History
For centuries, the conditions in and around Loiben have been ideal for producing superb wines, including world-class Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.
The Alzinger family from Unterloiben have earned their place among the greatest of the region’s winemakers a long time ago. While the Alzinger great-grandparents were still building barrels, and later generations mainly produced grapes for the co-operatives, it was Leo Alzinger who introduced a transformative wine-making process which revealed the most hidden qualities of various Wachau terraces. The Alzingers pay as much attention to their Federspiel as they do to their Smaragd, and vinify the harvest of smaller and unknown terraces as fastidiously and carefully as their much more famous equivalents.
In addition to wines from the well-known Loibenberg, there are thus also excellent ones from the Liebenberg, the Hochstrasser and the Höhereck terraces in the family’s range. Additionally the prestige of the stony, barren and steep terrace of the Steinertal grew in synchronicity with the status of the Alzinger wines, and today is one of the most famous spots in the region. The Alzingers dedicated themselves exclusively to Riesling and Veltliner: their entire range is made from these grape varieties. They are all straight, dynamic and vivacious and beautifully display the finer nuances of the area. Their wines mature in big wooden barrels and steel tanks. The character of the vintages is emphasised as is the specifics of the variety, its potential and its capability to develop over the years.