Day 5
Alright, now it’s time for the perhaps most impressive visit of our week-long trip to Austria!
All packed and ready to go!
On our fifth day, we finally left the Aigner gasthaus (after making some vinous purchases from the family, naturally) and set our courses to the quiet village of Gobelsburg.
Usually we don’t go to estates that have a wine tourism program that offer only priced tours or set wine menus. The total cost for paid visits would get pretty expensive quite quickly if we’re visiting 3-4 wineries per day over the course of a week or so, and since there are always lots of producers to choose from, it’s easy to stick to producers who offer free visits. After all, we usually try to make up for their time with purchases and all that.
However, I’ve always wanted to see the castle and the supposedly impressive cellars of Schloss Gobelsburg - after all, their wines were my introduction to Austrian wines - so we decided that we could make an exception this time.
The Gobelsburg castle.
The Gobelsburg village itself is quite tiny and pretty unremarkable - if it weren’t for the impressive Gobelsburg castle sitting on the small hill in the middle of the hamlet, dominating the view with its commanding presence. Although the castle itself is not as old, there have been castles and fortresses on this very site at least for 950 years, as a Kuenring castle was mentioned in a document for the first time already back in 1074.
After arriving to the village, we parked our cars right outside the castle and walked up to the courtyard where we were met by Stephan Tabery, the PR person of the winery. To get the tour started, he took us to the castle’s wine shop / bar for a glass of bubbly rosé and began explaining us the history of the castle and the philosophy of the winery.
- Although people have cultivated grapes and made wine here for much longer, the earliest concrete evidence of winemaking in Kamptal dates back to 1171, when Earl Hadmar I founded Stift Zwettl, a Cistercian abbey, and its monks were given forests and land in Zwettl (around 55 km / 35 miles northwest from Gobelsburg) and vineyards in Langenlois and near the Danube river, including land in vineyards that are today known as Heiligenstein and Gaisberg. In this sense, winemaking has been continuous at this estate for more than 850 years, which is why Schloss Gobelsburg can be technically seen as one of the world’s oldest wineries that are still in operation.
- The ownership of the Kuenring castle - which became known as the Gobelsburg castle at some point - changed hands more than a dozen times over the centuries. In 1725 the then-owner of the castle, Freiherr Achaz Ehrenreich von Hohenfeld initiated considerable reconstructions that turned old the manor-castle into the impressive Baroque castle it is today. However, these renovations turned out to be a big financial burden for the family, which is why in 1740 the son of Baron Achaz joined the Zwettl abbey in the hopes that the monastery could take care of the castle - along with the considerable debts that came with the castle.
- The monks took over the Gobelsburg castle and in 1784 they merged their winemaking operations on their other estates by moving everything to the castle. Around this time the monks also brought Pinot Noir cuttings from monastery vineyards in Burgundy - these same clones are still in cultivation at the estate.
- In the first half of the 20th century the castle operated primarily as a youth camp, and a POW site during the WWII.
- After the wars Cistercian monks began restoring the castle back to its former glory with the guidance of Father Bertrand Baumann, who also re-established the castle’s reputation as a producer of quality wine. The castle was known especially for their white Messwein - an altar wine made from Grüner Veltliner that remains in production even today - and their red Pinot Noir made with old cuttings from Burgundy. The Messwein was actually a wine that kept the winery afloat during Austria’s 1980’s wine scandal, as altar wines were known to be “pure” - in other words, they were made unalturated by necessity!
- Father Bertrand moved to Zwettl in 1980 and served there as the abbot of the monastery until 1994, when he retired due to old age. There were a few temporary winemakers during Father Bertrand’s time as the monastery’s abbot, but when he retired, the monks were worried that their winemaking might come to an end, so they decided that they needed a more permanent solution, meaning that they would lease out their winemaking operations to a suitable candidate.
- In 1996 Michael Moosbrugger, at only 30 years of age, entered in a 2-generation lease with the monastery - not only of the winemaking operations, but of the whole castle estate - after having been recommended by the Kamptal maverick Willi Bründlmayer to Father Bertrand. Bründlmayer and his wife, Edwige, also helped Moosbrugger to get started after he took over the monastery’s winery.
After introducing us to the history of the castle, mr. Tabery took us to the balcony on the backside of the castle, where he could show us the lay of the Kamptal land, including some of their vineyards, while continuing to explain how they make their wines today.
Stephan Tabery, the hill in the background is the famous Heiligenstein vineyard.
- Today the estate covers approximately 85 hectares (210 acres) of vineyards, and they also purchase grapes from contract growers. However, Schloss Gobelsburg has stipulated that all their grapes must come within 5 km (3 miles) from the winery, including purchased grapes. Everything must be as local as possible to ensure the quality.
- Their vineyards are mostly Grüner Veltliner (50%) and Riesling (25%), while the remaining 25% is split between other red and white varieties. Some Müller-Thurgau was cultivated in the past, but these vineyards have been pulled out. Their Merlot vineyard, on the other hand, is still in cultivation and is the second oldest in Austria.
- They don’t use any harvesters, meaning that all the grapes are always hand-harvested. In a typical year, the duration of the harvest is spread over 10 weeks.
- All their white wines are pressed 100% in whole bunches, whereas all the red grapes are fully destemmed. However, if they think that the style needs it, the stems might be added later on to the fermenting must.
Stainless steel tanks.
- From the winemaking perspective, the still wines are divided into two categories: the “technical wines”, which are fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and bottled under a screwcap; and the “traditional wines”, which are fermented and aged in oak casks and bottled under a natural cork.
