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Vinea Wachau celebrates its 40th anniversary. The area protection association with the name "Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus" was founded on 17 August 1983 by Wilhelm Schwengler, director of today's Domäne Wachau, and the winegrowers Franz Prager, Josef Jamek and Franz Hirtzberger. The work of the association, which initially had 24 members, significantly advanced the development of the wine-growing region. In 1984, for example, Wachau wines were classified in three categories that achieved high recognition: Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd. They may only be labelled by the current 200 members of the association, who cultivate around 1,000 hectares of vineyards. About 35 percent of these are steep slopes.
Vinea Wachau represents sideline wineries and wine tavern owners as well as larger and renowned wineries and the Domäne Wachau cooperative. "The Wachau lives from the fact that a large number of small wineries continue to cultivate terraced winegrowing. The appreciation for craftsmanship, for quality, thinking in generations and the sense of community are our driving forces," explains chairman Emmerich Knoll jun.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the association defined its principles for natural wine production in its "Codex Wachau": enrichment, concentration or aromatisation of the wines are prohibited, and hand harvesting is obligatory for the wineries. "Apart from the question of quality, there is also the philosophical question: Is the vine worth it to me that I harvest it by hand?", explains Emmerich Knoll. According to the association, from the 2023 vintage onwards, the "Sustainable Austria" certification is mandatory for all wineries that use Steinfeder, Federspiel or Smaragd.
Read more:
Wachau: White wine monuments and world cultural heritage
(uka / Source: Vinea Wachau)