Christoph with a chunk of Hollenburger Konglomerat

I visited Christoph Hoch during my trip to Austria last Spring. From the vineyard to the cellar, it was one of the most unique visits I’ve had in my career. By the time it was over, I was convinced that there is no other grower like Christoph Hoch.

When you factor in the farming, the multiple cellars he needs to support his layered, multi-vintage approach (for both still and sparkling), it becomes clear that Hoch is as individual as a winemaker can be.

His complex, autumnal macerated wine is here; let’s unpack the work. – Chris

The background: Christoph Hoch is a 12th generation winemaker in Kremstal’s Hollenburg, who broke away from the family winery and turned a 5 hectare inheritance into 12 hectares, all of which he farms (Demeter-certified) biodynamically.

Here on the south side of the Danube, he’s working with “Hollenburger Konglomerat” soil – a mashup of chalk and river stones (read: limestone) that makes for structured but low alcohol wines (and, of course, a perfect condition for sparkling wine which typically makes up about 75% of his production).

When it comes to the farming, like some of the best biodynamic growers Hoch has encouraged agroforestry and a dense cover crop. But, unlike any grower we've seen, much of the elderflower and rose planted amongst the vines is also harvested – and used by his wife to create a wildly inventive line of infused wine (not yet in the US, but very delicious!).

The most beautiful cover crops were brought to the table during last year's visit

The hook: pretty much every aspect of the wines embodies the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

To start, everything he makes is non-vintage, based on the perspective that NV wines show the actual place better than vintage wines. Cuvées are stacked with multiple blending components, not just variations in grape and vintage but also the winemaking (especially maceration lengths, as in the case of today’s cuvée).

And, perhaps the most fascinating aspect is that fermentation and aging (all in neutral oak and acacia barrel) is spread across six different cellars around Hollenburg, each distinct in condition (for example, the warmest cellar is the only one to allow the wines to go through malo).

Tasting the multiple components of a cuvée in one of Hoch's cellars last Spring

It all boils down to a belief that terroir trumps any other element of vintage, grape, or winemaking technique. And, the results are as delicious as they are intriguing.

NV CHRISTOPH HOCH ‘ORANGE’

A blend of three vintages, primarily Grüner Veltliner with Gelber Muskateller.

It’s a very cool range of vintages and macerations: the youngest wine in the blend is macerated just 5 days; the two year old component macerated about two weeks; and the three year old wine in this blend spent an entire year with skin contact.

All of which gives the final wine a Radikon-esque bass note (it’s probably no coincidence that Christoph is friends with the equally broad shouldered Sasa Radikon). Lush, powerful and super reflective of the incredible thought and planning that goes into each of his cuvées.