Larger oak
fuders, newer ones in the foreground, older ones in the back.
- Schloss Gobelsburg uses Austrian oak exclusively. They prefer to use old oak, and approximately 10-15% of the barrels are renewed annually. The new barrels are very lightly toasted, or not toasted at all.
Smaller oak casks.
- The wines are fermented spontaneously and typically very lightly filtered. The sparkling wines are all made using the traditional method and always hand-riddled before they are disgorged.
- Their total annual production is over one million bottles. Approximately 64% of the production is exported, mainly to the US, Germany, the Nordics and Poland.
- In 2021, for the celebration of the monastery’s 850th anniversary, Schloss Gobelsburg introduced a new range of wines, the Tradition Heritage cuvées, which are made in an emulation of the traditional style, where wines were aged for extensive periods of time in oak casks and often blended from multiple vintages. In addition to versions where the base wines were aged for 3 and 10 years, they also released a very limited one-off celebratory cuvée, Tradition Heritage Cuvée 50 Years. For this unique wine, the monks of the monastery donated a considerable amount of bottles going back all the way to 1970 from their old vinothek, which were blended with wines Moosbrugger had made over the last 25 years and kept in reserve. Every single bottle was sampled and verified to be not faulty and in good shape before they were added to the blend. Only 7000 bottles and 850 magnums were made.
The newer
fuders are fitted with wheels. Although the cellars are very cool (8 to 11°C, or 46 to 51°F year round - probably the coolest cellars I’ve been to!), it’s still not cool enough for chill filtration. That’s how when the winter comes and it gets cold enough outside, the casks can be easily moved to the castle’s terrace to chill outside in the snow, prompting the wines to precipitate tartrates out from the solution naturally.
In contrast to the new
fuders riding on wheels, we also some good old solid-state
fuders as well.
This is how the bottles looked in the old
vinothek, where the vintages went back all the way to the 1940’s.
The newer
vinothek with reserve wines from the Moosbrugger era.
However, one of the most striking places in the cellar was this new, cloistered 33 m x 33 m (108 ft x 108 ft) extension that was built between 2018 and 2021. As the winery was aging more and more wines for longer periods of time, the old cellars were running at full capacity, so Moosbrugger commisioned a new extension. However, just any kind of cellar extension would not do! As some parts of the cellar were up to 800 years old, a new and shiny modern cellar would stick out like a sore thumb. Additionally, as the castle was a monastery that had been there for centuries, a cloistered cellar made of bricks and stones would be a perfect fit. The reasoning behind this was that modern steel and concrete might stay fine for a century, but from experience it’s quite obvious that bricks and stones could stay fine for a millennia. This cellar was not built just for Moosbrugger - it was built for the future generations.
The calligraphic texts on the right were hand-painted by a monk from the monastery.
The cloister receives natural light from the ceiling.
One side of the cloister is dedicated to
pupitres in which the sparkling wines are hand-riddled.
After the impressive cellar tour we were guided back to ground level and to the court room, where we had an equally impressive range of wines waiting for us (not all the wines we tasted are even in this lineup!).
- NV Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Rosé - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
A blend of Zweigelt (90%) with the remainder rounded out with Pinot Noir and St. Laurent. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged in large oak fuders for 6-12 months. Aged sur lattes for 36 months. 11,5% alcohol, dosage 7 g/l. SK 37/24, lot L02/26 - probably meaning that the wine was disgorged only a few months earlier.
Pale peachy-orange color. The nose feels sweetly-fruited with nuanced aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apples, some leesy creaminess, a little bit of zesty citrus fruits and a red-toned hint of juicy strawberries. The wine feels ripe, firm and fresh on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of peachy stone fruit, some intriguing spicy notes, a little bit of caramel, light stony mineral tones, hints of leesy richness and creamy oak and a touch of crunchy red apple. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness, focus and structure to the wine, while the persistent, creamy-textured mousse adds lovely sense of volume. The finish is long, dry and crunchy with a rather acid-driven aftertaste of stony minerality and strawberry cream, some leesy tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light peachy nuances, a hint of salinity and a touch of toasty character.
A wonderfully fresh, nuanced and characterful rosé fizz made in a surprisingly serious style. Lovely sense of freshness, structure and flavor intensity here. Although the overall feel isn't particularly toasty or autolytic at the moment, I feel the wine holds enough aging potential that it could be able to develop some toasty complexity with some aging. Terrific stuff with some upside. Priced according to its quality at 29€.
(92 points)
- 2025 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Messwein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
The "original Grüner Veltliner" of the Gobelsburg estate, made in the style the abbey made their wines for the Cistercian monks before they started bottling and selling them. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged for 4 months on the lees. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale greenish color. Youthful and expressive nose with aromas of ripe pear, some primary grapey notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light honeydew melon tones and a hint of sweet aromatic herbs. The wine feels youthful, ripe and somewhat sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of stony minerality, some zesty citrus fruits, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light honeydew melon notes, a hint of fresh pear and a primary touch of grapey fruit. Brisk, refreshingly high acidity. The finish is long, dry and crunchy with flavors of zesty lemon, some pear, a little bit of saline minerality, light sweeter honeydew melon notes, a hint of spicy red apple and a touch of chopped sweet herbs.
A nice, fresh and balanced Grüner Veltliner. Not big on character, but eminently lovely with its fresh, dry and focused overall feel that is supported by wonderfully zippy acidity. A perfect weekday dinner Grüner Veltliner if there ever was one. I expect the wine to evolve and improve a little bit with additional age once it loses those grapey primary qualities, but it is pretty tasty and smashable already now. Superb value at 11,70€.
