Herbert Zillinger

With 15,800 hectares, Weinviertel is Austria's largest wine-growing region. With his clear approach to honesty, depth, tranquillity and expressiveness, Herbert Zillinger has succeeded in attracting a great deal of attention internationally and has thus also stood out as an exceptional talent in his homeland. 

No pesticides, no additives, no fining substances, but one thing above all: time. Or as Herbert would say, "time to mature". The result are purist wines with a unique selling point. We almost can't imagine that he would "offend" some customers with this, as he says.

As balanced and easy-drinking as the wines are, there can't be many wine drinkers, neither conventional nor natural wine lovers, who can refuse this good stuff.

Uncompromising, origin-conscious and modern in the sense of "back to the roots" is how the wines can be described.

Herbert Zillinger took over his parents' winery in the Weinviertel region of Austria at the age of 20. When Carmen, his wife, joined the winery in 2005, the Zillingers continued on their quality course and, at the latest since the birth of their first daughter Amelie, it was clear that only natural wine, or sustainable management as a whole, could be the only right way forward. Since 2016, the Zillingers have been working according to biodynamic standards, certified with the "Respect Biodynamic" label.

What would you say your winery and your wines stand for?

Herbert Zillinger: We stand for lively, very puristic wines that reflect the grape variety, origin, soil and climatic conditions (i.e. terroir) in a completely unadulterated and unvarnished way.

What makes a great wine for you? Or what is important to you personally in a wine?

Herbert Zillinger: Above all, a great wine is a wine that has a lasting impact on us. In our opinion, a great wine must also have a powerful body, liveliness and, above all, perfect balance. These are mostly wines from artisanal farmers whose soils are healthy and vital.

Does climate change influence your viticulture and does this also change things in your work?

Herbert Zillinger: Climate change is a constant concern for us, and of course we are worried about it. However, we know that with our biodynamic way of working we are perfectly equipped against weather extremes, and that we can thus also make a small contribution to combating the climate catastrophe.

What made you go in the direction of organic/biodynamic/natural wine?

Herbert Zillinger: We wanted to practise a form of agriculture that was not based on the expense of others (health of soils, environment, employees,...). As our trust in nature increased, we noticed that supposed problems suddenly disappeared and a balance increasingly emerged that was reflected in all areas of daily life (professional as well as private). Perfectly balanced grapes allow us to take a completely purist approach to vinification, which in turn brings us closer to our ideal of an unadulterated, honest wine.