Malinga, Engabrunn, Kamptal
Christoph Heiss, born and raised in his family’s vineyards and winery. The Heiss family has 12 ha in eastern Kamptal and they converted into organic farming in 2013. Besides running the family business, Christoph makes his own natural wines from some plots he fancies more than others and these plots are what makes the Malinga wines. 3 hectares of out of the ordinary sites and older vines, vinification without any additives to give a pure and exceptional wine experience.
He started to work on his family’s estate in 2010 after finishing winemaker school.
But in the years 2011-2017 he also felt he wanted some experience from other corners of the world and went to work in New Zeeland, South Africa and Germany.
2013 was the first year he made his Malinga.
Cristoph loves to work in the vineyards and are trying to enhance the biodiversity in them through planting trees, using compost, having animals grazing, planting hedges etc.
The whites offer nearly electric energy, fruit and heaps of minerality.
The reds are flirty, fruity and fresh.
2020, 2021 Grüner Veltliner
Soil: Loess and granit
Grape: Grûner Veltliner
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1970-1986
Vinification: Direct press before fermentation then aged in old oak barrels before bottling. Vintage -20 was bottled in January 2022, vintage -21 in September 2022.
2020, 2021 Riesling
Soil: Primary rock
Grape: Riesling
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: Direct press for 85% of the grapes, 15% ferments with the skins before it’s pressed and mixed with the other juice. After fermentation the wine is aged in old oak barrels before bottling. Vintage -20 was bottled in January 2022, vintage -21 in September 2022.
2020,2021 Vogel et Mer
Soil: Primary rock
Grape: 50% Riesling, 50% Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: 2 weeks carbonic maceration, whole clusters, before pressing.
Aged in old oak barrels. Vintage -20 was bottled in January 2022, vintage -21 in September 2022.
2021 Welschriesling
Soil: Loess
Grape: Welschriesling
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: Direct press for 85% of the grapes, 15% ferments with the skins before it’s pressed and mixed with the other juice. After fermentation the wine is aged in old oak barrels before bottling. Bottled in September 2022.
2019 Rise
Soil: Primary rock
Grape: Riesling
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: Destemmed followed by a 2 week maceration on the skins.
Aged in old oak barrels before bottling in January 2022.
2017 Riesling Lage
Soil: Loess (one of their highest altitude vineyards)
Grape: Riesling
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: planted 1976
Vinification: Direct press before fermentation followed by ageing in old oak barrels
before bottling in October 2020.
2020, 2021 Rosé
Soil: Loam and loess
Grape: Zweigelt (locally called Rotburger)
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: Pressed after a 3 hour maceration and aged in old barrels. Vintage -20 was bottled in January 2022, vintage -21 in September 2022.
2021 Rotburger
Soil: Loam and loess
Grape: Zweigelt (locally called Rotburger)
Appellation: Kamptal
Age of Vines: Planted 1996
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for a couple of weeks before pressing followed by continuous fermentation and ageing in old barrels before they mixed all the barrels in an assembling tank. Bottled in September 2022.