Claus Preisinger’s winery is nestled in the village of Gols by Lake Neusiedlersee in Burgenland. Claus first started making wine with this father as a hobby, but after working with Hans Nittnaus, a neighbouring winemaker for a few years, decided that wine was his true calling. His first vintage was in 2000, and since then he has expanded his father’s 3 hectares to the 19 hectares of vines he cultivates today.

His vines are spread across 64 parcels and are largely planted to indigenous varieties such as Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. More recently Claus has started working with Grüner Veltliner and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), producing distinctive, skin fermented white wines. Claus’ priority has always been to produce wine that is pure, balanced, and expressive of his terroir. His winemaking methods are very much guided by instinct rather than set formula, and he is perpetually experimenting and evolving, making wine that is markedly different in style to the classic interpretations coming out of the region.

Claus was the first Austrian winemaker to start experimenting with skin contact wines fermented in Georgian amphorae. His 2009 Weissburgunder from the Edelgraben vineyard was the first vintage he bottled in this style, and since...

Claus Preisinger’s winery is nestled in the village of Gols by Lake Neusiedlersee in Burgenland. Claus first started making wine with this father as a hobby, but after working with Hans Nittnaus, a neighbouring winemaker for a few years, decided that wine was his true calling. His first vintage was...