(90 points)
- 2025 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Urgestein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Riesling from the younger vines planted in Gaisberg and Heiligenstein and which are not used for the single-vineyard bottlings. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged for 4 months on the lees. 12% alcohol.
Pale lime-green color. The nose feels fragrant with quite expressive aromas of peachy stone fruit, some primary notes of ripe grapey fruit, light zesty lemon tones, a little bit of fresh red apple and a floral hint of citrus blossom. The wine feels youthful, juicy and quite straightforward on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of youthful grapey fruit, some saline and steely mineral notes, a little bit of key lime, light sulfurous notes of reduction, a hint of sour apple candies and a touch of tart lemony citrus fruit. The brisk, incisive acidity lends a great amount of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is clean, crisp and dry with a long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of grapey primary fruit, a hint of tart key lime and a reductive touch of sulfurous funk.
A nice, wonderfully fresh and impressively intensely-flavored Riesling - a very serious effort for an entry-level white. A terrific foil to Gobelsburg's Messwein Grüner Veltliner: both the wines show similar kind of freshness and intensity, but also great varietal typicity - the GV is slightly fruitier and has a bit more breadth, whereas this Riesling is leaner, minerally and more direct. Both the wines are still super youthful, and while they drink very well right now, I think both the wines will benefit from at least a few years of additional aging, just to help the wine to get rid of any candied primary notes or reduction. At 12,20€, this is an excellent purchase.
(90 points)
- NV Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Réserve - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
A blend of Grüner Veltliner (50%) and Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Welschriesling (supposedly all from the 2021 vintage). The base wine is fermented and aged in old oak fuders for a year, after which the wine is refermented and aged sur lattes for 3 years. 12% alcohol, dosage 6 g/l. SK 189/24, lot L11/25 - meaning that the wine was disgorged in November 2025.
Deep yellow-green color. The nose feels expressive and rather ripe with aromas of juicy yellow fruits, some leesy notes of creaminess, a little bit of toasty biscuit character, light zesty citrus fruit notes, a hint of nuttiness and a touch of spicy red apple. The wine feels dry and harmonious on the palate with a medium body, an airy, gentle mousse and layered flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of caramel character - perhaps from the oak, light peachy notes of yellow fruits, a hint of lemony citrus fruits and a touch of leesy creaminess. The high acidity lends a good deal of freshness, structure and balance to the wine. The finish is long, dry and nuanced with an intense aftertaste of leesy creaminess and ripe yet rather tart Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, a hint of butter and a touch of nutty wood.
A wonderfully complex and distinctive Austrian bubbly that shows a great deal of nuance and depth of flavor. I had tasted this wine +10 years ago, and back then it didn't impress me nearly as much: it did show impressive intensity of flavor, but otherwise it didn't come across as complex or harmonious as it did now. This bottle was just singing with all kinds of different fruit flavors that were supported by just the right amount of toasty nuttiness and a subtle touch of oak influence. A terrific example of how they can make surprisingly serious fizzy wines in Kamptal as well. Solid value at 27€.
(93 points)
- NV Schloss Gobelsburg Blanc de Blancs Brut - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
A blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot Blanc (30%) and Welschriesling (30%). The base wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in old 600-liter oak fuders for 6 months, after which the wine is refermented and aged sur lattes for 3 years. 12% alcohol, dosage 4 g/l. SK 38/24, lot L07/24 - meaning that the wine was disgorged in July 2024.
Pale-to-medium deep yellow-green color. The nose feels rich and surprisingly complex with aromas of leesy creaminess, some juicy white fruits, a little bit of sweeter exotic fruit, light mineral notes of chalk dust and a hint of nutty wood. The wine feels lively, crisp and a bit neutral on the palate with a medium body and bone-dry flavors of fresh white fruits, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple, light whitecurrant nuances, a hint of salinity and a touch of nutty wood. The persistent mousse feels gentle, mouth-caressing and harmonious, while the brisk acidity lends a lot of freshness and incisive sense of structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and nuanced yet a bit neutral with a long aftertaste of steely minerality, some tart notes of key lime, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light lemony citrus fruit notes, a hint of salinity and a touch of leesy creaminess.
A stylish, crisp and serious Blanc de Blancs with lots of acidity and minerality with some nuanced, savory undertones. Although all the Gobelsburg sparkling wines we tasted were eminently serious and balanced in style, I felt that this Blanc de Blancs was the least complex and most direct effort in their range of bubbly wines. The nose did show some attractive complexity, but on the palate the wine was noticeably leaner and more straightforward in style. However, as the Gobelsburg wines are known to age quite easily and effortlessly for many years, I wouldn't be surprised if this wine continued to evolve and improve over the next 10 years, or even longer. Nice, refreshing stuff with some upside. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 34€.
(91 points)
- 2024 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Domæne Gobelsburg Kamptal - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner sourced from multiple vineyards in the Kamptal region. Whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks for 4 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Rather pale greenish color. The nose feels rather ripe and moderately sweet-toned with aromas of juicy pear, some white peach, light spicy tones, a little bit of lemon zest and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The wine feels ripe, juicy and balanced on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of sweet yellow fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of fresh pear, light spicy tones, a hint of white peach and a touch of salinity. Nice, balanced and moderately high acidity. The finish is juicy, moderately long and rather acid-driven with a vibrant aftertaste of peachy stone fruit, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of peppery spice, light saline nuances and a hint of fresh pear.
