Pittnauer Rose

Gerhard Pittnauer took over the reins of his families winery in Gols at a difficult time with the unexpected death of his father. Only 18 years old and figuring things out as he went, Gerhard had to learn fast as Austria was in the midst of a devastated wine scandal that had rocked the Austrian wine industry. Consumer confidence was low, so young Gerhard needed to focus on finding a clear direction. He decided from the onset to experiment with Austria’s local varieties. Impressed by the great wines of France, he set out to apply sustainable and biodynamic methods. Manually farming 15 hectares of vines (half of which are rented) and joined by his wife Brigitte, Gerhard strives to create what he calls “living wines”. Combining old-fashioned elbow grease and current technology, in the cellar the couple use a modern pneumatic press and temperature controlled steel tanks to preserve the purity of their fruit.