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Pfaffl

Roman Pfaffl inherited his vineyards in Weinviertel, in lower Austria (meaning that part of the country which lies lower down the Danube), from his parents in 1978. As was typical at the time, the family operated a smallholding with a varied mixture of crops, including potatoes, beets and cereals. Vines accounted for just 0.75 hectares of the property, but over the ensuing years Roman and his wife Adelheid gradually shifted the focus of their business towards wine and away from the other crops, expanding the vineyards to a remarkable 50 hectares as they did so. They now tend to vines in and around ten villages in the Southern Weinviertel and also around nearby Vienna.

Weingurt Pfaffl, Roman Pfaffl Naturally with such a widely dispersed collection of vineyards, Roman (pictured left) and his family (he is now joined by his three children, Roman, Heidi and Elisabeth, in the family business) work with a wide variety of soils. Loess is typical of the region, although there are some vineyards characterised by quartz and sandstone, some by calcareous sandstone, and some by millions of tiny marine fossils embedded in the rocks. Equally varied, however, are the varieties planted across their holdings; Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, Zweigelt and St Laurent are the classic varieties associated with Austria, and all have a presence here, but they are complemented by more international players such as Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Roman and his team work with care in the vineyard, minimising treatments and employing sound, ecological practices. Yields are kept low predominantly by hard pruning, and there is leaf stripping in the summer to encourage ripening. The resulting fruit, healthy and physiologically ripe, makes for a broad portfolio of wines, marked by full, rich fruit flavours. There are really two many wines to discuss in any detail; I have not tasted them all. Nevertheless, three I have tasted (as described below) show that there are some good wines to be had from Weingut Pfaffl. (16/3/07)

Contact details:
Address: Weingut R & A Pfaffl, Schulgasse 21, A-2100 Stetten im Weinviertel
Telephone: +43 (0) 2262 673423
Fax: +43 (0) 2262 673423 21
Internet: www.pfaffl.at

Pfaffl - Tasting Notes

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2005

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Goldjoch 2005: A good depth of colour here, rather an autumnal golden hue. Ripe, honey-coated fruits on the nose, with a sweet, peppery, minerally style. Rather forward and certainly characterful. Big, quite grippy palate, rather full, carrying 14% alcohol which has a tangible effect on the feel of the wine. Freshly composed, with good acidity, although rather heady. Peppery finish. Nicely done, although some might find the turbo-charged style too much. 16.5+/20 (February 2007)

Pfaffl Riesling am Berg 2005: A vibrant, yellow-gold. Rather perfumed, with mineral-laced pears and white peaches on the nose. A spritz of carbon dioxide in the mouth, quite minerally too, and quite rich - there is certainly some residual sugar here, although it has a good grip and the dissolved gas helps maintain some freshness. Rather talcy, minerally, soft, perfume and rose-petal dominated style which is perhaps unusual for Riesling. An appealing bitter-grippy finish. Certainly distinctive. 15.5/20 (February 2007)

2004

Pfaffl Pinot Noir 2004: A fine, deep cherry red. The nose is slightly tarry, with deep cherry fruit layered with notes of chocolate and smoky animal fur. Elegant, yet textured and velvety smooth, this has a nice style. There are some attractive, appropriate tannins which give a little bite to the finish. Overall this has an appealing, savoury style which makes for lovely short to mid-term drinking. Very good. 16.5/20 (February 2007)