Experience Wine
Bringing people together
Between wine cellars, wine taverns, and the flavors of autumn
The grapes are being harvested in the vineyards, while down in the cellars, people taste, chat and laugh. In the cozy dining rooms, the tables are set with fresh bread, regional specialties, and dishes designed to accompany the wine and bring autumn to the plate. Sometimes the path leads to a traditional Heuriger wine tavern, sometimes deep into historic vaults, sometimes out amongst the vines or to a beautifully set table in a castle. This is the time of year when wine becomes about more than simply what’s in the glass - about the places where it grows and matures, and brings people together.
Weingut & Heurigenhof Bründlmayer: A Michelin-Starred Wine Tavern
Around Langenlois, the sustainably cultivated vineyards of Weingut Bründlmayer extend across the sun-warmed hills of the Kamptal. Hot days, cool nights and the region's geological diversity shape the character of its Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings in particular, complemented by Burgundy varieties, Muskateller and select reds.
At Heurigenhof Bründlmayer, housed in a beautifully preserved vintner's home of the Renaissance, the atmosphere remains relaxed and informal – yet it soon becomes clear that the cuisine here goes far beyond the ordinary. Modern, French-inspired and precise, the kitchen has held a Michelin star since March 2026. Fine dining, then, but in a place that has never lost the easygoing spirit of a traditional Heuriger. Accompanied both by current releases and mature vintages poured by the glass – inviting guests to compare, discover and keep tasting.
Picnic Basket, a Cellar of Rarities and an Off-Road Tour
Warm days beckon guests to explore the neighboring vineyards. Through the end of September, "Bründlmayer im Weingarten" offers picnic baskets filled with delicious homemade snacks, vegetarian specialties or the legendary rotisserie chicken, accompanied by sparkling wine and selections from the vinothèque. The Heiligenstein Tour ventures even farther into the Kamptal: aboard a charming older off-road vehicle, the route passes through vineyards and picturesque lanes before reaching a scenic viewpoint on the Heiligenstein. Guided tastings and a visit to a cellar filled with rare vintages afford additional insights into the compelling world of this storied winery.
Taste. Savor. Stay.
Three stylish guest rooms allow the Heuriger experience to linger on into the following morning. Then, a Vintner's Breakfast awaits you in your room – lovingly prepared, with oven-fresh sourdough bread, delivered right to your door.
Weingut Schloss Gobelsburg: A journey that begins in 1171
Weingut Schloss Gobelsburg in Lower Austria is one of the oldest wineries in Austria. Its winemaking history dates all the way back to 1171, when Cistercian monks from Zwettl Abbey were granted their first vineyards on the Heiligenstein and Gaisberg. To this day, that knowledge shapes the way the estate approaches its vines, soils and cellars. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling grapes thrive in the historic vineyards of the Kamptal – alongside a wine culture that gives tangible expression to origin, craftsmanship and history.
Cloister Cellar, Wine Tastings, and Pop-Up Heuriger
The best way to experience Schloss Gobelsburg is to go where its wines mature. The cellar tour leads through historic vaults to the Cloister Cellar, where Cistercian building traditions meet contemporary cellar architecture. Then comes the tasting: classic Kamptal wines, top single-vineyard bottlings, wines with depth and a strong sense of origin. For a moment, you begin to understand just how much time can be contained in a single glass.
On selected days, the historic castle courtyard also opens for culinary moments beneath the open sky. At the pop-up Heuriger, the estate's wines are coupled with that iconic Austrian Heuriger atmosphere, contemporary touches and an easygoing vibe within ancient walls. Music, culture and special events bring additional life to the setting, without ever disturbing its sense of tranquility.
Weingut Winkler-Hermaden / Schloss Kapfenstein: Sustainable Enjoyment from the Vulkanland
Around Schloss Kapfenstein, vines grow on the volcanic soils of the Kapfensteiner Kogel and Klöcher Hochwarth. The Winkler-Hermaden family tends 38 hectares of vineyards here by hand, using organic, regenerative methods and with a keen sense for maintaining healthy, nutrient-rich soils. Amongst vines, basalt and tuff, the close connection between these wines and their landscape becomes unmistakable. Blauer Zweigelt, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer are among the defining varieties, joined by fungus-resistant PiWi grapes that support more sustainable cultivation by reducing the need for crop protection. "I am an organic farmer with all my heart," says Georg Winkler-Hermaden. "And I believe that organic wine will become a matter of course over the next twenty years."
Between Winery, Castle Hill and a Set Table
In the historic cellars of Weinguts Winkler-Hermaden, current vintages are stored alongside mature rarities; in the Dragon, Lion and Long Cellars, the wines are processed, matured and tasted. Afterwards, the outdoors beckons once again: through the end of October, picnic baskets filled with regional specialties, vegetarian delicacies or Styrian-style chicken invite guests to linger amongst the vineyards and enjoy sweeping views across the Vulkanland region.
Finally, the path leads up to Schloss Kapfenstein. Here, the family's wines meet creative Styrian cuisine: chanterelles, pumpkin and porcini mushrooms in autumn, followed by fine game dishes in October. Wine, culinary and cultural events add further highlights throughout the year. What remains is the unmistakable taste of the Vulkanland: born of tuff soils, matured in the cellar, and borne all the way to a beautifully set table at the Schloss itself.
Weingut Schloss Englar: Quiet Enjoyment on the South Tyrolean Wine Road
Amid vineyards and orchards, Schloss Englar near Eppan in South Tyrol is a Gothic estate with its own winery, small farm, castle chapel and eight individually furnished rooms. The grapes come from organically cultivated vineyards surrounding the castle, harvested by hand and processed in the underground cellar right there on the estate. Guests wishing to discover the wines in greater depth can arrange a cellar visit in advance and taste the castle wines in a historic setting.
Between Törggelen and the Tranquility of a Castle
Schloss Englar does not operate a restaurant of its own. Instead, the area around Eppan on the South Tyrolean Wine Road reveals a culinary landscape of inns, traditional taverns, and fine dining establishments – from hearty South Tyrolean fare to dinners for those truly special occasions. Especially in autumn, these are the places where Törggelen, young wines and seasonal dishes show off the region at its most delectable.
Then it is back to the Schloss itself. To a place where wine is not put on grand display, but simply savored in peace. Personal. Close to the estate. In a house where winemaking, history and hospitality are intimately connected.
Wine has stories to tell. Of hands that harvest with care. Of sun and rain, storms and stillness. Of soil that sustains and patience that allows things to mature. It tells of places steeped in history - and of the people who continue writing those stories. At Schlosshotels & Herrenhäuser, these stories are given room to unfold: deep in the cellar, alive in the glass, shared around the table.