A very nice, balanced and relatively serious effort for an entry-level white. Stylistically quite similar to the 2025 Messwein Grüner Veltliner, showing only a little bit more of ripeness in lieu of acidity, and the additional year of age has taken care of the candied fermentation notes that were still present in the Messwein. A very lovely and thoroughly quaffable everyday white. Superb value at 12,50€.
(91 points)
- 2024 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Langenlois - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner sourced from multiple vineyards in and around the town of Langenlois. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 5 months, bottled in April following the harvest. 13% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels quite expressive with rather crisp aromas of fresh Fuji apple, some fragrant notes of chamomile and herby noble hops, a little bit of crunchy white peach, light stony mineral notes, a hint of savory spice and a touch of leesy creaminess. The wine feels juicy, quite ripe and balanced on the palate with a medium body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of succulent white peach, some Golden Delicious apple, a little bit of steely minerality, light crunchy notes of white currants, a hint of salinity and a touch of herby spice. The high acidity makes the overall feel fresh, balanced and nicely structured. The finish is fresh, crisp and rather long with a slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of peachy stone fruits, some crunchy appley tones, a little bit of fresh pear, light stony mineral notes, a hint of herby spice and a floral touch of chamomile.
A very lovely, balanced and serious Grüner Veltliner; even at just village level Schloss Gobelsburg seems to make more serious, structured and intensely-flavored wines than many other Niederösterreich producers at single-vineyard level! This is very lovely already now, but I can see the wine aging nicely over a good number of years more. Probably showing its best at approximately 10 years of age. Excellent value at 15,60€.
(92 points)
- 2024 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Ried Steinsetz - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner sourced from the rather flat and quite stony Ried Steinsetz, located right next to the Gobelsburg castle. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 10 months. 13% alcohol.
Pale-to-medium deep yellow-green color. The nose feels expressive and rather ripe with rich aromas of sweet white peach, some juicy Fuji apple tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light stony mineral notes, a hint of leesy creaminess, a touch of chopped floral herbs and a whiff of crunchy green pear. The wine feels ripe and juicy but also wonderfully firm and airy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of stony minerality, some fresh white peach, light sweeter notes of ripe red apples, light peppery tones, a hint of almost hoppy herbs and a touch of herbal bitterness. The high acidity makes the wine come across and dry, structured and enjoyably light on its feet. The finish is ripe yet crisp and dry with a long aftertaste of stone minerality, some white peach, light crunchy notes of fresh pear, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of sweet floral character and a touch of ripe red apple.
A wonderfully lively, youthful and mineral take on Grüner Veltliner that manages to show some ripeness and great intensity of flavor, yet the wine comes across as fresh and remarkably light on its feet. After Gobelsburg's Langenlois Grüner Veltliner, this feels like the same wine, only with more minerality, acidity and flavor intensity. Superb stuff. The wine drinks mighty well at the moment, but I can see it evolving and improving for at least another 10 years, if not more. Outstanding stuff; great value at 19,30€.
(93 points)
- 2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Ried Grub - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner harvested late from the amphitheater-shaped Ried Grub, sandwiched between the Gaisberg and Heiligenstein vineyards. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color with youthful greenish highlights. The nose feels rich, ripe and very heady with youthful, sweet-toned aromas of juicy peach, some honeyed tones, a little bit of fragrant floral character, light creamy nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a faint touch of fresh pineapple. The wine feels bold, concentrated and subtly viscous on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense flavors of fresh pineapple and ripe apricot, some honeydew melon, light spicy notes of white pepper and savory herbs, a little bit of saline minerality, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of nashi pear. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine pretty nicely in balance, although the wine lacks the zip and verve of most Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliners. The finish is juicy, rich and subtly warm with a long, powerful aftertaste of peachy stone fruit, some pineapple, light spicy notes, a little bit of honeydew melon, a hint of creaminess and a touch of nashi pear.
A considerably ripe, big and even slightly viscous take on Grüner Veltliner. While many Gobelsburg single-vineyard Grüner Veltliners can pack quite a bit of weight and concentration, the often manage to retain remarkable sense of freshness as well. This Grub, on the other hand, feels a bit heftier fella. It sports enough acidity to keep things nicely together and have the wine exhibit good sense of structure, but for me, this is a bit over-the-top. Not too much, but just a little. If the wine sheds a little bit of that baby fat and gains some finesse with age, I'm happy. However, if the wine only gains more weight and richness with additional age, there's a certain risk that this wine will turn too massive as it ages. Impressive stuff, but not my favorite expression of Gobelsburg's Grüner Veltliners. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 39€.
(92 points)
- 2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Ried Renner - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner harvested late from Ried Renner, located right below the Grub and Gaisberg vineyards. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color with a youthful greenish hue. The fruit-driven nose feels concentrated yet fresh and attractive with quite intense aromas of fresh pear and nectarine, some ripe white peach, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of spicy red apple, a hint of creamy oak, a touch of beeswax and a whiff of sweet greengage. The wine feels youthful, concentrated and balanced on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of greengage and fresh apricot, some herbal spice, a little bit of honeyed richness, light stony mineral notes, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of crunchy yellow pear. The high acidity lends a great amount of structure, freshness and energy to the wine. The finish is long, dry and concentrated with an intense aftertaste of peachy stone fruit, some honeydew melon, a little bit of stony minerality, light creamy oak tones, a hint of ripe Golden Delicious apple and a touch of macerated sweet herbs.
