Loimer
Austrian Fred Loimer's enthusiasm for wine production started as a child, because his parents had a 7-hectare winery in Langenlois. At no point did Fred think of any other future for himself than to continue on the path indicated by his parents. What a journey this 60-year-old winemaker has made! Today, also known as one of the country's best sparkling wine producers, Fred is one of the country's pioneers in biodynamic viticulture, which he started already in 2006. Fred is also known for his wonderful garden greens around the world.
Fred Loimer is a wine producer striving for perfection, whose vineyards covering 80 hectares are mainly located in Langenlois in Kamptal. In addition to Kamptal, Loimer also has a few hectares of vineyards south of Vienna, in Gumpoldskirchen in the Thermenregion. Kamptal's climate is warm and dry by Austrian standards, and the temperature differences between day and night are considerable. The region's unique terroir was created during the Ice Age, when the region's landscape was substantially modified by the moving ice moving through the soil. As a result, a patchwork of different soil types can be found in the nurseries, from calcareous aggregate to bedrock and sandy loess, although gneiss predominates in most of the nurseries.
From the point of view of winemaking, the variety of soil is an advantage, because different grape varieties thrive in different soils. This also enables the production of several different grape varieties at Loimer. Three quarters of Loimer's plots are dedicated to Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. In addition to these, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Muskatelier, Traminer, Pinot Blanc, Rotgipfler, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grow in the orchards.
The terroir of Gumpoldskirchen is completely different from that of Kamptal: the climate of the area is often compared to Burgundy and Gumpoldskirchen is considered suitable for the cultivation of the local varieties, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler and St Laurent, although also Pinot Noir. Sand, clay and gravel dominate the soil, the Alps protect the area from the cool north winds, and the mild Pannonian climate brings warm air to the area.
Loimer's principle is the pursuit of the highest possible quality without sparing time and effort: even the smallest detail is significant in terms of the whole. As a person, Loimer is an interesting combination of perfectionist meticulousness and passionate dedication. At Loimer, responsibility does not only mean respecting nature and minimizing the environmental impact of production, but also extends from environmental responsibility to social and economic responsibility. Loimer belongs to the respect-BIODYN organization consisting of Austrian and German producers, whose goal is to exceed the responsibility requirements defined by organic certified production by also taking care of the well-being of the employees and the area's biota.
All of the farm's wines are fermented with the help of natural yeast strains, and malolactic fermentation is also allowed for all wines, as it preserves the wines well during years of cellaring. Established in 1962, the wines of the Loimer farm mature in an impressive, more than 150-year-old cellar, which Fred acquired in 1998 from the old Haindorf castle. The farm's cellars are located on the outskirts of the village of Langenlois and offer ideal conditions for storing and maturing quality wines. A futuristic building was erected on top of the ancient cellars, whose minimalist architecture is in line with Loimer's wines with its understated elegance and subtlety.
Loimeri's extensive repertoire includes all kinds of wine styles. The farm's first sparkling wines were already produced in 1991, and today sparkling wines cover up to 20% of the farm's production. The producer has respect-BIODYN and Sustainable Austria certificates.
The farm's annual production is around 500,000 bottles.
