The winery is situated in the municipality of Ehrenhausen am Nussberg, near the border with Slovenia, in the wine-growing region of Southern Styria (Austria). It was founded in 1907 by Heinrich Gross following the purchase of a vineyard on the Witscheiner Herrenberg. After the First World War, the vineyard lay within Slovenia due to the new border demarcation, but remained in the family’s possession. It was expropriated in 1945 and returned in 1953 under the Gleichenberg Agreement as a ‘historical dual property’. The grapes pressed in Styria were classified as Styrian quality wine. Since a 2018 EU law, the designation “Historical Double Estate” may still be used, but “Styria” is no longer permitted on the label.
The wine cellar, newly built in 1995, is situated on the Nussberg amidst the vineyards, where the offices, presentation and sales rooms are also located. From 1984, the business was run by Alois Gross, and from 2006 it was taken over by his two sons, Johannes and Michael. At the end of 2018, Maria and Michael retired from the winery in Southern Styria to focus fully on Vino Gross in Slovenia, 60 kilometres south of the border. Since 2019, Martina and Johannes Gross have been running the Gross am Nussberg winery in southern Styria as the fifth generation of the family.
Vineyards
The vineyards cover 36 hectares of vine-growing land in the municipalities of Gamlitz and Ratsch at altitudes of 300 to 500 metres above sea level, with extremely steep slopes of up to 85% (38°) in the Nussberg, Witscheiner Herrenberg, Bärenburg, Obere Ranz, Perz and Sulz on sandy and gravelly soils, shell limestone, marl or volcanic soils.
Another special feature is a small vineyard just across the border in Slovenia. This comprises 0.3 hectares on the Witscheiner Herrenberg (municipality of Witschein, Slovenian: Svencina). During the Habsburg Monarchy, this area belonged to Austria-Hungary until 1918. The family’s ancestors began viticulture here in 1907, which Heinrich Gross established by purchasing a vineyard. Thanks to the Gleichenberg Agreement of 1953, the wines may be marketed as Austrian quality wines.
Grape varieties
Only white grape varieties are cultivated and processed. These are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Morillon, Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Riesling, and Sämling 88.
Cultivation
Cultivation is carried out in accordance with certified organic viticulture standards. This includes fertilisation with home-made compost and the avoidance of herbicides, insecticides and botryticides. Quality criteria include strict yield reduction, careful hand-harvesting and variety-specific processing of the grapes.
Product range
The product range is divided into three categories in accordance with the Austrian DAC system: regional wines, local wines and ‘ single vineyard wines’. Depending on the type of wine, the wines are matured in stainless steel tanks, 300-litre oak barrels or large wooden casks. In years with suitable weather conditions, Trockenbeerenauslesen are also produced.
Apple juice and bottle-fermented sparkling wine are also produced. The winery is a member of Tu Felix Austria and a founding member of the Styrian Terroir & Classic Wineries.
