If vineyards could speak, there would be endless hours of exciting discussion in the Kremstal. Especially because the 2,600 hectares of vineyards here are divided into different zones: the Stadt Krems, the eastern-lying areas, and the small wine villages south of the Danube. But there are uniting elements - Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, which are the key representatives of the entire region as well as expressions of art and culture.
More information about this region... In the old town of Krems, the close link to wine is more than evident. A place that has long – and superbly - fulfilled its role as an ambassador of Austrian wine culture, Krems is also where old harvest estates reflect great viticultural tradition. And where young and successful wine-growers, an innovative wine co-operative and an outstanding wine school are thriving. It is also home to the renowned Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) Wine Fair.
Geologically similar to its neighbour, the Wachau, Krems and its surroundings are situated mainly on soils of weathered primary rock - as is the case with well-known vineyards such as Pfaffenberg and Steiner Hund, which produce elegant, minerally wines; or similarly, Senftenberg and its surrounding wine villages along the river Krems, where truly individualistic wines are created. Completely different, however, are the vineyards to the east, which yield round, full-bodied wines. The massive loess terraces in the wine villages of Rohrendorf and Gedersdorf add a very special appeal to the landscape. South of the Danube, there are the villages of Furth-Palt, Krustetten, Hollenburg, Oberfucha and Tiefenfucha, all of themdominated by the Benedictine monastery, Stift Göttweig, which was founded in 1083. In this area, many small Heurigen – the traditional wine taverns - help preserve the quaint and down-to-earth character of the villages.
As with the neighbouring Wachau and Kamptal wine-growing areas, also the Kremstal lies in the centre of climatic tension: cool humidity from the nearby Waldviertel meets the dry warmth coming over from the Pannonian plain to the east. Especially the deep Danube valley benefits from the temperature-regulating effect of the river´s large water surface. Reflecting typicity of the area are the juicy and finesse-rich white wines - mainly Grüner Veltliner and Riesling – as well as dense and expressive red wines, albeit to a lesser degree. Wine-growers have proven to be conscious of the location of their vineyards, in order to realise diversity on a small scale.
The most famous winemakers are:
Martin Nigl,
Stadt Krems, and Weingut Malat.
Austria
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