The 2024 Vintage

With a good cushion of winter moisture in the soil, vegetation in 2024 got off to a very early start. Too early. By the time winter returned with icy temperatures at the end of April, we were forced to light frost candles in some of our vineyards. The young, delicate shoots had already grown up to 10 cm in length. Unfortunately, several of our vineyards near the foot of the hills close to the Kamp River were severely affected. When new leaves sprouted from the secondary buds in the following weeks, we were relieved, but the fear that only very few grape clusters would develop was sadly confirmed. The flowering, which began unusually early at the end of May, already hinted at a possible early harvest.

The warm summer, with a well-balanced distribution of rainfall, allowed the vineyards to thrive beautifully. Even during the heat of early August, the vines remained healthy and stress-free as they entered the ripening phase. To shade the grapes, precise canopy management became our top priority, and this labor-intensive work more than paid off. On August 21^st, just before sunrise, we began harvesting the first grapes for our sparkling wine. Over the following days, we shifted the harvest to the cooler morning hours. Coupled with a soft whole-cluster pressing process, this resulted in very vibrant, clear musts. We embarked on the main harvest with high expectations. Time was tight. Not only did the ripening accelerate rapidly, but storm warnings also pushed our experienced team to perform at their best. Harvesting continued until sunset, taking advantage of cooler daytime temperatures. And then the rain came. The heavy downpours caused the Kamp River to overflow in several areas. Fortunately, the vineyards that were still awaiting harvest weathered the rain well, though the final days of picking required even more intensive selection.

Never before had we brought 70% of our grapes into the cellar by mid-September, and this before the rain started. For some of our single-vineyard wines, this was the earliest harvest in the history of our winery-and it was the right decision. As winemakers, we embrace challenges, and we successfully navigated this demanding year. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our experienced team. Throughout this demanding harvest, they worked incredibly professionally, as always, and managed to keep their sense of humor. By early November, the young wines in the cellar were already showing beautifully-vibrant and full of promise. As the year 2024 drew to a close, we were thrilled to receive a wonderful award: Gault Millau honored us as the "Exceptional Winery of 2025."

We hope you enjoy the new vintage!
Stefanie & Alwin Jurtschitsch