schröck & Söhne
This Article Contains |
People |
Heidi Schröck & her twins Johannes & Georg
Focus |
Tradition and momentum. Heidi fights to keep the culture of that shaped Rust by crafting some of its greatest sweet wines, reviving lost varieties and methods. Johannes & Georg push her into the future with relevant, artisanal natural wines or purity and fun.
Country |
Austria
Region |
Burgenland
Sub Region/Village |
Rust
Climate |
Moderate Continental
- Clearly delineated seasons, hot summers, cold winters.
- Each region in Austria is characterized by its proximity to the two competing cold and hot weather patterns.
- South from the Danube, in Burgenland they face the Pannonian plain and the full brunt of its warm westerly winds.
- This heat is what allows red grapes to ripen at such a northerly latitude
- Northern Burgenland gets 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, which makes it the sunniest region in all of central Europe,
- Below average rainfall.
- There is a cross over from primarily white wine country into red wine country
- The northern tip, at the Slovakian border, gets a touch of cooling influence of north wind from across the Weinviertel
- The southern Eisenberg region is the coolest from air flowing down the eastern Alps.
- Temperatures decrease the higher in elevation you go, so vineyards on mountains and even hillsides retain more acidity.
- Old forests encroach on vineyards and act as temperature regulators, cooling things down, offering shade and buffering winds from both the alps and the pannonian plain.
Vineyards |
- Turner: In the heart of the hills of Rust, soils are called “Rust gravel” which is a mix of sediments of crystalline rock, limestone, and sand.
- Ruster: Loamy sand with gray quartz and schist
- Kulm: The oldest of Heidi’s sites, planted by 3 of her great aunts in 1955. Sand over clay.
Grape Varieties |
- Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder
- the secret weapon Austrian whites.
- It was brought over with the Cisterian monks in the 10th century and is grown in small pockets in all the wine regions.
- Similar to Chardonnay, but with softer flavors and acidity.
- Makes great simple quaffing wines. But grown in the best plots it makes some of the most surprisingly concentrated and long lived wines in the country.
- It’s not exported often so bottles are hard to find outside of Austria, but not to be missed if you can lay your hands on one.
- Furmint
- The last little engine that could, finally having made its way back from Hungary to its old stomping grounds around the Neusiedlersee.
- It is famous as the main grape in Tokaj, one of the world’s most famous sweet wines made from botrytized grapes.
- A few growers replanted cuttings from across the Hungarian border, once they were reopened.
- Like in Hungary today, some winemakers are making gorgeous dry wines as well as sweet
- These are fresh, mineral and textural wines due to the high levels of acidity naturally present. Think Chenin Blanc from Saumur.
- Muskateller / Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains
- Muskateller is the most sought after variety from the large, ancient family of the muscat grapes.
- Most other countries make some version of sweet wine from it, the most famous being Vendange Tardive in Alsace. But Austria makes the best dry versions with great examples from most reputable producers.
- The overtly floral bouquet is tempered by its light body and bright acidity, making it a refreshing option on a hot summer day.
- Pinot Gris / Grauburgunder
- A pink-skinned genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.
- Likely introduced from across the border in nearby Alsace by Cistercian monks.
- Takes on many styles in Germany.
- The country is the world’s third-largest producer of the grape.
- Typically dry and can range from light and fresh to rich and oak-aged.
- Most of the time, these wines are more concentrated and flavorful than Pinot Grigio of Italy, with notes of apple, pear, and nuts.
- Because of its pink skins, Pinot Gris also makes delicious orange wines.
- Welschriesling,
- Not to be confused with Riesling, or Rhein Riesling
- Prevalent throughout Burgenland.
- Most dry examples are innocuous, but it makes exceptional sweet wines.
- Thin skinned and easily infected with noble rot
- Acidity is very high, which balances the high sugar content of sweet wines.
- Old vines on high-elevation slopes, farmed with care can make textured, interesting dry wines with a very high price to quality ratio.
- Zweigelt
- a crossing of Blaufränkisch and Sankt Laurent
- The most widely planted red grape in Austria
- Capable of making oak aged, opulent wines
- Best suited for early consumption.
- It is almost always violet in color with notes of cherry and raspberry, pepper and pleasingly mouth watering sweet tarts. The crunchy acidity lends way to easily navigated tannins.
- Some carbonic styles have the joie de vivre of Beaujolais.
- Sparkling wines made in a pet-nat style are increasingly popular and as an everyday pizza pairer it’s hard to beat.
- Blaufränkisch
- An indigenous grape
- Can make wines that are both distinctive but also that have the ineffable feel of true classic
- Naturally high acidity with medium plus to high tannins, balanced by concentrated fruit
- excellent aging potential, but very approachable in youth.
- A Chinese five spice note is typical
- Fruit and structure are dictated by its soil types: typically red on limestone, black on slate, blue on schist.
- Like Pinot Noir, Blaufränkisch is not an especially easy grape to grow
- Needs proper site selection and knowledgeable winemakers to tame its acidity and tannin.
- Wines are often underpriced for their quality.
Farming |
Sustainable
Cellar Work |
Traditional & Natural
- Some wines call for sulfur and filtering
- Other wines are made with zero additions or subtractions
- Each wine is not a recipe but stands on its own
About the winery |
Heidi is like the cool aunt who bought you beer in highschool and introduced you to Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks. This maven of Rust has spent her life fostering its culture and traditions. A place she has intimate knowledge of as the 8th matriarch of her family estate.
Her collection of vineyards surrounds the town on well drained slopes of gravel, sand, clay and limestone soil. She’s got a wealth of very old vines, yet continues to experiment with new varieties and training techniques, trying to stay ahead of the world’s rapidly changing weather patterns and tastes.
Heidi was a founding member of Cercle Ruster Ausbruch, an organization formed by the few remaining Ausbruch producers. Once the most famous wine of Austria, it had nearly been lost to phylloxera and was nearly lost to history. The group has also replanted Furmint, the main grape in Hungarian Tokaj, celebrated for its high acidity and sensitivity to botrytis. It disappeared after phylloxera wiped it out but is now being prized once more for not just sweet but incredible dry wines reminiscent of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc.
Her twin sons are now on board and have given an already vibrating estate new energy. They love wine and experimentation. The wines these days are more diverse and better than ever.
What do the wines taste like?
The dry wines of the estate are split between classic and modern cuveés, like her old-vine Blaufränkisch and wild Rosé Biscaya. These are down home, almost rustic bottles, true to their place.
The sweet wines though, especially the whimsical sounding Wings of Dawn, should be in every collector’s cellar. These are some of the most balanced, complex, exciting and just straight delicious bottles of sugar, acid, and grapes you can imagine.
New cuveés, experimental, natural, and one-offs are thought provoking, clean and slurpable. I couldn’t get enough of their pet-nat at my last visit.