Christian Tschida, one of Austria’s natural wine stars

Christian Tschida is based in Illmitz, a village on the east shore of Lake Neusiedlersee. He’s one of the champions of natural wine in Austria. I’ve run into him many times at wine events around the world, including Rootstock in Sydney in December 2015 and even in New York, but I finally got to visit in May 2024 with a group from the USA as part of the Karakterre festival.

‘I want to be the tuner, not the winemaker,’ says Christian. He makes a wide range of wines, and the natural approach here works really well. Such a creative line-up, with many of the wines being bottled in magnum. Before the pandemic, he says his production was 40% magnum, but he scaled this back when hospitality was hit and people were drinking on their own.

The Tschida family has been making wine from Illmitz on the eastern shores of lake Neusiedlersee for a while, but Christian has also acquired vineyard in the village of Purbach on the opposite side of the lake, in the Leithaberg. He now has around 14 hectares in total, working with local varieties as well as international favourites such as Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Vinification is in large format oak and sulfite use is minimal, although he isn’t keen on the term ‘natural’.

THE WINES

Tschida Birdscape Pink 2023
This grapes with high ripeness from limestone soils and cool ripeness on schist, given six weeks’ maceration but with no extraction. ‘I always had the idea to create a wine between rosé and red,’ says Christian. This is supple, bright, sappy and delicious with some nice finesse and notes of red cherries and herbs. It’s expressive and very fine, like a red wine but with haunting elegance. Smashable, pure and fine. 95/100

Tschida Laissez Faire 2023
This is Riesling planted at a density of 0.62 x 1 m, with just 9000 vines. Two vines make one bottle of wine. Made in 2600 litre foudres. Juicy, limey and intense with nice texture and some spiciness, as well as a lovely acid line. So mineral and interesting, 4500 bottles made. 94/100

Tschida Himmel auf Erden Rosé 2023
This is Blaufränkisch. Juicy, lively and tart with red cherry and redcurrant fruit. Spicy hints and a nice acid line complete this bright, focused rosé. 93/100

Tschida Himmel auf Erden Rosé 2022
Full pink/red in colour. Bright and fresh with a nice acid line and raspberry and cherry fruit with amazing focus and brightness. Very fine. 94/100

Tschida All The Love in the Universe 2022
This is just in magnum and it’s Pinot Blanc from limestone soils. Cloudy. Spicy, aromatic and fine. Linear with lovely acidity and a nice texture, showing a lemony edge to the herb-scented fruit. Very linear, with a hint of mint. Unusual but fine. 94/100

Tschida Non Tradition Grüner Veltliner 2022
Tart, lively and bright. Lemony with nice purity, and some finesse. Nice focus and precision to the fruit here. 93/100

Tschida Non Tradition Grüner Veltliner 2016
This is from magnum and was bottled after four years in barrel. After four years’ ageing the wine doesn’t change in a big way, says Christian. It concentrates a bit and gets a bit more salty, but 4-5 years is enough. Saline, mineral and reductive, this has such complexity, with good concentration and power. Fine and reductive with lovely salinity. 95/100

Tschida Hokus Pokus 2017
This is Cabernet Franc. Supple and bright; fresh and chalky. Shows nice acidity and it’s very supple with some nice development. Finishes stony and mineral. 94/100


Tschida TNT Blaufränkisch 2018 (magnum)
This is from limestone, and it’s an old quarry where dynamite was used, hence the name TNT. Supple, bright and linear with chalky notes and nice acidity. Textured with sweet raspberry and cherry fruit as well as some depth. 93/100

Tschida Felsen I Blaufränkisch 2015
Limestone soils. Fresh, supple and bright, this still has good acidity and focus. Tart with a nice mineral edge and juicy cherries and spice, as well as some blackberry. 94/100