Pannobile – meeting this coalition of amazing Burgenland producers, who are making some of Austria’s most interesting wines
The Pannobile group is now 30 years old. It was John Nittnaus who created the term Pannobile, from Pannonia, the historical name of the region, a Roman province in western Hungary, and Nobile which defines the group’s philosophy.
It’s an association of eight wineries in Burgenland, all of who seek to make interesting wines that are representative of place.
A group of us gathered at the Preisinger winery in Gols to taste through a selection of their wines, arranged in themed flights. Very few of the wines bear the regional names, though, because they don’t meet the very strict Austrian wine law hoops that you have to jump through if you want to put appellation names on the bottle.
A short film of the tasting:
This was a brilliant tasting with some really lovely wines.
SPARKLING
Judith Beck Pet Nat Bambule! 2024 Österreich
90% Pinot Blanc, direct pressed, plus 10% skin fermented Muskat Ottonel. Cloudy, bright and complex. Nice volume and some spicy detail with apple and pear fruit. Real texture and interest. 93/100
Gsellmann Pet Nat OMG Rosé 2024 Österreich
Sankt Laurent. Pink/orange in colour. Nice tart cherry fruit with some spice. Fruity and expressive with a salty, yeasty edge and real interest. Good acidity. Tangy and bright. 93/100
Pittnauer Pitt Nat Blanc 2025 Weinland
There’s some skin-fermented Sauvignon in this blend. Cloudy and grapey with some richness. Tangy and bright with a pithy edge. Fresh and nicely edgy, and clean. 91/100
WHITE. WHAT ELSE?
RennerSistas Intergalactic 2025 Weinland
This is a blend of Grüner Veltline, Chardonnay, Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc and Muskat Ottonel. Slightly cloudy, this is textural with appealing pear and white peach fruit, with a slight saltiness. Bright, with lovely texture and freshness. 94/100
Claus Preisinger Fruitloops weiß 2024Österreich
This is a blend of Traminer, Muscat and Scheurebe, all fermented on skins for 5-7 days, then aged in a mix of concrete eggs and amphora. Lovely texture with spice and structure, and interesting aromatics, with layers of tannin and some juicy refinement. 94/100
Pittnauer Perfect Day 2025 Österreich
Muskat Ottonel, Gelber Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc, skin fermented separately before blending and bottling. Some light lees are added at bottling. Juicy, stony and fine with some spicy detail and nice grainy structure. Very fine and expressive with real finesse. 94/100
WHITE AND ORIGIN
Heinrich Edelgraben 2024 Leithaberg DAC
This is Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, one amphora of each, from mica schist soils. Low yields of 2.5 tons/hectare from 6000 vines a hectare. Complex aromatics of taut citrus fruit and a faint hint of flinty reduction. Pure, with pear and citrus fruit, showing precision, a bit of structure, and a salty finish. Brilliant wine. 96/100
Anita and Hans Nittnaus Furmint Tannenberg 2024 Burgenland
From quartzite soils in Gols, a windy, dry, warm site. Complex, layered and mineral with lovely citrus, apple and pear fruit. Nice stony detail and a sense of harmony, slightly salty on the finish. Such finesse. 95/100
Claus Preisinger ErdeLuftGrasundReben 2022 Burgenland
Grüner Veltliner, 50 years old, limestone soils. Foot stomped, then pressed next day to a 1000 litre barrel. Slightly cloudy and really textural with nice stoniness and a mineral sreak, with lovely juiciness. Peppery and mineral with nice lemony detail. 95/100
PANNOBILE WHITE
Anita and Hans Nittnaus Pannobile 2024 Burgenland
Grüner Veltliner (80%) and Furmint. Rich, bold and textural with pear, peach and apple fruit. Some saltiness. There’s a lot of depth here with a wide dynamic range from rich and ripe to salty and alert. Lovely. 94/100
