Stössing: Wagram's Loess Amphitheater
Stössing stands as one of the Wagram's most distinctive vineyard sites, a south-facing natural amphitheater carved into the region's signature loess terraces. Located in the eastern sector of the Wagram appellation, this vineyard exemplifies the unique characteristics that separate this Austrian region from its more famous neighbors in the Wachau and Kremstal. The site's deep loess soils and sheltered exposition create conditions that favor both the region's traditional Grüner Veltliner and increasingly successful Riesling plantings.
The Wagram itself represents a geological anomaly in Lower Austria: a steep loess escarpment rising 30-40 meters above the Danube plain, formed by wind-deposited sediments during the last ice age. Stössing captures this terroir in concentrated form.
Geography & Terroir
The Loess Advantage
Stössing's defining characteristic is its profound loess soil profile, reaching depths of 10-15 meters in places. This is not the mixed loess-and-gravel found in parts of the Kamptal, nor the primary rock terraces of the Wachau. This is pure, fine-grained loess: a yellowish-brown, calcareous silt composed of particles between 0.01 and 0.05 millimeters in diameter.
The implications for viticulture are significant. Loess possesses exceptional water-retention capacity while maintaining adequate drainage through its porous structure. During the growing season, vines can access deep water reserves even in drought conditions, allowing for steady, uninterrupted ripening without the stress-induced shutdowns that can occur on shallow rocky soils. This translates to wines with generous body and texture while maintaining the high natural acidity that defines quality Austrian white wine.
The calcareous component of Stössing's loess (typically 15-20% calcium carbonate) contributes a mineral backbone to the wines. This is particularly evident in Grüner Veltliner, where the combination of loess texture and limestone-derived tension creates wines of remarkable complexity.
Aspect and Microclimate
The vineyard faces predominantly south to southeast, with slopes ranging from 8-15% gradient. This orientation maximizes sun exposure during the critical ripening period from August through October, while the amphitheater configuration provides natural wind protection. The Pannonian climate influence (warm, dry conditions from the east) reaches Stössing more directly than sites further west in the Wagram, resulting in slightly higher average temperatures and lower precipitation during the growing season.
Elevation ranges from approximately 220 to 280 meters above sea level, positioning Stössing in the optimal thermal band for both Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. The site sits high enough to benefit from diurnal temperature variation (often 15-18°C between day and night maximums in September) while avoiding the frost-prone valley floors below.
The Danube River, flowing roughly 2 kilometers to the south, moderates temperature extremes and provides humidity that can extend the growing season into late October when conditions favor noble rot development on Riesling. However, Stössing's elevation and air drainage typically keep botrytis pressure manageable, allowing producers to harvest physiologically ripe fruit without excessive disease risk.
Wine Character
Grüner Veltliner: Power and Persistence
Stössing produces Grüner Veltliner of substantial weight and concentration, distinct from the racy, citrus-driven styles of the Wachau's primary rock terraces or the herbal precision found on the granite soils of the Kamptal. The loess imparts a characteristic textural richness: a creamy, almost viscous mouthfeel that carries flavors of ripe yellow apple, white peach, and honeydew melon.
The signature white pepper note of Grüner Veltliner appears here in a softer, more integrated form compared to the aggressive spice found in cooler sites. Instead, Stössing's Grüner often shows subtle baking spice complexity (cardamom, anise, a suggestion of ginger) woven through the fruit rather than dominating it. The loess-derived texture provides a platform for these aromatics to express themselves with clarity.
Acidity typically measures 6.5-7.5 g/L (as tartaric acid), lower than the 8-9 g/L common in the Wachau but perfectly balanced by the wine's body and extract. Alcohol levels range from 13-14% for dry wines, reflecting the site's ability to achieve full physiological ripeness. The best examples demonstrate remarkable aging potential, developing honeyed complexity and nutty overtones over 10-15 years while maintaining their structural integrity.
