The winery is located in the municipality of Straß im Straßertale in the wine-growing region of Kamptal(Lower Austria). The estate was first mentioned in the Maria Theresian land register in 1649 and in the parish register in 1751, since which time the farm has been owned by the family. In 1885 Josef Topf married from Oberdürnbach near Maissau to Strass to the estate of the Traunfellner family. The wine was brought to the innkeepers in Vienna with the family's own horse-drawn cart. In 1929 Johann Topf I took over the estate. His successor Johann Topf II began bottling wine in 1960 and marketing it throughout Austria. Since 1990, Johann Topf III has been in charge together with his wife Magdalena. After graduating from the University of Geisenheim and the Krems School of Viticulture and Pomology, their sons Hans-Peter and Maximilian have been working in the business since 2014.
The vineyards cover 50 hectares of vineyards in the Blickenweg, Hasel, Hölle, Rosengartl, Sachsenberg and Stangl vineyards, as well as Gaisberg, Heiligenstein, Offenberg and Wechselberg Spiegel, which are classified as "Erste Lagen" according to the classification of the Traditionsweingüter Österreich. The latter was turned from a south-west to a south-south-west location, which means that it is in intense sunlight (exposure) from early morning to evening. This vineyard was created especially for the Riesling. The white wine varieties Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gelber Muskateller, Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as 15% of the red wine varieties Zweigelt and Blauburgunder are cultivated. The vineyards are cultivated according to organic guidelines. Fertilisation is carried out with the farm's own compost. Predatory mites are used for targeted pest control. Quality-enhancing yield reduction is achieved through dense planting.
Intensive manual foliage care and repeated thinning out are carried out with the aim of producing the best quality grapes. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand in several rounds. The harvest date is determined exclusively by the physiological ripeness of the grapes. The product range includes estate and regional wines, local wines, single vineyards and ÖTW-Erste Lagen. Depending on the variety, ripeness, vintage and wine type, it is decided whether the wine will be matured in stainless steel tanks or barrique barrels. Every year, new wooden barrels from local Manhartsberg oak ranging from 600 to 2,500 litres are supplied by local binder masters. The premium wines include several Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners Kamptal DAC and Kamptal DAC Reserve from different vineyards. Bottle-fermented sparkling wine, grape juice and brandy are also produced. The winery is a member of the Winzervereinigung Traditionsweingüter Österreich.
Pictures: Point of View
