It all began in 2004, when Christoph made his first wine. By the 2006 vintage, his work was already winning awards. Wine travels through the Old and New Worlds followed, always in search of ‘a wine that touches the senses and the soul—and makes you want a second glass’.
Mathilde joined the estate in 2013, bringing the influence of her native France and an uncompromising commitment to biodynamic farming. Since 2020, they have made only natural wines. The estate has gradually grown to three hectares, around 10,000 vines, worked entirely by the two of them.
Their sites stretch from north to south across the Kamptal, at elevations of 200–410 metres. Soils vary from deep loess to more clay-rich or mineral ground with mica schist, quartz and paragneiss. The Bohemian Massif to the north brings coolness and acidity, while the Pannonian climate beyond the Danube brings warmth and ripeness.
Mathilde and Christoph continually discuss how and when best to support nature’s cycles. Healthy soil, alive with animals, insects and microorganisms, supports healthy vines and grapes that can reach their full potential. Their wines are lively expressions of their soils: spontaneously fermented, unfiltered and made without additives apart from very small amounts of sulphur dioxide.
Their original plans called for organic certification from 2023, following the adoption of biodynamic farming in 2022, with Demeter certification to follow in subsequent years.
They are sparing with machinery and generous with their own time and energy. Tractor use is kept low to reduce pressure on the soil, and interventions are limited in both vineyard and cellar. Pruning, weeding, leaf removal, canopy work and shoot wrapping are all carried out by the pair, whose relationship with their vines and land is deeply personal.
Each vine is pruned and tended by hand, with attention to its site and vigour to encourage balance. Harvesting is entirely manual, usually into 25 kg crates and sometimes into 200 kg bins. They pick early in the morning to bring in cool grapes without artificial refrigeration.
In the cellar, grapes are trodden by foot and maceration ranges from six hours to six weeks, depending on the wine. Fermentation is spontaneous, with no added yeast, yeast nutrients, enzymes or tannins. There is no fining, filtration, acidification or deacidification. They use neither a destemmer nor a must pump; the only electrical equipment is a press and a pump. Sulphur dioxide is added only when considered necessary, and in very small amounts.
Weingut Nord & Süd shares the vision of Evoluzione Naturale. Come and discover their stories and wines.
WEINGUT NORD & SÜD — See 4 — A-3562 Schönberg am Kamp, Austria
Contact details
Tel.: +43 660 7040203
Email: info@nordundsud.at
Web: nordundsud.at
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