Meet the Winemaker · Markus Altenburger

“Our approach to viticulture is a very unmodern one and the concept is ‘doing nothing if possible’. We let grass and herbs grow between the rows to save the soil from drying out and to build up humus and do as little as possible to avoid stress to plants and soil.

Our fields look different to neatly trimmed and properly cut vineyards you might know from fancy advertisments. Bees, butterflies and all kind of beneficial species have started to return give us an idea of natural beauty.”

Markus Altenburger

In 2006, Markus took over the family winery in Jois, and to this day solely focuses on the varieties that best express this unique terroir. His approach in the vineyards and cellar has shown a 180-degree change over the last 15 years, and today all of his vineyards are certified organic, now gearing towards biodynamic certification in the coming year. Blaufränkisch, undoubtedly Austria’s highest quality red terroir grape stands at the centre of Markus Altenburger’s work.

Together with his wife Bernadette and his cellar master Kathrin, Markus tends 13 hectares of vines scattered mainly on two of the Leithaberg appellation’s premier single-vineyards, Gritschenberg and Jungenberg. Gritschenberg, in its geological core formed by the outskirts of the Alpine mountain range, shows a high density of limestone, whereas Jungenberg, a mere few hundred metres apart, contains a pure schist composition, giving the wines a more vertical and direct expression of fruit. Beyond Blaufränkisch, old-vine Chardonnay (grown on limestone), Neuburger (on schist and limestone) as well as Grüner Veltliner (on limestone) represent other incrementally important varieties, which Markus vinifies and releases as single vineyard wines with little to no intervention.

On Wednesday February 19th we will be hosting Markus at Ved Stranden 10, where you will have the pleasure of having a chat a try his beautiful wines. Starting at 17, 150kr per person, no reservations. Come around!