Summary
Weingut Markus Huber in Reichersdorf is the best-known face of the Traisental – the small, cool wine region south of the Danube in Lower Austria that long stood in the shadow of the Wachau and Kamptal. Since Markus Huber took over his parents' estate of around four hectares in 2000, he has built it into a winery of roughly 60 hectares and put the Traisental on the international wine map. His recipe: Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from limestone conglomerate, uncompromisingly dry, precise and mineral. The Erste Lage wines from Ried Berg earned 100 points from James Suckling – and Falstaff had already named Huber Winemaker of the Year in 2015.
History
The Huber family has been growing wine in Reichersdorf since 1648 – that is how far back the first documented mention of the estate goes. For centuries it remained a typical mixed family farm of the Traisental: small, down-to-earth, rooted in the region.
The turning point came with Markus Huber. After his training he gained experience abroad, including in South Africa and Alsace, as well as at leading Austrian estates such as Bründlmayer and Jurtschitsch. In 2000, at just 21 years of age, he took over his parents' roughly four hectares – with the clear ambition of making wines of international standing. As early as 2001 he was named Lower Austria's Wine Champion, and in 2006 he was crowned best white wine producer at the International Wine Challenge in London.
In the years that followed the estate grew rapidly: Huber bought and leased vineyards in the best sites of the valley, expanded cellar and sales, and became one of the most important exporters of premium Austrian wine. In 2008 the estate joined the Österreichische Traditionsweingüter, and in 2009 his younger brother Michael Huber joined the business. After a long conversion period, all vineyards are now certified organic. With around 60 hectares, the estate today ranks among the largest in the Traisental – and is its most important ambassador.
Location & Terroir
With roughly 800 hectares of vines, the Traisental is Austria's smallest DAC region. It stretches along the river Traisen from Traismauer to St. Pölten, south of the Danube between the Kremstal and the Wagram. It is shaped by the interplay of two climatic influences: warm Pannonian air from the east meets cool night winds from the Alpine foothills. The large temperature swings between day and night extend the ripening period and preserve the grapes' aromas and acidity.
The soil is the region's true signature: the prehistoric Traisen carried calcareous gravel down from the Alps, which over millions of years compacted into limestone conglomerate. In many places this rock is covered by a layer of loess – sometimes just a few centimetres, sometimes up to two metres. It is precisely this interplay that Markus Huber exploits: his roughly 140 parcels sit on loess layers of varying depth, on slopes between about 245 and 380 metres above sea level, often on terraces.
Style & Philosophy
Huber's wines are uncompromisingly dry, clear and of cool precision. Here the Grüner Veltliner shows less of the broad, peppery opulence of some neighbouring regions and instead freshness, spice and a chalky, salty minerality. The Riesling is taut, stony and citrus-fresh, with the cool backbone the Alpine winds bring with them.
In the cellar the estate relies on gentle handling and a clean, precise vinification that never masks the fruit. The aim is not power but origin – every Ried should remain recognisable in the glass. Over the years Huber has consistently concentrated the vines on the best limestone parcels and lowered yields.
The DAC Pyramid as a Guide
The range follows the three-tier origin pyramid of the Traisental DAC: regional wines stand for freshness and drinkability, village wines from Reichersdorf, Getzersdorf or Inzersdorf show the character of their village, and the single-vineyard wines from the classified Erste Lagen form the summit – dense, deep white wines that easily age for ten years and more. That the Traisental is today regarded as a serious origin for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling is to a large extent Huber's doing: numerous young winemakers have followed his example.
Notable Vineyards & Wines
The estate farms several of the Erste Lagen (1ÖTW) that the Österreichische Traditionsweingüter have classified in the Traisental:
- Ried Berg (Getzersdorf) – the flagship site: steep east-facing terraces with barely any humus over limestone conglomerate; Grüner Veltliner and Riesling of enormous tension and depth
- Ried Alte Setzen (Reichersdorf) – up to two metres of loess over conglomerate, old vines; juicy, spicy Grüner Veltliner with finesse
- Ried Zwirch (Inzersdorf) – coarse limestone conglomerate beneath loess and loam; powerful, long-lived Grüner Veltliner
- Ried Hochschopf (Nußdorf) – floury loess with conglomerate; elegant Grüner Veltliner
- Ried Rothenbart (Inzersdorf) – at up to 380 metres one of the highest terraced sites in the valley; lean, stony soils for a cool, mineral Riesling
- Ried Spiegeln – limestone conglomerate with a loess cover, home of the Chardonnay
The range is rounded off by village wines, the regional Veltliner and sparkling wine from the Traisental.
Awards
Markus Huber was named Lower Austria's Wine Champion in 2001 and honoured as best white wine producer at the International Wine Challenge in London in 2006. In 2015 Falstaff named him Winemaker of the Year – in recognition of having turned his parents' small farm into one of Austria's best-known wineries in just a few years. The international breakthrough in terms of points followed with James Suckling: the Riesling Ried Berg 2023 received 100 points and landed among the Top 100 wines of Austria; shortly afterwards the Grüner Veltliner Ried Berg 2024 also earned the top score – one of only three Austrian wines with 100 points in that report. Around 60% of production is now exported to well over 35 countries.
