The Dewald family

Austria Wagram

The Wagram region of Austria is a wine-growing area on the north bank of the Danube River, characterized mainly by fertile loess soil. This soil has high water retention and gives the grapes a rich minerality. The main grape variety is Grüner Veltliner, which produces refreshing, fruity white wines. The most representative red wine is Zweigelt, which is attractive for its fruitiness and good balance. The climate is warm, and the cool nights bring out the acidity of the wine.

The Diwald family domain and vineyards

The Diwald family's domain and vineyards are located in Grossliedenthal, a village with a population of less than 1000. The area around the village was once the sea during the ice age, and is made of loess soil, which is somewhere between sand and clay, and in some places it is 30 to 40 meters deep.

The fields are located in a place with a great view. The brewery was newly built in 2013 by renovating a barn, but because it is located in a historic preservation district, the exterior has not been changed.

Organic since 1976

The parents of the current owner Martin converted their vineyard to organic farming in 1976, long before organic farming became popular, laying the foundations for the business. At the time, winemaking was just a hobby for his parents, and they had been making a living as vegetable farmers. One day, Martin's father Hans found himself frantically trying to stop his daughter from eating the corn he had grown with pesticides in the field, and this marked the turning point for him to switch to organic farming.

At the time, there was little understanding of organic farming, so we faced strong opposition from those around us and it was a tough start. However, the government made a national effort to go organic, and now about 27% of the country's farmland (as of 2022) is organic. Since the company's founding, Hans has been serving as a lecturer on organic training courses, which are required by national law for those starting organic farming.

In addition, they have switched to biodynamic farming since 2023. Martin and his team enjoy seeing the wide variety of life that lives under and around the vines, and they work on soil and winemaking with the realization that, in the end, healthy grapes are nothing but the fruit that comes from healthy vines and healthy soil.

• White grapes: Grüner Veltliner, Frulloter Veltliner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc
• Black grapes: Zweigelt, Portugieser

Field soil

The gentle hills of the Wagram region are characterized by calcareous loess, an ancient geology. The climate is warm and continental, with an annual rainfall of about 400 mm and about 1,500 hours of sunshine. In winter, temperatures can drop to around -10°C, but the effects of global warming have been felt in recent years.

Characteristics of cultivation methods, etc.

• The Dewald family usually produces 20 bunches of grapes from each vine, but by limiting it to 16, they are working to improve the quality of the grapes.
• In organic wine vineyards, where no pesticides are used, it is important to ensure that there is good ventilation and that moisture is prevented to prevent disease.

Characteristics of brewing method

• They use large wooden barrels to brew red wine.
• Originally, he chose to brew using minimal intervention, but he also experimented with different yeasts in pursuit of quality. However, he eventually returned to using natural yeast.
• In a new facility, they are making wine the old-fashioned way

From the producers to everyone in Japan

When I get a good response from my customers, I feel glad that I am doing this. In terms of winemaking, it's when I don't have to do anything in the wine's creation process. For me, the best wines are the ones that I don't need to intervene in. They start in the vineyard and end up somewhere in the bottle. I also feel happy when I go to the cellar after the harvest and taste the different tanks. And when I think, "This is good, oh, this tank is good, oh, this tank is perfect..." that's when I feel happy.

Of course, there are challenges. Wine is a natural product, so there are variations from year to year. For example, if the weather or disease is not good in a year, we have to start from scratch and take great care to produce wine of the required quality.

If you want to drink really tasty and fresh white wine, I recommend Austrian wine. I'm sure you will love it.