Andreas Gsellmann Pannobile 2022 Weinland
Pinot Blanc raised in used oak. Fine aromatics with pear and peach fruit, as well as apple, peach and a hint of spicy citrus character. The palate has tension and focus with bold citrus fruit, finishing fresh. 94/100
Leitner Pannobile 2020 Burgenland
Pinot Blanc planted in 1988. 80% is pressed after 10 h on skins, while 20% stays on skins for 14 days. Aged in 225 and 500 litre oak. Broadly textured and quite bold with pear and peach fruit, as well as some warmth and richness on the finish. Inviting. 92/100
MORE SKIN CONTACT
Judith Beck Welschriesling Bambule! 2022 Österreich
Judith describes this central European grape variety as much neglected. Full yellow and slightly cloudy, this is highly aromatic with notes of citrus, orange peel, smoke and spice. Lively, intense and fine. 94/100
Heirich Graue Freyheit 2024 Österreich
Pinot Gris (one third) and Pinot Blanc, two weeks maceration in amphora, remove the top of the cap, then press back to the same amphora with full lees. No sulfite additions until bottling. Full orange/red in colour, this is juicy, supple and fine with nice tannins and some orange peel and grapefruit. Great balance. 95/100
Leitner Shake me! Gemischter Satz 2023 Weinland
1949 planting, with the main part from the Pinot Family. 5 days on skins. Crystalline citrus, some toast and minerals on the nose. Textured palate with pear and peach, and very fine-grained tannins. 93/100
THE LIGHTNESS OF WINE
Rennersistas PIN-OH! NOIR 2023 Weinland
Pinot Noir, two-thirds whole bunch, 4 days on skins, then fermentation finishes in 500 litre barrels. Slightly cloudy. Vivid nose of sappy, leafy redcurrants. The palate is juicy and leafy with red cherries. Lively and expressive. 94/100
Claus Preisinger Pinot Noir 2024 Österreich
From seven vineyard sites, 7 clones. Mainly whole bunch, and a mix of amphora and 600 litre barrels. Cruncy, juicy, lively and expressive with redcurrant and raspberry fruit. Grainy and chalky with good structure under the vibrant raspberry and cherry fruit. 94/100
Pittnauer Best Friend 2025 Österreich
Blaufränkisch. This is a barrel sample and it is mousy.
RED AND ORIGIN
Heinrich Alter Berg 2019 Leithaberg DAC
Blaufränkisch from fossil limestone soils, aged in amphora and 500 litre barrels. Fresh, vital and intense with lovely black cherry and blackcurrant fruit backed up by substantial tannin. Taut, reductive and intense, this is precise and mineralic. 95/100
Anita and Hans Nittnaus Blaufränkisch 2021 Leithaberg DAC
Limestone soils. Whole berry ferment, goes to 500 litre oak with full lees for 20 months. Refined and detailed, this is grainy and fine with black cherry and blackberry fruit. Firm tannins, but they aren’t aggressive. Such purity. 96/100
Andreas Gsellmann Altenberg Blaufränkisch St. Margarethen 2024 Burgenland
Fresh, sappy and aromatic with red cherries and some leafy notes. Fruity, juicy, fine and elegant on the palate with fine-grained tanins. This combines elegance, drinkability and seriousness to good effect. 94/100
PANNOBILE RED
Judith Beck Pannobile 2023 Österreich
Zweigelt and Blaufränksich. Slightly wild and spicy on the nose with bright aromatics. In the mouth this is juicy and vivid with nice intensity and grainy spicy characters as well as some phenolics. Meaty and a bit wild. 92/100
Renner Pannobile 2021 Weinland
Blaufrankisch. Leafy and spicy with some sweet herbal hints, with a bit of development – a touch of spice and earth. Mellow. 92/100
Leitner Pannobile 2020 Burgenland
Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and Sankt Laurent. Sweet and pure with liqueur-like fruit on the nose. Supple with nice red fruits. Elegant and nicely framed with good texture. Nice juicy spicy finish, like a very ripe Barolo. 94/100
