Funkstille, Austria

It all started with Grüner, then Zweigelt and now Funkstille is a quintet including Riesling, a Skin Contact wine and now Blaufränkisch … capturing Austria’s most famous varieties and archetypal styles under some eye-popping packaging. We’ve worked with a 16th generation producer in Niederösterreich to put together this characterful range. All work in the vineyard is carried out sustainably, with the use of their own fertilisers made from grape skins, manure and straw from their fields, to improve the soil structure and vitality of their vines. The south-east and south-west exposure of the slopes provides conditions for perfect ripening. Grapes are harvested in the early morning to harness acidity and pure fruit expression, and taken to their energy neutral winery for vinification.

Viticulture

Work in the vineyards is carried out sustainably and certified under the enticingly named, agroVet to ensure the highest standards of sustainability in viticulture are met. Soils are mixed, with plantings on loess, clay and granite, with attention paid to maintaining the health of the soils, through use of cover crops and a straw mulch to enhance moisture retention and soil structure.

Winemaking

Grapes are harvested in the early morning, and taken to their energy neutral winery, where they are pressed and the must transferred into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Selected yeasts are used to accentuate the natural flavour compounds in the grapes, and fermentation takes 15 to 25 days at 13-15 degrees, rising to close to 18 degrees towards the end of the ferment. For the skin contact wine, it spends 12 days on the skins to extract flavour and colour from the skins. Prior to bottling, all wines receive a gentle fining and cold stabilisation.