Weingut HeinrichWeingut Heinrich

Gabarinza descends in two waves towards of the Neusiedlersee (Lake Neusiedl). And even if the slope incline is only just steep enough for toboggan ride, there are astounding differences between the 150-metre elevated hilltop and the slope foot 30 metres lower. Responsible for this is a mesoclimate that makes your forehead break out in a sweat just by glancing at the lower, so-called “kurzen” Gabarinza as the grapes turn colour in summer. Combined with the compact, loamy soils that are mixed with sandy calcareous marine sediments, these conditions are predestined for firm and meaty Merlots and concentrated, juicy Zweigelts. In the “langen” Gabarinza located higher on the plateau of the Parndorfer Platte (Parndorf Plain), gravel replaces the increasingly shallow loam and Blaufränkisch accompanies Merlot there where the wind makes the heat more tolerable.

Trivia for etymologists: Joseph Schnetz, philologist and researcher of historical field names, traces the name Gabarinza back to “die Gaben”, which were the rights to cut timber in the forest that once surrounded Gols. When an area was cut clear and a vineyard was planted, one spoke of a “Gabe-Riss”. Because languages live and are prone to mutations, in the course of the centuries the word Gabarinza evolved. Today, Gabarinza stands for characterful, juicy, long-lived wines.