A very impressive, balanced and promising single-vineyard Grüner Veltliner that shows quite a bit of ripeness and concentration, but at the same time more than enough of acidity and minerality to keep things effortlessly in balance. At the moment the wine is maybe a bit too young and in-your-face in style, but I have no doubts the wine will come together nicely as it ages. This will be better in just a few years, but most likely it will take more than 10 years before the wine is at its peak. An excellent Grüner Veltliner; this was not only one of the best single-vineyard Grüner Veltliners we tasted at Schloss Gobelsburg, but also one of the best wines we tasted during our trip to Austria. An outstanding wine with lots of upside. A steal at 30€.
(94 points)
- 2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Ried Lamm - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner harvested late from Ried Lamm, located right below the Grub and Heiligenstein vineyards. Most of the vines are trained using the traditional Lyra system. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels big, ripe and concentrated with bold aromas of juicy yellow fruits, some honeyed tones, a little bit of nutty wood, light crunchy notes of fresh pear, a hint of pineapple, a touch of stony minerality and a whiff of peppery spice. The wine feels structured and sinewy yet slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and rather concentrated flavors of stony minerality and apricot-driven yellow fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe red apple, light saline notes, a hint of beeswax and a touch of savory spices. Despite the big body, the rich texture and the quite considerable ripeness, the wine shows excellent sense of balance and structure with its high acidity. The finish is long, dry and powerful with an intense aftertaste of honeyed richness, some pineapple, light stony and saline mineral tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, a hint of nutty wood and a touch of creamy oak.
A very bold and impressive Grüner Veltliner with lots of everything, yet without coming across as excessive. There's no denying that this is a big and ripe wine, but with its wonderfully fresh, incisive acidity and cool mineral core, the wine manages to come across as impressively firm and structure-driven, not heavy or soft. Tasting this next to 2023 Ried Renner, it's very hard if not impossible to say which is the better wine - this wine shows power and intensity, whereas Renner shows more freshness and elegance. Both are stunning examples of Austria Grüner Veltliner and easily among the best wines we tasted on our week-long trip to Austria. I'm sure this wine will age effortlessly for another decade or two - it feels like it is built for the long haul. Amazing stuff, highly recommended. Not particularly affordable at 53€, but easily delivers for the money.
(94 points)
- 2012 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Reserve Lamm Kamptal - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner harvested late from Ried Lamm, located right below the Grub and Heiligenstein vineyards. Most of the vines are trained using the traditional Lyra system. Whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted from a half bottle.
Moderately deep honey-yellow color. The nose feels rich, complex and somewhat evolved with sweet aromas of honey and wizened apricot, some beeswax, light developed notes of cooked cream, a little bit of poached pear, a hint of cantaloupe, a touch of macerated sweet herbs and a whiff of dried pineapple. The wine feels firm, ripe and somewhat viscous on the palate with a full body and dry, complex flavors clover honey and almost pilsner-like hoppy herbal spice, some developed nutty tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light creamy oak tones, a hint of browned butter and a touch of stony minerality. Despite the ripe, textural and somewhat concentrated overall feel, the wine is nevertheless wonderfully high in acidity, making the overall feel surprisingly firm, fresh and structured. The finish is very lengthy, fresh and complex with an intense aftertaste of honeyed richness, some beeswax, a little bit of browned butter, light evolved notes of roasted nuts, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of creaminess.
An extraordinary example of Grüner Veltliner that shows tremendous depth and intensity of flavor along with great sense of structure. Tasting this next to the 2023 vintage, you can taste that the wines were cut from the same cloth - only this 11 years older bottle shows more evolved qualities and remarkably complexity. Seeing how remarkably well this wine is performing now (from a half bottle, no less!), I guess the lackluster bottle we tasted in 2017 was just an off bottle. At almost 14 years of age, this wine shows no signs of giving up. It's hard to say whether the wine is peaking now, or going to improve further with additional cellar age, but at least it is a real stunner right now. Very highly recommended.
(95 points)
- 2025 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Zöbing - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Riesling from multiple vineyards in Zöbing. Fermented spontaneously, aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 5 months. 13% alcohol.
Pale whitish-green color. The nose feels youthful and expressive with rather primary aromas of aromatic green herbs and pear drops, some greengage, light sweet notes of apple jam, a little bit of lime marmalade and a floral hint of apple blossom. The wine feels crisp, lively and youthful on the palate with dry and crunchy flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some key lime, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light primary notes of ripe grapey fruit and a hint of steely minerality. The brisk, incisive acidity lends a great amount of energy and structure to the wine. The finish is long, dry and a bit austere with a piercing aftertaste of steely minerality, some youthful grapey tones, a little bit of key lime, light tart notes of Granny Smith apple and a hint of lemony citrus fruit.
A nice and refreshing but also a bit simple and primary little Riesling. Thoroughly enjoyable, but still comes across as somewhat too youthful with its candied fermentation flavors, making the wine feel a bit simple and un-serious compared to Gobelsburg's single-vineyard bottlings. I guess a few extra years could do their magic and make the wine lose those primary qualities? Nevertheless, a solid village-level Riesling. Doesn't blow your socks off, but does its job well - although I feel at the moment the lower-tier Urgestein Riesling does the same thing at a cheaper price. Priced according to its quality at 16€.