Riesling: The Emerging Story
While Grüner Veltliner dominates plantings, Riesling has gained traction in Stössing over the past two decades as producers recognize the variety's affinity for deep loess soils. The wines differ markedly from the slate-driven Rieslings of the Mosel or even the primary rock Rieslings of the Wachau's Achleiten or Kellerberg.
Stössing Riesling tends toward ripe stone fruit expression (yellow peach, apricot, nectarine) with the classic petrol notes emerging after 5-8 years of bottle age. The loess contributes a honeyed texture and weight that positions these wines stylistically between Alsace (though less opulent) and the Rheingau (though with higher natural acidity). Acidity levels typically range from 7.5-8.5 g/L, providing the backbone for extended aging.
The wines are almost invariably fermented to dryness or near-dryness (under 4 g/L residual sugar), reflecting both the site's ability to achieve full ripeness and the Austrian market's preference for trocken styles. Full-bodied examples reaching 13.5-14% alcohol are common in warmer vintages, yet the wines rarely feel heavy due to their acid structure.
Comparison to Neighboring Vineyards
Within the Wagram
Stössing's character becomes clearer when compared to other significant Wagram sites. The Steinberg vineyard, located several kilometers to the west, features a higher proportion of gravel mixed into its loess profile, resulting in wines with slightly less textural richness but more pronounced mineral tension. Conversely, the Feuersbrunn sites to the east, while also loess-dominated, sit at marginally lower elevations and produce wines of greater immediate fruit expression but potentially less aging complexity.
The key distinction is Stössing's combination of pure loess depth, optimal elevation, and amphitheater protection. This creates conditions for extended hang time without the risk of over-ripeness or loss of acidity that can plague lower-elevation sites in warm years.
Regional Context
Compared to the Wachau's famous terraces, Stössing produces wines of greater textural generosity but less pronounced minerality. Where a Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau's Achleiten (on gneiss and amphibolite) might show linear precision and stony austerity, Stössing offers rounder contours and more immediately accessible fruit. This is not a value judgment but a reflection of fundamentally different soil types.
The Kremstal's loess sites, particularly around Rohrendorf, provide the closest stylistic parallel. However, Stössing's more pronounced Pannonian influence (warmer days, lower precipitation) results in slightly riper flavor profiles and fuller body at equivalent ripeness levels.
Classification & Recognition
Stössing holds Erste Lage (First Site) status within the Austrian DAC system, specifically under the Wagram DAC designation established in 2020. This classification recognizes the vineyard's consistent ability to produce wines of distinctive character and quality, meeting the strict requirements for single-vineyard designation:
- Minimum must weight of 19° KMW (approximately 95° Oechsle) for Grüner Veltliner
- 20° KMW (approximately 100° Oechsle) for Riesling
- Hand harvesting required
- Minimum 18 months of maturation before release
- Wines must demonstrate typicity of both variety and site in blind tasting panels
The Erste Lage designation places Stössing in the company of Austria's most respected single vineyards, though the Wagram as a region remains less internationally recognized than the Wachau or Kamptal. This represents both challenge and opportunity, wines from Stössing often offer exceptional quality-to-price ratios compared to more famous appellations.
Key Producers
Leth Weingut
Franz and Rudolf Leth have emerged as perhaps the most articulate interpreters of Stössing's terroir. Their Grüner Veltliner Stössing bottling exemplifies the site's combination of power and elegance, typically fermented in large neutral oak foudres that enhance texture without adding oak flavor. The Leths practice minimal intervention in the cellar, natural yeast fermentation, no malolactic conversion to preserve varietal character, and extended lees contact of 6-8 months to build complexity.
Their approach to Riesling from Stössing emphasizes extended hang time to achieve full phenolic ripeness, often harvesting in late October. The resulting wines show the honeyed, petrol-tinged character that develops with bottle age, though they remain firmly dry in style.
Bernhard Ott
While Bernhard Ott's estate is headquartered in Feuersbrunn, the family maintains significant holdings in Stössing that contribute to their Grüner Veltliner "Ried Stössing" bottling. Ott's style tends toward greater aromatic intensity and slightly lower alcohol levels (12.5-13.5%) compared to Leth, achieved through earlier harvesting and careful temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel.
