Claus Preisinger makes wine on the shores of Lake Neusiedl, a large endorheic lake that straddles the border of Austria and Hungary. A strong advocate for wines without additives and personally sensitive to sulphur, Claus believes that everything starts in the vineyard, with careful farming and healthy soils. Claus grew up making wine with his father and, after travelling abroad to sate his curiosity in foreign vineyards, returned to his motherland. An internship with natural wine pioneers Hans and Anita Nittnaus followed and he started making his own wines in 2000, converting to biodynamic farming in 2006. The winery is nestled on the outskirts of Gols and is an architectural joy in itself; distinctively modern, yet blending with the vineyards against a backdrop of wind turbines. 22 hectares of vines are divided into parcels and scattered across the villages of Weiden, Mönchhof and Gols itself.
Kalkundkiesel weiss 2022 is a skin contact wine made with Grüner Veltliner, Muskateller and Pinot Blanc. ‘Kalk and Kiesel’ translates as ‘limestone and gravel’ - and this wine is a fine example of its terroir. Aged in used oak and amphora (Claus was the first Austrian to use Georgian qvevri) it’s a serious, light amber wine with a fresh citrus feel alongside structure and great tannins. Drink at 10-12 degrees with a dish garnished with capers and parmesan.