(90 points)
- 2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling 1ÖTW Ried Gaisberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Riesling harvested late from Ried Gaisberg that is a single vineyard that is split into sections belonging to three different villages: Kammerner Gaisberg, Strasser Gaisberg and Zöbinger Gaisberg. I've understood that the grapes for this wine come from all three sections, and some of the vines in these vineyards are among the oldest in the Gobelsburg estate. Whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale green color. The nose feels youthful and expressive with focused aromas of greengage, some lemon marmalade, light crunchy Fuji apple tones, a little bit of herby spice, a hint of honeyed richness and a primary touch of sweet grapey fruit. The wine feels ripe, broad and juicy with a moderately full body and quite concentrated flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some greengage, a little bit of ripe Granny Smith apple, light floral notes of orange blossom, a primary hint of sweet grapey fruit and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity keeps the overall feel firm and enjoyably structure-driven. The finish is ripe, youthful and acid-driven with a dry, somewhat concentrated aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some greengage, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of primary grapey fruit, a hint of pear drops and a touch of herby spice.
A rather broad yet sophisticated and quite impressively structured single-vineyard Riesling that is still surprisingly youthful - at times even slightly primary - for a wine that is already a couple of years old. At the moment the wine doesn't really wow me, but it nevertheless shows great promise and I'm positive a wine with this much intensity and structure will age wonderfully over the next decade or two. A fine, chiseled and firmly-structured Riesling with lots of upside. Solid value at 30€.
(92 points)
- 2023 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling 1ÖTW Ried Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Riesling harvested late from Ried Heiligenstein, some of the vines in these vineyards are among the oldest in the Gobelsburg estate. Whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged in old 5000-liter Austrian oak fuders for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale lime-green color. The nose feels youthful, nuanced and expressive with aromas of key lime and greengage, some floral notes of citrus blossoms, light sweeter lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of ripe Golden Delicious apple, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of peachy fruit. The wine feels surprisingly crisp, lean and mineral on the palate with a medium body and very focused flavors of ripe citrus fruits and lemon marmalade, some crunchy Golden Delicious apple, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of greengage and a touch of floral lift. The focused, lively acidity lends a great amount of incisive energy, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and focused with a rather rich yet dry aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some steely minerality, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light sharp Granny Smith apple notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of sweet greengage.
A very impressive, focused and surprisingly lean Riesling. After the Gaisberg Riesling, I expected this wine to show more body and concentration, but this wine turned out to be a leaner, more mineral and considerably focused example of Kamptal Riesling. Stylistically very different to the very ripe, powerful and concentrated style you often find in the neighboring Wachau appellation. Still very youthful, but starting to show pretty well. However, the wine is undeniably built for the long haul, so even if the wine might be ready at the moment, I'm dead sure this will be so much better after another decade of aging. And probably this wine can age and improve for not just one but several decades. An excellent Austrian Riesling with lots of upside. Expect my score to go up as the wine ages. Not particularly affordable at 53€, but delivers for the price.
(93 points)
- NV Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Years Edition 853 - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
A blend of Grüner Veltliner (+85%) with up to 15% of other white varieties sourced from Erste Lage vineyards in Kamptal. The grapes are first crushed and macerated with the skins for 10-18 hours, after which the pomace is pressed and the wine is fermented spontaneously in old Austrian oak fuders. Aged in these oak fuders for 3 years. This Edition 853 was bottled unfiltered in 2024 and it consists mainly of wine from the 2021 vintage (85%), while the remaining 15% comes from vintages 2019 and 2017. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Remarkably complex, layered nose of cooked cream and ripe apricot, some oxidative nuttiness, a little bit of crunchy Fuji apple, light smoky tones, a hint of juicy pineapple, a touch of spicy wild honey and a whiff of caramel. The wine feels bold, firm and rather viscous on the palate with a full body and very complex flavors of cooked cream and ripe pineapple, some oxidative notes of roasted nuts, a little bit of caramel, light spicy notes, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of sweet greengage. The impressively high acidity makes the wine come across as very balanced and even surprisingly fresh and focused for such a big, ripe wine. The finish is long and complex with a dry, intense aftertaste of ripe pineapple and developed creaminess, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light peachy notes of stone fruits, a hint of bruised apple and a touch of caramel.
A stunning, wonderfully complex and remarkably balanced Grüner Veltliner (-driven blend) made in a very unique, slightly oxidative style. Exceptional depth and intensity of flavor here. As the wine is released already in a quite evolved shape, it is very hard to say whether the wine well keep, develop further or just fade away from here. I imagine this kind of oxidative aging will protect the wine from further oxidation, so most likely the wine isn't going to fall apart anytime soon. Whatever the case, this is a real stunner for people who enjoy whites that show some developed qualities. Very highly recommended. At 37€, this was a bargain.
(95 points)
- NV Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvée 10 Years Edition 853 - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
A blend of Grüner Veltliner (+85%) with up to 15% of other white varieties sourced from Erste Lage vineyards in Kamptal. The grapes are first crushed and macerated with the skins for 10-18 hours, after which the pomace is pressed and the wine is fermented spontaneously in old Austrian oak fuders. Aged in these oak fuders for 10 years. This Edition 853 was bottled unfiltered and it consists mainly of wine from the 2013 vintage with a little bit of wine from the 2010 vintage. 13% alcohol. Total production 3156 bottles.
