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News from the Winery

			Strass, December 2008 At the beginning of december we filled the first bottles of Grüner Veltliner Green. In january we will bottle Grüne Veltliner Strassertal and after that our Riesling and the first Lagenweine. My family and I including our team wish you a pleasing and peaceful Christmas, and a good 2009. Your winemaker Hans Topf.
			Strass, November 2008 The first signs of the winter can be seen. As a vintager I am happy that we could end the harvest with beautiful weather in November. Again it was a thrilling wine year with extreme weather: An ideal spring followed by a summer with high temperatures. Perfect for the ground but dangerous for the grapes. Because of the rain we could not harvest early as expected, but we were rewarded with a beautiful, long autumn. We had a very good harvest because of the perfect work in the vineyard. In the vineyards it is peaceful now. We are busy in the cellar. The first wines class 2008 are clarified and will be filled in bottles in the course of December. The strong Lagen wines ferment still slowly in the deep cellar. While tasting these young wines one notices that the aroma is marvelous and the stylistics are finely structured and elegant. I am already particular pleased to let you taste the wines of 2008. *On saturday the 12th of December you are invited to our christmas celebration with punch and wine tasting. We will hear Jagdhornbläser at 18:00pm and a vocal ensemle concert at 19:00pm* You can reservate tickets at our vineyard. I am looking forward seeing you. best regards Hans Topf
			November 6th, 2008 We finished before the rain started. Wechselberg Spiegel was our last vineyard to harvest. We are very happy. The grapes are in a very good condition, golden and healthy. Happy faces all around the hardworking team. A thrilling harvest 2008 is done and crowned with success.
			November 5th, 2008 God rewarded the wine growers of the Kamptal with excellent weather. With temperature like late summer we continue on Heiligenstein. The grapes are healthy and beautiful. Grapes without botrytis get into the press as well and ferment there for 6 hours. Next they will be filled into steel tanks.
			November 4th, 2008 Today we started with Grüner Veltliner Ofenberg with close attention. Big expectations are in this wine. This vineyard had been harvested twice, only the best grapes are on the vines. It turned out well, gradation 20 KLMW. Just so these grapes are fermented in the press and filled into steel tanks subsequently.
			November 3rd, 2008 Today we go on harvesting Grüner Veltliner Hasel Alte Rebe. The weather is great and the team is in a very good mood. The grapes are golden, fully developed with an intensive taste. The grapes ferment for 4 hours. Next they get into 2500lt casks made of Manhartsberger oak. There is the first and the second riping, the grapes remain there for 12 month.
			November 2nd, 2008 During a trip through the wine gardens on the 1st of november I decided to finish the harvest on the 3rd of november. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling are fully developed and healthy. They are still on the vines. I do not dare to wait any longer because the grapes could drop in a rainstorm.
			October 31th, 2008 The harvest will be finished soon. Riesling Heiligenstein, Riesling Wechselberg Spiegel, Grüner Veltliner Ofenberg and Grüner Veltliner alte Reben are our last locations. Another 5-6 days of vintaging.
			Chardonnay ferments in 600 lt barrels and Barriques - Sauvignon in new Barriques. Both of them are filled in Barrique and now we have to wait. The same applies to our team. As from 31.10. we have a break for an idefinite time. We have to have this thrill!.
			October 27th-30th, 2008 The last three days we harvested at great weather. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Hasel are harvested. The healthy grapes came into the cellar. Sugar of Chardonnay is about 20 degrees and the sugar of Sauvignon is 19 degrees. Chardonnay is going to be pressed slowly and Sauvignon is riped and left on the mash for about 4 hours.
			October 25th, 2008 Gladness in the faces of the vintagers. The weather is stable and should remain like this until next week.That is optimal for the vintage of Riesling Strassertal.
			October 24th, 2008 Today we took a chance in vintaging the first Lagenriesling. The tractor drivers come back to the presshouse with a smile on their faces.They bring healthy, golden yellow, intense favoured Riesling-grapes. They come unpicked in the press and ferment there for 6 hours. Afterwards they are going to be pressed. This year for the first time they are going to be fermented and fully developed in the big 2500lt wooden barrels. They are not filled for the first time, it is the fourth filling, in order that the Riesling Bukett is not affected by the wood.
			October 13th - 21st, 2008 This is autumn as we understand it: clear blue sky and warm weather: Here you see our Wechselberg Spiegel.
			22. October 2008 After lunch we could continue with our harvest - the fog finally disappeared!
			21. October 2008 Still al lot of fog in the Kamp valley.
			20. October 2008 Fog fell in. That is somewhat difficult, as we cannot harvest, until it is gone.
			18. October 2008 We do not harvest today, but stay in our cellar to take care of our red wines.
			15. October 2008 We started our Rieslings on Wechselberg with the whole family.
			14. October 2008 After Sental we brought in our Sauvignon Blancs.
			13. October 2008 Harvesting Gelber Muskateller is great, espacially tasting the grapes....
			13. October 2008 Not only winemakers strive through the vines...
			October 12th, 2008 Our new employee started: Michaela Pomarius, the former manager of the Loisium came to work at our winery.
			October, 9th - October, 11th 2008 The harvest of our red grapes goes final. Today we started harvesting Zweigelt Sachsenberg. Beautiful, high-ripe, healthy grapes, a quality which could not be better. We owe this to the intensive thinning-out in the summer. The yield is low, but high quality of the grapes may be expected.
			October, 8th 2008 In the cellar we have no breaks, today we got our new barrels. Barrique barrels for Sauvignon Blanc, Zweigelt Sachsenberg and Blauburgunder, 600 lt barrels for Chardonnay. All these barrels are made of Allier oak, have middle toasting and come from Burgundy in France. Also our 2500 lt barrels for Grünen Veltliner Alte Reben arrived today. These oval barrels are made of domestic Manhartsberger oak. They are made by a barrelmaker from the neighbouring town Feuersbrunn.
			October, 5th 2008 After a break forced by the weather from the 3rd to the 4th of October. we continued in beautiful sunny autumn today. We began with Zweigelt Strassertal. The grapes which come into the cellar have an outstanding quality, which required a striktly selection in the vineyard. We will be work with Zweigelt Strassertal until the middle of the week.
			October, 4th 2008 Today, work is going on for the Zweigelt from Blickenweg from which we are pressing our white wine. Harvest is done by using small boxes (ca. 20 kg) and it is very important to be gentle to the grapes as to do not injure them. After a quick transport in the cellar the pressing takes place. The gradation of the must is at 16,5 KLM. The main grape gathering is not taking place yet, but all my staff is out in the vineyard for the pre-vintage. In the next few days Gruener Veltliner Wechselberg, Ofenberg and Riesling Wechselberg, Heiligenstein, and Wechselberg Spiegel are checked. Fermentation has started for the Blickenweg. It is always a great experience tasting the first flavour of the "Sturm".
			September, 29th 2008 Finally, the weather is stable. I made a promise to my sons to harvest Zweigelt grapes (Blickenweg) for making grape juice. This grape juice is not only made for my sons, but it will be a regular element of our product line. Responsible for the juice are the winemaker and marketing experts Hans Peter, Maximilian, Alexander and Julius.
			After a wonderful summer we began with the harvest on the 22nd of September at cloudy weather. As usually with site Blickenweg. The grapes are in good condition with 16-17KLM amount of sugar. Our team got help from an young oenologist from germany: Alexander comes from Rhine-Hessen and works during the harvest at our winery. The weather is calm: cool and dry. The vines are already selected, the grapes enter the press-house and are gently pressed there. If the weather stays dry, we work on Blickenweg until the week-end.
			Riesling Heiligenstein 2007 was awarded 5 glasses (out of five) in the ÖGZ wine guide „Austrias best white wines 2008“
			Summer 2008
			An almost perfect spring and an ideal beginning of summer spoiled our vineyards. Enough rain and warm temperatures contributed to an optimal growth. At the beginning of June the vine blossoms have proceeded ideally and evenly.
			With many helping hands we were able to finish the work on the vines at the beginning of July. The additional shoots were broken away, so that the vines grow airily and easily shadowed by the main leaves. A very delicate work, which must be done with a lot of passion. If one takes too many leaves off, then the danger of a sun burning exists, if too few are taken off the vine cannot dry. There is the danger of fungal diseases.
			At the moment my team and I are occupied with thinning out our vines. Good news for long time waiting wine lovers of our Chardonnays and Sauvignons, both from the Riede Hasel: They are bottled and available by now.

