8 Austrian winemakers to watch

Peter Honegger and Daniela Pillhofer are on a mission to bring quirky Austrian wines to the attention of the British public. The enterprising young students recently set up shop in a shoebox-sized, iPod dotted space in retail mecca Boxpark in Shoreditch.

Their retail venture, Newcomer Wines, seeks out Austrian wines with a story to tell and quirky labels to match. The Newcomer range starts at £12 and goes up to around £50, which doesn’t seem to be putting off East London locals from giving them a go.

Keen to rid wine of its snobby image, Honegger and Pillhofer want to inject the fun back into Austrian wine and shine a light on unsung boutique producers. Read on for our round-up of eight Austrian winemakers you need on your radar.

8: Ewald Zweytick

Described by Honeggar as a “living legend”, Ewald Zweytick is not your everyday winemaker. Before venturing into the world of wine the self-taught winemaker worked stints as a mechanic, builder and soldier. His passion for rock music is reflected in his wines, some of which are named after Guns ‘N’ Roses tracks.

Zweytick has quickly built a reputation as one of the top producers in the region despite coming to wine later in life. Unafraid of taking risks, he can often be seen driving down perilously steep vineyard slopes in his grass green truck.

Must try wine: November Rain Chardonnay 2011, £49.90 Named after one of Zweytick’s favourite Guns ‘N’ Roses songs, this Burgundian inspired Chardonnay boasts “an expressive bouquet and mineral core”, while “on the palate it combines richness, raciness and creaminess.”

7: Clemens Strobl

Former advertising mogul Clemens Strobl fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams in 2008 by laying the foundation stone of his own boutique winery.

A perfectionist by nature, his goal is to create wines that reach the pinnacle of what their variety can achieve.

Strobl injects his passion into every element of the winemaking process.

Must try wine: Fumberg Riesling 2012, £29.90

A terroir-driven wine from sunny Fumberg boasting “cool, delicate green fruit” and “a sea of blossom and herbs”.

6: Davis Weszeil

Father of three, Davis Weszeil switched from the bustle of city life to agriculture in order to be closer to nature.

In 2011, he joined the Summerer family winery in Kamptal as a strategic partner.

Passionate about organic viticulture in his quest to make authentic wines, Weszeil shuns additives and winemaking tricks to allow the terroir to shine through.

Must try wine: Purus Grüner Veltliner 2011, £26.90

Offering a cool contemporary twist on the critter label, this Gru Vee boasts “soft notes of stone fruit, pear, chocolate and hazelnut” along with a “roasted palate, a touch of ripe sweetness, and a generous lemony finish.

5: Erwin Poller

Erwin Poller’s family have been making wines for over 100 years. Although deeply rooted in his family’s tradition, Poller has always taken a creative approach to his work.

A winemaker by day and jam maker by night, one of his flagship wines, Ms Mayer Grüner Veltliner, is made from grapes from a vineyard formerly cultivated by the late Ms Mayer.

After her death Poller took over the running of the vineyard and dedicates equal amounts of passion to it. In her honour, with wine made from her vineyard bears a label inspired by the floral wallpaper in Ms Mayer’s living room.

Must try wine: Vom Loess white blend 2013, £14.90 Set to become this season’s must have dinner party conversation piece, Vom Loess is the Austrian name for the soil type that influences this “elegant” and “refreshing” white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Muskateller offering “tempting elderflower aromas”.

Rather than a label, Poller has glued on a smattering of the soil from the vineyard to bring drinkers closer to the site where it was made.

4: Christoph Edelbauer

A lover of the countryside and its unpredictable nature, Christophe Edelbauer got into winemaking in order to be able to work closely with nature every day.

Based in the Kamptal Valley, Edelbauer takes his inspiration from Burgundy and works with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in addition to Austrian native grapes. Keen to work sustainably, vineyards are kept to a manageable size in order to give them the hands on attention they deserve.

Must try wine: Kamptal DAC Grüner Veltliner 2012, £11.90 Shunning a label and instead etching straight onto the glass, Honegger believes this “lively and elegant” drop is Grüner Veltliner at its best offering “fresh aromas of green apple”.

3: Markus Altenburger

Markus Altenburger has wine in his blood, and has been making it since has was a teenager, when he teamed up with four close winemaker friends to create a quirky Austrian red.

In 2006 Altenburger took over his family winery in the town of Jois where he focuses on native grapes like Blaufränkisch and Neuburger. His vineyards are planted close to the Leitha Mountains, where he finds optimal conditions to produce wines with enourmous depth while preserving great freshness and minerality.

Altenburger recently launched Rosée Connection, the first Austrian winery to focus solely on rosé. Together with his wife Bernadette, the pair aim to showcase the huge potential of Austrian rosé and prove that rosé should be taken seriously.

Must try wine: Ried Satz Blaufraenkisch 2012, £11.90 Made on the edge of the Leitha Mountains, this “charming” Blaufränkisch is kept for a year in large barrels and has an “elegant character, appealing tannins and great finesse.” Honegger recommends pairing it with pizza or a good steak.

2: Groszer Wein: Markus Bach & Mathias Krön

It was love at first sip when entrprepreneur Krön decided to take over 16 hectares of vineyards in Südburgenland. Together with his partner in wine, German-born Markus Bach, the pair strive to make authentic and characterful wines that reflect their origins.

The pair have also gone back to basics with their Art Nouveau-inspired label designs, which hark back to Belle Epoque Vienna. The pair called their company Groszer Wein after the one-litre bottles their creations are housed in, which were was once the traditional bottle size for Austrian wine.

Must try wine: Blaufränkisch 2011, £15.90 An “inspiring” inky Blaufrankisch with “exhilarating fruit-flavours of cherry and blackberry, an elegant smoky taste and peppery perfume.” Honegger believes the wine is characterised by its “saline minerality, clear structure and acidity.”

1: Claus Preisinger

Topping our Austrian winemakers to watch list is Claus Preisinger, who makes wines on gut instinct. Rather than striving to make the greatest wine possible, he seeks to make wines that he enjoys drinking.

Like many of the other producers in our line up, Preisinger prefers to make his wines in the vineyard than in the winery and takes a minimum intervention approach at his certified organic winery.

Still young and humble, he is considered one of the brightest stars in Austria’s winemaking scene. When not making wine you’ll find him kite surfing.

Must try wine: Paradigma red blend 2011, £39.90 Dark ruby-red colour, this blend offers aromas of “violet and dark cherries, along with hints of wild herbs and pepper”. The palate meanwhile is “mineral, vibrant and refined with a salty edge and seemingly endless finish.” Pair with steak.