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Respekt biodynamic group announces new members
Three new winemakers from Germany and Austria have joined the respekt-BIODYN European biodynamic winemakers’ association, taking total membership of the organisation to 22.
Fritz Wieninger, owner of Hajszan Neumann winery
The three new members of the transnational group are Hajszan Neumann winery in Vienna (owned by current respekt member Fritz Wieninger), Herbert Zillinger winery in the Weinviertel and VDP winery Dr Wehrheim in Pfalz.
Austria-based respekt-BIODYN was founded in 2007 with the goal of producing “outstanding wines with the highest possible individuality”.
All 22 members, hailing from Austria, Germany, Hungary and Italy, work biodynamically and aim to produce wine with the least amount of intervention possible.
The group has also announced the creation of a revised set of cellar guidelines to which its members must subscribe in order to gain its certification.
This is the first time the organisation’s guidelines have been officially tabulated.
New guidelines for ‘white and rosé wine’, ‘red wine’, ‘natural wine’ and ‘sparkling wine’ categories were adopted at the end of December 2016. These categories are clearly defined and “leave no room for interpretation” a statement from the group said.
The guidelines include the following precepts:
1. spontaneous fermentation is obligatory for all wines; except if problems occur with white wines, then winemakers may use their own selected yeast but these must be documented diligently. For sparkling purebred yeasts (especially for the second fermentation) may be used. Again complete documentation is necessary;
3. Manual picking only;
4. No local variation, these guidelines are valid for all regions and countries (other biodynamic groups differ on this point);
5. All grapes have to be biodynamic. If just organic, the wine is not allowed to show the ‘respekt’ logo. and further, no conventional grapes allowed at the winery. If a vineyard is in conversion to organic agriculture, it must say so (this is for new vineyards);
7. Alle respekt wines are vegan.
The new guidelines can be read in full here.
The first wines from the three new member wineries certified according to the new respekt guidelines will be presented at the VieVinum 2018 wine fair in Vienna.
“The Respekt association’s high standards, our collegial exchange, and the joint development and appreciation have become enormously important to me over the years,” Viennese winemaker Fritz Wieninger said.
“respekt-BIODYN is a super troupe. This is why I see it as a necessity to integrate my second winery here. It’s also because Hajszan Neumann worked biodynamically for years before my takeover.”
Franz and Karlheinz Wehrheim
respekt-BIODYN group chairman, Fred Loimer, emphasised the strict quality vetting procedures that must be followed by wineries wishing to join the group.
Unanimity of the board, participation in the respekt education programme, a one-year mentorship by an established respekt member, and a three-year transitional phase for wineries in conversion to organic management (two for current organic operations) are required before membership is granted.
“What counts for us, in addition to our working methods, is in particular the quality level of our wines, which is why the wines of respekt aspirants are tasted several times by the executive board,” he said.
“It is important that the respekt association is open to every type of wine: from fresh and fruity through classic and matured, to orange. But everything at the highest level. Then the real admission process begins.
“Our new cellar guidelines are, of course, still a proper hurdle. It’s great that these three have mastered them.“
Hajszan Neumann Winery is located in Döbling, Vienna, at the foot of the Nußberg, the most traditional winegrowing vineyard in the city. Fritz Wieninger took over the estate from Stefan Hajszan and his business partner, Heinz Neumann, in 2014. Increasingly with this winery Wieninger is producing natural white wines with extended skin contact. Hajszan Neumann has been working biodynamically since 2004.
Herbert and Carmen Zillinger
Dr Wehrheim winery in southern Pfalz, with key vineyards in Kastanienbusch, Mandelberg and Sonnenschein, is run by Karlheinz Wehrheim and his son, Franz. A VDP member since 1991, Wehrheim has been working according to biodynamic principles since 2006.
Herbert Zillinger has been managing his family’s 15ha estate since 1998, and together with his wife, Carmen, since 2007. Zillinger’s vineyards are located in the Vienna basin and his most important single vineyard sites are Weintalried, In Haiden, Steinberg and Vogelsang.
All but one of the 22 respekt wineries will be represented at at ProWein in Düsseldorf from 19 to 21 March.
The respekt members are: Paul Achs, Judith Beck, Clemens Busch, Steffen Christmann, Kurt Feiler/Feiler-Artinger, Karl Fritsch, Michael Goëss-Enzenberg/Manincor, Andreas Gsellmann, Gernot & Heike Heinrich, Johannes Hirsch, Fred Loimer, Hans & Anita Nittnaus, Bernhard Ott, Gerhard Pittnauer, Claus Preisinger, Hansjörg Rebholz, Karlheinz & Franz Wehrheim, Franz Weninger, Fritz Wieninger/Hajszan Neumann & Wieninger, Philipp Wittmann, Herbert & Carmen Zillinger.