2_0_DiscoverGermany_Sept2014_Issue18:Scan Magazine 1
2/9/14
10:01
Page 34
Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Top 3 Austrian Vineyards
history are something Pitnauer holds in high regard and will never compromise. “We are a family-run business in the 10th generation and want to keep it that way. Our goal is not to be bigger and faster, but to maintain and improve life quality and have happy customers.” His whole family is involved in the day-to-day work. His wife Edith helps mainly in the cultivating and nurturing of the vineyards, while their daughter Theresia helps with the administrative side of the business. Their son Johannes has already passed his exams at the world’s oldest school for viniculture and enology, in Klosterneuburg, and will soon obtain a university degree in wineproducing and wine business. Hans Pitnauer exports his produce to Switzerland, Germany and even has customers as far away as the USA, though the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in Austria are also amongst his list of customers.
duces using only their own 22 hectares of high quality soil in their 20 vineyards and do not add any bought wine or grapes to their produce. The idea is not to produce quantity, but high quality.“Eventually, our wine will be sold out and drunk,”summarizes Pitnauer regarding the approach to his work. His produce is especially famous for its great development potential and solid storability. Beside the daily business, the family also finds time for new projects. One of the vineyard’s old wine cellars has been converted into a stylish and cosy wine-tasting parlour and offers temperate wine-safes to customers who wish to store their wines for future use. Every customer has his own key to ensure that the wine-safe is available at any time and, if they wish to invite friends for a private celebration, the Pitnauer family will provide the essentials, such as space, tables or cutlery.
Quality over quantity A long list of wine dealers is testimony to the demand for Pitnauer’s wine and he sometimes loses track of how widely his products are enjoyed: “I am always delighted when I am dining out and find our products on a wine list.”The family pro-
34 | Issue 18 | September 2014
Hans Pitnauer finds it hard to pick out a favourite wine. Naturally, he has a soft spot for his Bienenfresser and especially recommends the 2013 vintage. He also enjoys his Cabernet Franc because of its complexity and the red Cuvée Franz Josef. The
latter was named after his father and grandfather to say thank you for a proud and successful family business that does not forget its roots and one that is being led into a prosperous future. www.pitnauer.com