Geyerhof

“To us, vines not only bear grapes, but also form a part of a greater whole. Maintaining a healthy soil and protecting plant and animal habitats also benefit the wine in the end.”

4 Soil types - 8 Sites

The vineyards comprise four completely different soil types. Within a few hundred meters, the composition of the soil changes from granulite to loess as well as conglomerate and sand. The wines also differ respectively, as they are crafted according to site and grow not just on the best, but also the oldest vineyard sites of the region.

"Erste Lage"

Not all vineyards produce the same quality. According to old winemakers’ wisdom, there are vineyards which, if looked after properly, consistently produce outstanding wines year after year. This is how the Erste Lage (First Growth) classification came to be. As a member of the Austrian traditional wine estates (ÖTW - Österreichischen Traditionsweingüter), four of our vineyards carry the Erste Lage designation.

Ried Steinleithn 1ÖTW

size: 1,4ha, sea level 280, slope 2°, orientation SW Wine from this vineyard

By looking at the soil, one would hardly believe that this site produces a Veltliner which is unequalled in its depth of expression. The soil is very poor, with only a thin layer of topsoil. Here and there, bare rocks peek through the root stocks, earning the site its name (“Stein” means “rock” or “stone”). The vines’ roots directly hit granulite, a prehistoric type of rock composed of feldspar, quartz and mica. This is not where fat, round wines are made. This site’s wines are rather austere, elegant, and linear, offering an incredible cellaring potential which it demonstrates beautifully in regular vertical tastings. Often we only harvest this vineyard in November. Late harvesting and very low yields provide wonderful complexity, highlighted by ripe fruity notes. Our ancestors were already well aware of the value of this vineyard which is considered among the oldest of the region.

Ried Gaisberg 1ÖTW

size: 2,5 ha, sea level 270-305 m, slope 7°, orientation O Wine from this vineyard

Gaisberg is the complete opposite of the Steinleithn site. A mere 100m away, Gaisberg is characterised by impressive, deep loess layers which provide the perfect setting for lime-rich, well-aerated and hummus-rich soils, making it a textbook Veltliner site. With the Danube in the background, this is where concentrated, spicy and creamy wines are created. Expressive and unmistakable.

Ried Kirchensteig 1ÖTW

size: 1 ha, sea level 280-285 m, slope 7°, orientation SW Wine from this vineyard

From time immemorial, the villagers have been strolling past this old vineyard site on their way to church on Sundays. It is therefore no secret how this vineyard received its name – “Kirchensteig” signifies “the path to church”. Much like in the Steinleithn site, the vines are anchored in a thin layer of topsoil with very poor granulite soils beneath. Which is exactly where Riesling can unfurl its full potential and where we can expect great things. Every year we are rewarded with taut and elegant wines full of finesse, fine peach notes, herbaceous spice and an excellent ageing potential. It is with good reason that Kirchensteig is known as one of the best sites on the southern side of the Danube.

Ried Goldberg 1ÖTW

size: 2,6ha, sea level 230-260m, slope 12°, orientation S Wine from this vineyard

This vineyard’s vines are already over 85 years old. The lower layers of this site which neighbours on the village of Hollenburg, are made up of a conglomerate massif: 15 million-year-old rocks from the Kalkalpen (Limestone Alps), located in the South, which were washed away by the ancient Traisen River and deposited here. They created calcareous, sandy-rocky soils where Riesling thrives especially well. Year after year, this site produces wines which reflect the life of the vines, the soil and the interaction with weather extremes in an incomparable way. Delicate, deep, complex and unusually age-worthy, these wines are a pleasure to experience.

Old gnarly wood, tiny berries, extremely low yields – the best prerequisites for wines which are regularly and with good reason lauded as some of the best in the country.

Classified sites

Ried Hoher Rain

Wine from this vineyard

Only 100 years ago, day-to-day life in Hoher Rain took place below ground due to the mining activities. Today, there are no more miners in Oberfucha, and the sandy loam soils are now home to Grüner Veltliner, which thanks to the soils’ nutrient availability and water storage capacity, offers elegant fruit and a silky character.

Ried Sprinzenberg