Claus Preisinger, natural wine hero from Gols in Austria’s Burgenland
Claus Preisinger’s began making his own wine in 2002 while working as an assistant winemaker with Hans Nittnaus. His state-of-the-art winery, kitted out with amphorae, concrete and large-format oak, is based in Gols, on the north shore of Lake Neusiedlersee in Austria’s Burgenland region.

He has expanded his family’s vineyard holdings from 3 hectares to around 20, and has more than 60 vineyard parcels on both sides of Lake Neusiedlersee, taking in the villages Purbach, Weiden, Gols and Mönchhof among others. He picks early and makes wines naturally, with little or no sulfite addition, and the former makes the latter possible.

These are beautiful wines with real precision and poise.
See this excellent film on Claus from Littlewine, which is part of their profile of Claus:
THE WINES

Claus Preisinger Sunny Side Up 2022 Austria
8.5% alcohol. This has half wine, half cider. Lively, taut and bright with lovely citrus fruit. Very expressive and bright with lovely vibrancy. Crisp. 92/100

Claus Preisinger Fruit Loops White 2022 Austria
A blend including Scheurebe, Muscat Ottonel, Chardonnay and others, made in amphora without filtering or fining. Appley and fine textured with some muscat character. Fruity, expressive, easy and quite lovely. 92/100

Claus Preisinger ErDELuftGRAsundreBEN Grüner Veltliner 2021 Austria
This is from the Edelgraben vineyard in the Leithaberg, from mature vines planted on limestone and slate. Made in 1000 litre amphorae. This is slightly cloudy. Fresh and textured with nice weight to the pear anc citrus fruit, with a hint of pepper. Nice balance here with a savoury twist. 94/100
Claus Preisinger ErDELuftGRAsundreBEN Weissburgunder 2022 Austria
Also from the mature vines from the Edelgraben vineyard in the Leithaberg, and fermented and matured in 1000 litre amphorae. Concentrated and dense, yet really fine with some spicy notes and lovely texture to the pear and citrus fruit. Nice spiciness with lovely density. 94/100

Claus Preisinger Bonsai 2022
This is from a plot with 9000 vines/hectare, all worked by hand, with very low vigour. They look like small bonsai trees, hence the name of the cuvée. Pale in colour, this is aromatic and spicy with some lift, and lovely red fruits. Elegant and sappy and refined with pure red cherry and subtle hints of pepper. Such energy here, finishing fresh and tapering. 95/100

Claus Preisinger Pinot Noir 2022 Austria
Very pale in colour with a chalky edge to the texture. Cloudy with sappy red cherries and good concentration, with some sour cherry and plum in the mix. Slightly edgy in a really good way, and very serious. 95/100
Claus Preisinger Fruit Loops Red 2022 Austria
50% Blaufränkisch, 25% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Franc. So textural and fresh with some peppery detail. Notes of cherries and herbs with some strawberry richness and a sour cherry twist, as well as a hint of cinnamon and spice on the finish. 94/100

Claus Preisinger ErDELuftGRAsundreBEN Blaufrankisch 2020 Austria
The name here comes from the Edelgraben vineyard with limestone soils, and just 1000 bottles are made. Light in colour, this is refined, fresh and elegant. Juicy and mineral with such precision and a mineral edge, as well as redcurrants and cherries. 95/100
Claus Priesinger Triple B 2021 Austria
This is all the Bs he’s not allowed to put on the label. Fine, pure and refined with nice acidity under the elegant cherry and raspberry fruit with lovely weight in the mouth. Shows good acidity, too. 95/100
Claus Preisinger Erde Luft Grasundreben 2020 Burgenland
Blaufränkisch, picked early and matured in amphora. Fresh and highly perfumed on the nose with sappy red cherry fruits and some fine spices. Pure and supple with lovely focused, elegant, precise red cherry on the palate with amazing freshness and keen acidity, and a distinct mineral layer. A remarkable, elegant, bright expression of this variety. 95/100


Claus has also collaborated with the 3 Fonteinen brewery in Belgium, sending them grapes to make beer with.
3 Fonteinen x Claus Preisinger Merlot Beer
Wonderful sour cherry edge to the nose. Wild and explosive with crazy intense sour beer character and keen acidity. So intense and extreme, but brilliant. 9/10
3 Fonteinen x Claus Preisinger Blaufränkisch Beer
Herbs and spice here with intense sour, tangy character with a juicy edge. Really full with some lovely berry fruits. 9/10