Summary
Weingut Loimer in Langenlois is one of Austria's style-defining addresses. Since Fred Loimer took over the family winery in 1998, a solid Kamptal family estate has become one of the international ambassadors for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Around 85 hectares are farmed biodynamically, complemented by a second site in Gumpoldskirchen. The style is instantly recognisable: cool, saline and mineral, with little new oak and plenty of drive – plus a willingness to take risks that shows in spontaneously fermented natural wines and in sparkling wines from the Kamptal. Its landmark is the black cube that Loimer had built over the historic loess cellar around the turn of the millennium.
History
The Loimer family has a long winegrowing tradition in Langenlois. The decisive break came from Fred Loimer, a graduate of the Klosterneuburg wine school, when he took over the family estate in 1998. Even before that he had turned heads with unconventional ideas – for example ageing Grüner Veltliner in barrique, which in early-1990s Austria was anything but obvious.
Around the turn of the millennium came the architectural statement: a minimalist black cube, set on a roughly 150-year-old, hand-dug loess cellar. The building made Loimer one of the pioneers of Austrian wine architecture and remains his calling card today.
In 2004 a second location was added with the leased Weingut Schellmann in Gumpoldskirchen – climatically and geologically a completely different world, home to the Thermenregion specialities Zierfandler and Rotgipfler as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The conversion to biodynamics began in the mid-2000s, and in 2007 Fred Loimer was among the co-founders of respekt-BIODYN. Sparkling wine has been back in the range since 2013 and now accounts for a noticeable share of production.
Location & Terroir
Langenlois is the largest wine town in Lower Austria and the centre of the Kamptal. What shapes it is the meeting of two climatic influences: warm Pannonian air from the east and cool currents that flow down the Kamp valley from the Waldviertel at night. This day-night swing is why Kamptal whites stay so aromatic and fresh in acidity even at full ripeness.
The soils matter just as much. On the deep loess terraces around Langenlois – on the Loiserberg or the Spiegel, for instance – Grüner Veltliner grows broad, spicy and often peppery. On the meagre primary rock and weathered soils, above all on the famous Heiligenstein with its desert-sandstone conglomerate, Riesling finds the conditions that give it tension, citrus fruit and a distinctly mineral pull. The second site in Gumpoldskirchen adds limestone-driven soils and warmer conditions to the picture.
Style & Philosophy
In the vineyard Loimer works biodynamically: compost instead of mineral fertiliser, preparations, cover crops, animals in the farm cycle and no herbicides. Certification runs through respekt-BIODYN, which, unlike some other associations, explicitly sets rules for the cellar as well.
In the cellar the touch is restrained. Many wines ferment spontaneously, ageing takes place mostly in large wooden casks or stainless steel, sulphur is used sparingly and fining is minimal. The aim is not power but clarity and drinkability: the wines are lean rather than broad, often under 13% ABV, with a saline texture and a long, cool finish.
The 'mit Achtung!' range goes furthest – low-intervention, naturally fermented wines, some with skin contact, deliberately conceived as a counterpoint to the polished mainstream. The portfolio is rounded out by traditional-method sparkling wines that carry Loimer's taste for cool, acid-driven styles through consistently.
Notable Vineyards & Wines
The range is clearly tiered: from the fresh regional wines under the 'Lois' label through village wines to the Riedenweine from the Erste Lagen of the ÖTW system. Among the most important sites are:
- Käferberg – Grüner Veltliner with depth, spice and ageing potential
- Loiserberg – Grüner Veltliner from loess and weathered soils, finely drawn and peppery
- Spiegel – a fuller, broader-framed Grüner Veltliner
- Steinmassl and Seeberg – Riesling with citrus fruit and taut acidity
- Heiligenstein – the most famous Riesling site in the Kamptal, mineral and long-lived
Alongside these come Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt, plus Zierfandler and Rotgipfler from the Gumpoldskirchen site.
Awards
Fred Loimer has for years been regarded as one of Austria's most consistent producers, and was named winemaker of the year by Falstaff only a few years after taking over the estate. His single-vineyard wines regularly earn top scores in the leading wine guides and international tastings. At least as important is his influence beyond his own estate: as a co-founder of respekt-BIODYN and a pioneer of wine architecture, he has helped shape the image of modern Austrian winegrowing.