Liberty Wines adds FX Pichler to portfolio

Liberty Wines has extended its Austrian portfolio into Wachau with the addition of historic Wachau estate FX Pichler.

FX Pichler’s super-modern winery in the Wachau, built in 2009

Founded in Oberloiben in 1898, the Pichler estate has developed a reputation as a Grüner Veltliner specialist since Franz Pichler Snr began selecting his own clones in 1928.

The estate was once fulsomely described by Robert Parker as the “Château Latour, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Zind-Humbrecht, Sandrone and Helen Turley of the Wachau”.

Franz Xaver (FX) took over at the estate in 1971 and his meticulous approach earned him plaudits on both the domestic and international stage.

Franz Xaver’s son Lucas joined the winery team in 1996, taking over winemaking at the estate in 1999 and assuming management of the whole estate in 2009.

Today, FX Pichler owns 22 hectares of vineyards, almost half of which are planted on steep terraces and worked entirely by hand.

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Franz Xaver (left) and Lucas Pichler

The estate is focused firmly on making wines that reflect the distinct terroir of each vineyard plot, with minimal intervention in the winery. Seventy percent of his production is classed as Smaragd – the highest of the three quality categories set by the Vinea Wachau group of producers.

FX Pichler was previously imported into the UK by Field Morris & Verdin. Liberty Wines will take over distribution of the estate’s wines from the 2015 vintage onwards.

“We are delighted to add one of Austria’s top producers – and our first from Wachau – to our portfolio,” David Gleave MW, managing director of Liberty Wines, said.

“Lucas Pichler’s single vineyard wines are a masterclass in site expression and complement our existing producers – Loimer in the Kamptal, Wieninger of Vienna, and Heinrich from Neusiedlersee in Burgenland.”

The FX Pichler wines available through Liberty Wines are:

FX Pichler Loibner Burgstall Riesling Smaragd 2015 (RRP: £32.99)

FX Pichler Loibner Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd 2013 (RRP: £52.99)

FX Pichler Loibner Steinertal Riesling Smaragd 2015 (RRP: £ 52.99)

FX Pichler Dürnsteiner Liebenberg Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2015 (RRP: £52.99)

FX Pichler ‘M’ Riesling Reserve 2015 (RRP: £68.99)

FX Pichler ‘M’ Riesling Reserve 2013 (RRP: £68.99)

FX Pichler Dürnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd 2014 (RRP: £78.99)