			Spring 2008
			With the warmer and sunnier weather the annual spring hectic started in our winery. At the beginning of March we could finalize the wine cutting. Also the powerful earth movements in the site Gaisberg were finished.
			Our crew works every day In the vineyards. We received support from Germany: three very sympathetic young oenologists from the viticulture school of Neustadt in the Pfalz. They complete their practical course at our winery
			We work in groups, one group repairs the supports such as stakes and sticks in the wine gardens, another group stretches the wires. This work is very important, because the vines can only be tied up on intact support material. We want to be finished tying up in the middle of April. A large project has to be realized, that is the planting of 18.000 vines on Wechselberg, Hasel and the new site Gaisberg. This challenge is very labour intensive and has to be finished at the beginning of May.

			January/February 2008
			The wine year 2008 already started. At the moment we are busy with the vines. In December there were already around 10 degrees minus in our vineyards, the current temperatures is not any longer so low, but still under the freezing point.
			The wood-ripe of our vines is close too perfect, because the sheets were on the vine before the first frost came.
			The wines 2006 were also this year again highly distinguished, among other things Riesling Heiligenstein achieved 18,5 points at Gault Millau.
			In the cellar the first top wines are already filled in bottles, the Green Veltliner Wechselberg was the first one. Grüner Veltliner Ofenberg, Riesling Heiligenstein und Riesling Wechselberg Spiegel finished fermentation and are now separated gradually from the yeast. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Hasel finished alcoholic fermentation and are straight in the biological acid dismantling.
			Priority has however now the cutting of the vines, a very labor intensive year is expected. Approximately 18,000 new vines are planted, partly in new, highly interesting regions (Wechselberg new, Gaisberg new, Hasel new). Nearly everyone of these new vineyards was covered with clover or flax. The soil was loosened by roots of these plants and humus was produced.
			Gaisberg is a new site, these small terraces were used over 30 years ago, we folded up these terraces carefully in pairs. This is done with a large crawler-type vehicle operated by an experienced specialist, who already exercises its job for 45 years. All this will be carried out until spring.

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		©Weingut Johann Topf, A 3491 Strass, Placherkellergasse 420, phone:0043(0)2735/2491, fax: 0043(0)2735/2491-91 Our Winery (Talstrasse 162) Monday - Saturday 9.00 a.m.-12.00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.-5.00 p.m., No sales on Sunday and public holidays. Anouncements requested.