Surprisingly youthful pale golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. A somewhat fine-tuned and slightly restrained but also remarkably complex nose with layered aromas of developed creaminess and vanilla custard, some sweet greengage tones, a little bit of ripe Granny Smith apple, light nutty notes of almond paste and chopped hazelnuts, a hint of floral spice, a touch of savory wood and a whiff of caramel. The wine feels firm yet silky, slightly oily and wonderfully harmonious on the palate with a full body and very complex flavors of ripe greengage and cooked cream, some browned butter tones, stony minerality, a little bit of savory oak spice, light sweeter notes of apple jam and lemon marmalade, a hint of ripe pineapple and a fragrant touch of floral character. The high acidity lends a great amount of freshness, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, dry and evolved with a complex and very intense aftertaste of ripe apricot and creamy oak, some buttery tones, a little bit of greengage, light saline mineral notes, a sweeter hint of apple jam and a touch of crème brûlée.
Holy smokes wow. I had no idea what to expect, but unsurprisingly this wine was very similar to the 3 Years Heritage Cuvée - only with the level of intensity and complexity brought up to the next level. Although the wine doesn't remind Rioja whites at all, this is still one of the closest things I've ever tasted to a Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva - the prolonged oxidative aging in oak for 10 years strips away most of the varietal qualities, rendering both the wines surprisingly similar to each other. Furthermore, that much aging seems to concentrate not only the flavors, but also the body and the acidity, so that the wine feels rather big and weighty, yet remarkably fresh, poised and structure-driven at the same time. To me, this was the best wine we tasted on our week-long trip to Austria, and it is probably also one of the best Austrian wines I've tasted. It's hard to assess whether the wine will only keep, or if it actually is able to evolve and improve from here with additional aging, but most likely this is not going to fall apart anytime soon. Absolutely extraordinary stuff, but unfortunately, at 110€, it is also priced at such. Nevertheless: very highly recommended.
(96 points)
- 2012 Schloss Gobelsburg Vintage Sekt Langenlois - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
The flagship sparkling wine of Schloss Gobelsburg, made only in exceptional vintages. A blend of mostly Chardonnay, but also including Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Riesling, sourced from vineyards around Langenlois. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged in old 2500-liter Austrian oak fuders for 12 months. Lot 11/22, ie. disgorged in November 2022, after 9 years of aging. 12% alcohol, dosage 3 g/l.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels rich, complex and slightly oxidative with rather vinous aromas of bruised apple and chopped nuts, some ripe Fuji apple notes, a little bit of browned butter, light zesty notes of ripe citrus fruits, a hint of almond paste and an autolytic touch of toasted bread. The wine feels crisp, nuanced and moderately evolved on the palate with a medium body and dry, complex flavors of bruised apples and roasted hazelnuts, some saline and stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light bready notes of autolysis, a hint of mushroomy funk and a touch of caramel. A long, fine yet still quite ample mousse. The brisk, racy acidity lends a great amount of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, dry and complex with a long, nuanced aftertaste of bruised apples and oxidative nuttiness, some mushroomy funk, a little bit of ripe lemony citrus fruit, light autolytic notes of bread, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of leesy creaminess.
A beautifully complex and eminently impressive Austrian sparkling wine with so much complexity, sense of structure and persistence. Easily among the best Austrian sparkling wines I've tasted - quite possible even the best - and one that easily leaves even many fine Champagnes in its shadow. Perhaps not the best choice for people who like clean, zippy and linear BdBs, but for people like me - who prefer complex, vinous and somewhat oxidative sparklers - this is simply outstanding. Superb stuff and among the best Gobelsburg wines we tasted on our visit to the castle. Not a particularly affordable wine at 83€, but delivers for the price.
(95 points)
- 2021 Schloss Gobelsburg Pinot Noir Reserve - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Pinot Noir sourced from Hadersdorfer Sachsenberg and Gobelsburger Haid vineyards. Fermented spontaneously in open-top oak fermentors, aged in 600-liter Austrian oak demi-muids for 18 months. Bottled very lightly filtered. 13% alcohol.
Luminous and quite translucent raspberry red color. The nose feels clean and beautifully fragrant with quite Burgundian aromas of ripe raspberries, some smoky tones, a little bit of tobacco, light floral notes of violets, a peppery hint of spicy Pinosity, a touch of fresh red cherry and a whiff of pomegranate. The wine feels clean, somewhat muscular and quite intensely-flavored on the palate with a quite full body and vibrant flavors of ripe cherries and black raspberries, some crunchy pomegranate, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of wild strawberries and an earthy touch of sous-bois. Although the wine feels moderately ripe, it still shows good sense of structure with its rather high acidity and quite ample, firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, juicy and quite tannic with a dark-toned aftertaste of black cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of peppery spice, light woody tones, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of smoky meat.
A stern, dead-serious and moderately ripe yet also surprisingly Burgundian Pinot Noir. Quite often the Austrian Pinot Noirs feel more like robust, extracted versions of German Spätburgunders, but this wine felt more like a muscular version of a red Burgundy, mainly because of the aromatics and flavors. I guess in a blind tasting this wine might be identified as a non-Burgundy, but at least for me, this wine manages to scratch the Burgundy itch a little bit. And as a fan of Italian wines, I really enjoyed the quite structure-driven approach here. With its great flavor intensity and firm structure, I feel this wine could easily not only age, but also improve for another decade or two. This wine might not be a carbon copy of a Burgundy Pinot Noir, but fortunately at 35€, the wine isn't priced like one, either. A terrific, delicious wine.
(93 points)
- 2021 Schloss Gobelsburg St. Laurent Reserve Haide - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Sankt Laurent sourced from Gobelsburger Haid (aka. Ried Haide). Fermented spontaneously in 2500-liter open-top oak fermentors, aged in 600-liter Austrian oak demi-muids for 18 months. Bottled very lightly filtered. 13% alcohol.
