Grabenwerkstatt

Grabenwerkstatt

Two young men, Michael Linke (from the Palatinate) and Franz Hofbauer (from the Wachau region), met in 2009 while working at the Domäne Wachau winery. They then moved to Australia together and later to New Zealand. In New Zealand, at Pyramid Valley Vineyards, they had an intensive encounter with biodynamics and natural winemaking, with Riesling remaining their constant companion. This gave rise to the idea of establishing their own winery in their home region of Wachau in the “Spitzer Graben” (once a risky area for viticulture, now more of an insider tip). In 2014, the Grabenwerkstatt was founded, and the first vintages were produced in Franz's parents' garage. Now they have an impressive new winery building and 4 hectares of terraced vineyards under cultivation.
GRABENWERKSTATT
Feldweg 6
3622 Trandorf, Österreich
Phone +43 650 6473920

The Grabenwerkstatt therefore stands above all for origin, which is defined by the often extreme natural conditions in the Spitzer Graben. The two try to understand the essence of each individual vineyard, gradually getting to the bottom of its characteristics and reflecting them as precisely as possible in the wines. Elegance, vitality, structure, and natural depth are the decisive parameters. They rely solely on Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. This is mainly due to their conviction that these two varieties best reflect the terroir of the Spitzer Graben. But it also has to do with their personal preferences—after all, you can only produce distinctive wines full of character if you can identify with them with complete conviction and enthusiasm.

In their eyes, viticulture is a constant interplay between natural factors and cultural interventions. Their goal is to create a living vineyard, which is why they use neither systemic pesticides nor artificial fertilizers, but rather and exclusively biodynamic preparations, teas, sulfur, and copper (in as small quantities as possible). They don't even own a tractor, doing all the work by hand with wheelbarrows, hoes, and buckets. This allows them to respond to the individual needs of each vine and gradually learn its characteristics. Meticulous foliage work for perfect ventilation and precise harvesting dates are a matter of course.

Thanks to their skills, it didn't take long for the awards to roll in:

  • "Vintners of the Year " - Gault Millau 2022
  • "Newcomer of the Year" - Der Feinschmecker 2023
  • up to 96 Robert Parker Points
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