Franz Hirtzberger and family reside in a 600 year old house at the base of the famed Singerriedl vineyard. The winery is located in hilly Spitz, at the western end of the Wachau, as the Danube snakes down from the mountains. The cool air of this area reinforces the minerality and delicacy of Hirtzberger’s wines. The family is a pillar of the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus organization that preserves the quality of the zones wines zone– Franz’s father was a founder and today Franz is the President. The Hirtzberger winemaking philosophy is simple: closely managed vineyards, natural yeasts, fermentation in stainless steel, aging in large oak for Gruner Veltliner and acacia for Riesling.

Technical notes

100% Gruner Veltliner. The "Rotes Tor" vineyard is a natural amphitheatre located on the Singerriedl mountain (and named after the gated entryway at its top). "Smaragd" is one of three Wachau specific quality designations for dry white wine: Steinfeder (light, racy), Federspiel (elegant, medium body), and Smaragd (ripe, full-bodied).