Deep, dark and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels open and rather spicy with quite Pinot Noir-like aromas of black cherries, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of licorice, light bilberry tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, a hint of tobacco, a touch of smoke and a whiff of earthy Pinosity. The wine feels rather ripe yet dry, firm and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and toasty flavors of brambly black raspberries and savory wood spice, some earthy tones, a little bit of licorice, light notes of allspice and toasty smoke, a hint of ripe bilberry and a lifted touch of sweet balsamico. The wine is high in acidity with ample, firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, crunchy and quite grippy with a savory, dark-toned aftertaste of cherries and black raspberries, some earthy Pinosity, a little bit of allspice, light woody notes, a hint of nutmeg and a faint touch of sweet toasty spice.
A stern, nuanced and very Pinot Noir-like Austrian red. Aromatically this would've been very easy to identify as a Pinot Noir, had it been tasted bind, but on the palate the wine feels a bit weightier, chewier and more ripe than an Austrian Pinot Noir would. Pretty great and delicious stuff. Although the wine isn't particularly oaky, the little oak what the wine has seen, still shows a bit, which is why I'd love to let the wine wait a bit longer, in the hopes that the woody tones would integrate better with the fruit. All in all, a terrific red for people who like Pinot Noir aromatics, but would want the wines to show a bit more body, chew and structure. Priced according to its quality at 35€.
(91 points)
- 2020 Schloss Gobelsburg Merlot Privatkeller - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Merlot from a parcel in Hadersdorfer Sachsenberg that was planted in 1982. Fermented spontaneously in open-top oak fermentors, aged in 600-liter Austrian oak demi-muids. Bottled very lightly filtered. 13,5% alcohol.
Slightly translucent blackish-red color. The nose feels dry, somewhat earthy and a bit smoky with savory aromas of pipe tobacco, some dark forest fruits, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light funky animale nuances, an earthy hint of forest floor and a touch of gravelly minerality. Not so much fruit here. The wine feels dry, savory and silky on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of pipe tobacco and gravelly minerality, some red plums, a little bit of earth, light crunchy blackcurrant tones, a hint of wood and a touch of old leather. The wine is high in acidity with ample, textural and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and pretty grippy with a nuanced aftertaste of earthy sous-bois, some ripe dark fruits, a little bit of crunchy red plum, light gravelly mineral notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of blackcurrant.
A very sophisticated and serious Merlot that feels more old-school Pomerol than most contemporary Pomerols. Relatively little fruit, lots of earthy tones, wonderful sense of depth and nuance and an impressive structure here. This is very enjoyable, albeit a bit tightly-knit at the moment, and I can imagine the wine will continue to evolve and improve with additional aging. I'm not usually big on Merlot, but I enjoyed this wine quite a bit. Good value at 35€.
(92 points)
- 2017 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Trockenbeerenauslese - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (16.4.2026)
100% Grüner Veltliner harvested very late from multiple vineyards in Kamptal when the grapes are fully botrytized. Fermented spontaneously, aged in 300-liter Austrian oak casks for 8 months. 8% alcohol, 263 g/l residual sugar and 7,2 g/l acidity.
Pale bronze color. The nose feels heady, sweet and quite unctuous with aromas of orange marmalade, some developed nutty tones, a little bit of apricot jam, light spicy botrytis notes, a hint of canned pineapple and a raisiny touch of Sultanas. The wine feels rich, sweet and a bit sticky on the palate with a full body and concentrated flavors of canned pineapple, some apple jam, light spicy botrytis notes, a little bit of orange marmalade, dried-fruit hints of Sultanas and dried apricots and a faint touch of sweet VA. The rather high acidity manages to keep the overall feel balanced, albeit a bit viscous. The finish is sweet, rich and powerful with a long, unctuous aftertaste of canned pineapple and dried apricot, some spicy tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, light apple jam notes, a hint of nutty wood and a faint lifted touch of sweet VA.
A very impressive, powerful and delicious TBA that is all about concentrated late-harvest Grüner Veltliner fruit and botrytis character. Although the wine doesn't feel one bit primary, it is still brimming with youthful energy and I can see the wine evolving beautifully over the next few decades, even if the wine is mighty delicious already now. Quite superb stuff. Not particularly affordable at 46€ for a half bottle, but manages to effortlessly deliver for the price. Highly recommended.
(94 points)
Although we normally don’t visit wineries where we have to pay for the visit, I’m extremely glad we made an exception with Schloss Gobelsburg! This was an phenomenal visit, both in the terms of how impressive the cellar was, and how extraordinary the wines were - and I’m not forgetting our guide, either! We were very impressed by the wealth of knowledge mr. Tabery had; no matter what kind of questions we had about the history of the castle, or any random details regarding the winemaking, every question of ours received an immediate answer. Furthermore, it was very impressive in its own right how a winery can be a very big one - Schloss Gobelsburg is definitely one of the biggest producers in Kamptal, yet their commitment to tradition, detail and exceptional quality runs through their lineup and shows through even in their most affordable entry-level wines.
If I thought Schloss Gobelsburg was one of the greatest wine producers in Austria before our visit, I have to admit I must think even more strongly so now after the visit. Kudos to Michi Moosbrugger - what he has made over these past few decades is nothing short of extraordinary! If you ever find yourself somewhere near Kamptal, I heartily encourage you to go and visit this estate. It’ll be so worth it.
