Lesehof Stagard Grüner Veltliner “Handwerk” 2022 750ml

This grüner veltliner is sourced from a selection of south facing, mountain and terrace vineyards all in the Pfaffenberg, but specifically from two lieux-dits called Danzern and Pitschental. The grapes were crushed and macerated for 24hr before spontaneously fermenting in stainless steel, and 10% in neutral oak, where it remains on the lees and 2% whole berries for 8-10 months.

The Stagård cellar is nearly 1,000 years old. While you pause to take that in, a few details: Dominique says wine was not made here continuously, but documents show that Benedictine monks planted this land with a mix of vines and apricot trees. The estate, first mentioned as “Lesehof Tegernseer,” dates to 1424 – making it roughly as old as the village of Krems itself. In 1786, the winery came under the ownership of the current family, who continued to grow grapes and produce wine under the “Tegernseer” name. Then in 1981, Kenneth Stagård traveled here from Sweden and married into the family. He and his wife, Elisabeth, started the Swedish branch of this estate and renamed it Lesehof Stagård. Kenneth’s son, Urban, and Urban’s wife, Dominique, took over in 2006, making them the seventh generation to run the estate. They immediately began the crucial transition to organic viticulture, with certification gained in 2009.