Claus Preisinger

Claus Preisinger
Burgenland, Austria

Claus Preisinger grew up on the north-eastern shores of Lake Neusiedl, a 315km2 lake that straddles the border of Austria and Hungary. Having made wine as a childhood hobby with his father, Claus gained experience abroad and returned to his motherland to learn from natural wine pioneers Hans and Anita Nittnaus. In 2000 he started making his own wines and, today, farms 64 parcels across 19 hectares of vineyards. These vineyards extend along the Parndorfer Platte, a plain formed during the ice age by deposits from the River Danube.

Claus converted to biodynamic farming in 2006 with the aim of creating balance between the elements. For him, balanced soil is the mainstay of quality, uncompromised wine.

The minimal labels from Claus have become a trademark, reflecting the purity and balance that he strives for. Far from shying away from experimentation (he was one of the first Austrian winemakers to make skin contact wine fermented in Georgian qvevris), Claus produces reliable, fresh and terroir-driven wines.