At this year’s bi-annual Austrian wine tasting in London Adam & I came across the charismatic Marion Ebner-Ebenauer of Weingut Ebner-Ebenauer and their wonderful range of wines. The  Weinviertel is Austria’s most northern region, an expansive, windswept area that borders the Czech Republic.  There is a lot of variation in soils and climate across the region and historically it has a reputation for easy drinking characteristically peppery Grüner Veltliner, falling rather in the shadow of the Danube regions like the Wachau.  However it looks like Ebner-Ebenauer are well on the way to demonstrating just what serious age and worthy wines the region is capable of producing.

At the helm of this historic family estate are Marion and Manfred Ebner-Ebenauer, their winery, based in the town of Poysdorf, has been producing wine for over 400 years.

The backbone of their philosophy lies in single-vineyard bottlings that aim to reflect the unique voice of each plot. Their 20 hectares are scattered like puzzle pieces across a patchwork of soils, originally a safeguard against hail, now a key asset with some of these vineyards boast old vines over 70 years of age.

In the vineyard, everything is farmed organically, with grapes picked entirely by hand at optimal ripeness. Careful handling, minimal oxidation, and small harvest bins preserve the clarity and integrity of the fruit.

Down in their 400 year old cellar, a low-intervention approach prevails with wines fermenting spontaneously. Alongside the single vineyard wines they make a range of cuvées called the Black Edition which includes a Grüner Veltliner, using extended skin contact and fermentation in barrique to coax out texture and complexity.

Their méthode traditionelle Sekt, aged on lees for years and disgorged only when truly ready, has been turning heads abroad, winning international awards for its finesse and depth.

A quick search of the web and social media and Ebner-Ebenauer crop up repeatedly, this an image savvy couple who make great wine in a great way, what’s not to love?