We're making progress!

Yesterday we harvested the Pinot Noir from Ried Dürr, where it took us seven hours to pick .84 hectare.

We've got an appreciable quantity of Zweigelt ahead of us today—larger clusters, with a more open canopy...

Thanks to the cool temperatures and the wind, the grapes have taken little harm from the rainfall in the last couple weeks.
And during the hot summer, the skin of the grapes grew good and thick, which contributes greatly to their extremely healthy condition.

We've even got shriveled grapes that are very healthy, which is a certain indication of top quality.

Weingut Kollwentz
Burgenland
www.kollwentz.at

 

We worry and wait, hold our breath and hope...

All done harvesting the Sauvignon Blanc Steinmühle!

 

This really has caused us some anxiety, since every day at some point it's started to rain.

 

Despite this we were mostly able to continue picking, and wrest the Sauvignons out of the grasp of the rain.

The grapes are 95% healthy, and we were only obliged to discard a comparatively small amount.

 

The must-weight is a perfect 97° Öchsle, and the cool temperatures are helping us in the vineyard (no outbreak of rot), as well as in the cellar (where cooler conditions keep down the rate of oxidation)—which means more time to dedicate to each of the many tasks at hand.

 

Now the second portion of the Sauvignons is in the cask as well, and we can finally exhale!

Weingut Kollwentz
Burgenland
www.kollwentz.at

 

Our harvest is underway!

Yesterday we picked Zweigelt—almost a hectare and a half. 

 

So far, the vintage is characterised by gorgeous ripeness and a terrific quantity of juice.

 

We've bled off the rosé; this is done to increase the proportion of skins in the must, as well as for sake of the rosé itself.

 

Last night it rained 45 litres per square metre. This poses no problem for the late-ripening varieties, although for Zweigelt, Sauvignon Blanc and PInot Noir it brings the danger of rot. 

We're hoping for dry and cool weather with plenty of wind, to minimise this risk.

 

Weingut Kollwentz

Burgenland

www.kollwentz.at

 

We've begun the harvest!

Sauvignon Blanc from the Steinmühle is first to be picked this year.

 

Tasting the grapes, they are totally in top form—

although, we still need to pick very selectively, discarding isolated berries affected by sunburn or rot.

 

But this is why we have a well-trained picking crew; they harvest the grapes every year by hand, with a keen eye out for quality.

 

Weingut Kollwentz

Burgenland

www.kollwentz.at

Falstaff Pinot Trophy 2013

Just like last year, Andi Kollwentz didn't leave the competition any chance in the flight of wood-matured Chardonnays:

Tatschler 2011 plays here in a league of its own.

 

Among the 'classic' Chardonnays, Franz Lentsch from Poderserdorf was just able to edge Andi out with the Chardonnay Leithagebirge 2012, scored equally on points.

 

The traditional Grand Finale of the tasting presents the more mature wines of the Pinot family, vintage 2009 and older.

This is a testimony to the aging potential of white wine from Burgenland, and wine-lovers can rest assured on this account.

In this prestigious category it was Toni Hartl from Riesenberg—with his Chardonnay Reserve 2009—who won the crown,

while Andi Kollwentz was obliged—with his even-on-points Chardonnay 2008 from top site Gloria—to yield the day.

 

Weingut Kollwentz

Burgenland

www.kollwentz.at

Green harvest complete!

We're finished with thinning-out the Zweigelt and the Blaufränkisch; the summery heat has dried up the discarded grapes. The clusters of Blaufränkisch

remaining on the vine are beginning to change colour, while the Zweigelt is nearly through with the process.

 

Last night it rained—10 litres per square metre—for which we are very thankful!

 

Weingut Kollwentz

Burgenland

www.kollwentz.at

39.8° in Ried Setz-(103°F)

July 2013 brought with it heat and dryness—an average of 24.1° (75°F), and only 3 litres of rain per square metre (in 2012 it was nearly 150 litres), along with a top temperature

of 39.8°C in the foliage wall! This serves to remind us exactly how important detailed canopy-management and a well thought-out soil cultivation programme are.

 

Weingut Kollwentz

Burgenland

www.kollwentz.at