German
The renowned Nikolaihof is not only known for its enormous imperial lime tree, its own chapel, and its historic Roman vaulted cellar. In the wine monuments of Austria's oldest winery, the Saahs family has been combining tradition and progress with great care and dedication for many generations like no other business in the Wachau region. Free from trends, Nikolaihof produces timeless Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners that are unsurpassed in Austria in terms of finesse and elegance. Even in their youth, these are quiet wines with a fine texture and great depth, and maturity brings them even more fullness and substance. Probably the greatest classic Austria has to offer!
Nikolaigasse 3
3512 Mautern, Österreich
Telefon +43 2732 82901
Betriebsgröße 22 ha
Mitglied im Vinea Wachau
At Nikolaihof, vineyards are still gardens, and they are located in a blessed region, the southeasternmost part of the Wachau, one of Europe's most impressive river landscapes. And it is here, around Mautern, with a view of the monumental Göttweig Abbey, that the vineyards with names such as Im Weingebirge, Vom Stein, and Klausberg are located—only Steiner Hund lies on the other, northern bank of the Danube. The Saahs family has been cultivating the Nikolaihof according to Demeter guidelines, the strictest interpretation of organic farming, since 1971. The principle: interfere with nature as little as possible! This means no herbicides, pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or synthetic sprays. Instead, they use specially prepared remedies such as nettle tea, valerian drops, and horsetail tea in homeopathic dilutions.
Flavor matures slowly: letting nature take its course in the cellar and giving the wines plenty of time to develop. After careful harvesting and gentle pressing, the wines ferment on their own lees and thus begin to develop their outstanding character. Finally, they end up in the old wine cellar in oak barrels with a capacity of 2,000 to 12,000 liters – some wines mature in them for up to 20 years. The light Federspiele wines come from the last vintage, while the Smaragde wines usually spend several years maturing in the cellar.