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The Association of Austrian Traditional Wine Estates (ÖTW) is expanding into the wine-growing regions Thermenregion and from 2024 also into the Weinviertel. This was announced by chairman Michael Moosbrugger at a press conference at VieVinum. The ÖTW Thermenregion association, founded on 5 May 2022, includes the wineries Alphart, Auer, Leopold Aumann, Gebeshuber, Hartl, Landauer-Gisperg, Johanneshof Reinisch, Schneider and Stadlmann. The chairman is Hannes Reinisch.
The ÖTW is working together with the associations of the Styrian Terroir and Classic Wine Estates (STK) and the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) to introduce a uniform system of site classification in the German-speaking countries. According to Michael Moosbrugger, the chances are not bad that Austria's viticulture policy will legally establish a site classification. It could be adopted as early as 2023 and should then be open to all wineries, including those that are not ÖTW members. Moosbrugger emphasised that the ÖTW association Thermenregion could and would accept other wineries as soon as they fulfil the requirements. Interested wineries must, among other things, be certified organic or according to "Sustainable Austria" criteria as well as refrain from using herbicides and insecticides.
In addition, an ÖTW Weinviertel sub-association is to be founded in 2024. The expansion is a step from a regional to a national association. The ÖTW have 68 full members and now nine associate members.
(al / Photo: OEWM - Egon Mark)