Claus Preisinger – Walking on the Wild Side

A surfer at heart, Claus Preisinger has been making wine on the north shore of Lake Neusiedl in the Burgenland town of Gols since 2002. His story started 20 years ago at the tender age of 20, with just a few tanks and barrels. Today, he has completely revolutionized winemaking in Eastern Austria and many now refer to him as the ‘Trailblazer of Burgenland’.

Read on as we take a dive into his story…

Claus Preisinger was born in 1980 in Eisenstadt. He went to a viticultural high school in Klosterneuburg and worked harvests in California. Upon graduation, the newly-trained winemaker returned to the homeland and started working at Anita & Hans Nittnaus – back then, and still today, one of the pioneers of early organic winemaking in the region. He would spend the next three years there before eventually moving on to making wines with his father in 2002.

What he brought with him was his immense talent to reflect purity and balance in his wines. He converted the vineyards and winery to biodynamic production in 2006, and is Respekt Biodyn certified. Because of his tremendous work and achievements in the vineyards, Claus was recognized by the wine community and accepted into the renowned ‘’Pannobile” association of wineries, at the young age of 24. 

Journeying through the vast farmland region of Burgenland in Austria, there is a modern building that stands out from the rest of its surroundings. It is the winery Claus Preisinger built, and today, is at the forefront of the natural wine movement in Austria. His charming presence, strong surfer vibes, and sarcastic sense of humour make visiting this estate very memorable, welcoming, and engaging.

This modern gem was built in 2009 on the periphery of Gols, overlooking his vineyards. However, visitors should not let the look of the building fool them. Regardless of the aesthetic, everything else about the winery moves away from modern protocols. Credit this to Claus, who is deeply committed to working manually and as naturally as possible, without the latest machinery. He firmly believes that winemakers should be in the vineyards to produce pure, balanced wine that is expressive of the terroir.

In this regard, his methodology leans towards the conventional, but this does not hinder his ability to introduce inventive elements. Claus is recognized in the wine industry for his adventurous spirit and eagerness to explore novel approaches. A notable example of his innovation is his simultaneous fermentation of apples and grapes, resulting in a blend reminiscent of a combination of cider and pet-nat. As one of the pioneering winemakers in the region experimenting with skin-macerated white wines and employing amphorae, he rejects a fixed formula, relying on instinct to guide significant agricultural and winemaking choices.

Claus predominantly focuses on native grape varieties, including Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Grüner Veltliner, and St. Laurent. Additionally, he incorporates small amounts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc into his work. Sourcing grapes from 64 distinct plots on both the west and east sides of Lake Neusiedl, he naturally engages with diverse microclimates and soil compositions, ranging from limestone to loess.

To highlight the distinctive qualities of his terroirs and the untainted, natural character of his grapes, Claus employs an extremely minimalistic winemaking approach. Instead of utilizing cultivated yeast, he relies on the indigenous strains present in his vineyards and cellar. There is no filtration or fining in the winemaking process, and he uses minimal or no sulfur. This choice has, at times, posed challenges in obtaining official approvals for his wines and labelling them with specific appellations.

He opts to age many of his wines in amphorae rather than traditional wooden barrels, considering it a deliberate regression to the essentials—emphasizing the grape and the soil. Additionally, he employs partial carbonic maceration in crafting Blaufränkisch, imparting vibrancy and fruity characteristics to the grape. This deliberate approach aims to create wines that are captivating in their youth while also possessing the potential for graceful ageing.

Over time, Claus has progressively enlarged his estate. Currently, he possesses approximately 25 hectares (62 acres) of vineyards, supplemented by an additional 15 hectares (37 acres) under lease exclusively dedicated to producing his entry-level cuvée, Puszta Libre. His overall annual production amounts to approximately 200,000 bottles.

Receiving recognition from renowned wine publications, Claus is a prominent figure in Burgenland, actively shaping the region. His wine portfolio spans from enjoyable, easily approachable varieties with distinctive labels to more profound wines that demand contemplation and ageing. As a trailblazer in the natural wine movement within Burgenland and Austria, he consistently pushes boundaries to create unabashed wines that authentically reflect both himself and his homeland.