A Little Winery, A Lot of Heart

Just outside Krems an der Donau, on the other side of the river, lies Rethaller. A small, family-owned winery. The kind of place where you arrive as a visitor and, before you know it, feel as though you have somehow been adopted into the family.

Rethaller also offers accommodation, and I have been given one of their charming little rooms for the night. It is exactly the sort of place I love finding on my travels. Small, personal and full of character.

Reinhard, the proud father of the family, takes me on a tour of the cellar. It is small, but beautifully organised. Everything is in its place, and there is a reassuring sense that this is a family who knows their wine, and knows exactly what they want to do with it.

The bar

Back in the charming bar and tasting room, the evening begins to unfold. Visitors arrive. Regulars drop in. Conversations start. Glasses are filled. And before long, the room has that particular kind of atmosphere that wine places sometimes manage to create: relaxed, warm and just a little bit noisy. Which is, of course, exactly as it should be.

Somewhere along the way, I find myself engaged in a lively conversation with my neighbours. In German. This is worth mentioning. Because my German is, to put it mildly, not exactly at its peak But wine is a remarkably forgiving language. And fortunately, smiling, gesturing and occasionally producing a word that may or may not actually exist in German can take you surprisingly far.

The perfect host

Reinhard, meanwhile, is everywhere. He has the natural charm of someone who has spent a lifetime making people feel welcome. He moves between the tables, making sure that everyone gets what they want, while simultaneously guiding me through what has become an entirely improvised tasting of the winery’s white wines.

It is a very good evening. And after the first few wines, one thing is already clear: This is a winery where the wines are made with heart, soul and a great deal of knowledge.

Grüner veltliner

The main grape variety here is, naturally, Grüner Veltliner. We are in Austria, after all. Now, Grüner Veltliner is a grape that does not always get the respect it deserves. Especially when it appears in its more tourist-oriented version, served in large quantities to people who may or may not remember the wine the next morning. But the Rethaller family knows exactly what to do with it.

The first wine I taste, the Grüner Veltliner Exclusiv 2025, immediately shows fresh acidity, generous fruit and lovely herbal notes, both on the nose and on the palate. The next wine, Ried Herrentrost 2025, takes things a little deeper. Still fresh and fruit-driven, but with more depth and complexity.

The family’s eight hectares are spread across four different vineyards. And what I particularly appreciate is that the different characters of these sites are allowed to speak for themselves. The wines are not all trying to be the same. And why should they?

The Riesling

In Ried Wolfsberg, we find the family’s Riesling. One of my favourite grapes. I admit it. I have never been particularly good at hiding my preferences when it comes to wine. First, I taste the 2024 vintage. An elegant lady. Structured, mineral and refined, with a certain quiet confidence. Then comes the same grape, from the same vineyard — but the 2023 vintage.

And suddenly, we have a completely different personality. This is an explosion of grass, herbs and stone fruit. Fresh minerality, depth and what can only be described as a wonderfully full-bodied character. If the 2024 was an elegant lady, then the 2023 is The Lady. The sort of Dame who enters the room and immediately makes you pay attention. And once again, I am reminded that a good Riesling often has a lot to gain from a little time.

The Fuchakeller

There are, of course, many more wines to talk about. I could happily go through every single one of them, but I will spare you, and myself, a complete tasting note marathon. I do, however, have to stop at the Fuchakeller series. This is Grüner Veltliner, with part of the wine having spent time in acacia barrels. The result is a full-bodied, rounded and elegant wine, with golden tones both in the glass and on the palate. And the flavours? A cornucopia of white pepper, paprika, blood grapefruit, ripe peaches and herbs. It is the sort of wine that manages to be both serious and easy to enjoy. A wine to slowly sip on a late-summer evening but you can also serve it with grilled chicken or pork. Or, if we are being completely honest, simply to enjoy because the bottle happens to be open.

The Journey continue

Tomorrow, I have been promised the opportunity to taste my way through the winery’s red wine selection. And I have to admit: I am very much looking forward to that adventure. Because if the whites are anything to go by, tomorrow could be very interesting indeed.

To be continued…