Kurt Angerer

From Lengenfeld, almost to Australia

The Angerer family has been growing grapes for wine in Kamptal for a very long time, and the family's history is generally traced back to 1848. After learning the art of winemaking from his father, Franz, Kurt left to work at another winery in order to gain experience away from the family business.

When the time came to establish his own winery, his heart was set on Australia. He stayed in Austria, though. In 1996, he began producing wine under his own name, using the family-owned wine cellar in Lengenfeld as a base, and built his reputation with Grüner Veltliner as his first release.

That detour through Australia never completely faded away. Angerer has continued to produce red wine in a region where white wine is the safer choice, which speaks volumes about his approach to his work. His partner, Simone, handles sales, marketing, and administrative duties, while Kurt is in charge of the vineyards and winery.

===SECTION: Vineyards
Title: Owned and Leased Properties
Weingut Kurt Angerer cultivates approximately 14 hectares of owned land and 19 hectares of leased land spread across several plots with varying soil types and sunlight conditions, all located around Lengenfeld in the Kamptal region.

It is precisely these differences that are key. Rather than blending the region's grapes into a single house style, Angerer bottles each parcel separately, allowing the soil and sun exposure of each vineyard to emerge subtly yet distinctly in a single glass, enough to be discerned when bottles are placed side by side for comparison.

Farming is conducted sustainably, and the estate is experimenting with organic cultivation on some of its land. There is no exaggeration, no talk of certification, it is simply the direction they are moving toward.

Granite, loess and gravel in one village

The Kamptal region surrounding Lengenfeld consists primarily of three soil types: granite, loess, and red gravel. Angerer cultivates all of these soil types, as well as standard gravelly soil, and the names of his Grüners wines directly reflect these soil classifications.

Granite soils tend to produce wines that are firmer and have stronger mineral flavors, and the plots of old vines situated on granite are the ones he tends to most carefully in his winery. Loess imparts a richer body and texture. Red gravel adds aroma and a peppery, tangy flavor, a characteristic of Grüner Veltliner.

Here, the climate is the greatest limiting factor. Angerer has clearly stated that Kamptal's red wines are sometimes successful and sometimes a failure, because the region is somewhat cool for red wine cultivation and the grapes require a long growing season to ripen properly. In favorable years, excellent wines are produced, but in cooler years, white wines sustain the winery, which is precisely why this region is better known for white wine.

What is planted

Although Grüner Veltliner is the main variety, the list of varieties cultivated at Weingut Kurt Angerer is more extensive than that of most Kamptal estates, as it includes both traditional Austrian varieties and foreign varieties:

• Grüner Veltliner: A specialty variety grown in areas with granite, loess, and gravel soils
• Riesling
• Zweigelt
• Pinot Noir
• Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
• Syrah: A variety planted on 0.5 hectares simply for fun

The 0.5-hectare plot was not part of a commercial strategy but rather born out of curiosity. This explanation perfectly summarizes how the winery's red wine line came to be.

Big casks, less sulphur

Oak aging for Weingut Kurt Angerer typically refers to large French oak barrels of varying ages; this style emphasizes a rich texture and a slight sense of breathing rather than distinct toasted or vanilla aromas. Most wines undergo this aging process to some extent. The use of sulfites has been gradually decreasing over the years.

There are exceptions, however, and these are intentional choices. His unfiltered Grüner is produced from old vines planted in granite soil, fermented in new French oak barrels and undergoes full malolactic fermentation (the process of converting sharp malic acid into mellow lactic acid), resulting in a broader, rounder, and bread-like style. Using new oak barrels for the Grüner Veltliner is a surefire way to ruin the wine. The Angerer is still acceptable, though.

All other wines adhere strictly to the terroir-driven philosophy. This means they are fermented separately by vineyard block, bottled separately, and undergo only minimal processing, as much as the vintage allows.