Herbert Zillinger produces wines with character and depth in Austria’s southern Weinviertel, approximately one hours drive east of Vienna and near the border with Hungary.
His main focus, typical for this region, is on Grüner Veltliner which he vinifies in various forms from classic to radical, and takes this variety to its limits.
In doing so, he creates unique wines, not following conventions. His wines are characterized by ease and balance.
Herbert Zillinger has been organically certified since 2015, and with the 2017 vintage, his biodynamic certification as a respekt member will take place.
Herbert considers his Spring Break Rose [100% Zweigelt] as the second most important wine in the winery.
He admits that the colour can vary from year to year but considers that minimising tannins is more important than consistency of colour.
Spring Break is a serious style Rose; not too much primary fruit, not candied and is made more like a white wine than a red.
Gruner Veltliner Horizont is considered a liquid business card for the Zillinger brand.
It is very ripe and full bodied, packed with a range of flavour [fruits, spice etc]
There are hundreds of vintners in the Weinviertel, the largest wine-producing region in Austria, but only a few succeed at standing out from this multitude. Herbert Zillinger is one of them. The high quality and diversity of his wines make all the difference. He has devoted himself body and soul, in particular to his Grüner Veltliner and Traminer, abandoning any compromises and following his gut instincts in the vineyard and the cellar. He has consciously opted against modern winemaking styles, producing wines through traditional fermentation with time to mature and plenty of leeway, as his grandfathers did before him. The fact that he has taken a step back to the most primitive – organic – cultivation methods is only logical.
‘What do people say about me? That I’m a man without compromise. That I create distinctive wines; wines with profile, structure and “USP” – with unique characteristics. That my wines have my handcrafted signature on them; recognised by the soils, on which the grapes ripen. That my wines are never trimmed for big business or to win awards. My wines stand for themselves. If my wines are enjoyed as they are, then I’ve won’.