The Ott family's approach highlights Stössing's aromatic potential (white pepper, citrus zest, fresh herbs) while maintaining the textural richness that defines the site. Their wines typically show well in youth but also develop gracefully over 8-10 years.
Smaller Growers
Several smaller family estates work parcels in Stössing, though their production rarely exceeds a few hundred cases annually. These growers often sell fruit to larger producers or bottle under generic Wagram DAC designations rather than single-vineyard labels. However, the quality of farming in Stössing has improved markedly over the past decade, with increased adoption of organic and biodynamic practices, more precise canopy management, and selective harvesting replacing the bulk-harvest mentality that once dominated the region.
Winemaking Approaches
White Wine Protocol
Producers working Stössing generally follow similar protocols designed to preserve the primary fruit characteristics while allowing the site's textural qualities to express themselves. After hand harvesting, grapes typically receive a brief period of skin contact (2 to 6 hours for Grüner Veltliner, occasionally longer for Riesling) to extract additional aromatic precursors and textural components from the skins.
Pressing occurs in pneumatic presses at low pressure to avoid extracting harsh phenolics. Juice is settled for 12-24 hours before racking to fermentation vessels. The choice between stainless steel and large neutral oak depends on producer philosophy, but both approaches are represented in quality Stössing wines.
Fermentation temperatures are carefully controlled, typically 16-18°C, to encourage the formation of primary fruit aromas while avoiding the loss of delicate volatile compounds. This represents a slightly warmer fermentation regime than might be used for more aromatic varieties like Muscat, but cooler than typical for fuller-bodied whites like Chardonnay.
The choice of yeast varies by producer. Some employ selected commercial strains to ensure clean fermentations and predictable outcomes, while others have moved toward ambient yeast fermentations to capture additional complexity and site specificity. The high natural acidity of both Grüner Veltliner and Riesling (pH typically 3.0-3.2) makes malolactic conversion difficult to achieve and undesirable in any case, as it would soften the precise acid structure that balances the wines' textural richness.
Post-fermentation, wines typically rest on fine lees for 4-8 months with occasional bâtonnage to enhance texture and complexity without adding overt lees-derived flavors. Bottling usually occurs in late spring or early summer following harvest, though some producers hold their Erste Lage wines for extended élevage before release.
Historical Context
The Wagram's viticultural history extends back to Roman times, when the region supplied wine to military garrisons along the Danube frontier. However, Stössing's emergence as a recognized single vineyard is a relatively recent phenomenon, dating primarily to the late 20th century.
For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Wagram functioned as a bulk wine region, producing high volumes of simple whites for consumption in Vienna and other urban markets. The deep, fertile loess soils encouraged high yields, and quality considerations were secondary to quantity. Grüner Veltliner dominated plantings, but the wines bore little resemblance to today's concentrated, terroir-expressive bottlings.
The Austrian wine scandal of 1985, when some producers were found to have illegally added diethylene glycol to wines to increase body and sweetness, proved paradoxically beneficial for regions like the Wagram. The subsequent reforms, including stricter quality controls and the development of the DAC system, encouraged producers to focus on quality over quantity and to identify and promote their best vineyard sites.
Stössing began appearing on labels in the 1990s as producers like Leth and Ott recognized the site's distinctive character and aging potential. The establishment of the Wagram DAC in 2020, with its Erste Lage classification for top vineyards, provided official recognition of what quality-focused producers had known for two decades: Stössing consistently produces wines of distinctive character that express their origin with clarity.
Vintage Considerations
Stössing's deep loess soils and favorable microclimate create relatively consistent conditions across vintages compared to shallower-soil sites. However, vintage variation remains significant and worth understanding.
Warm, dry vintages (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) favor Stössing, allowing extended hang time and full phenolic ripeness while the deep soils prevent water stress. These years produce wines of maximum concentration and body, though careful harvest timing is essential to avoid over-ripeness and loss of freshness. Alcohol levels can reach 14-14.5% in such years, and the wines require several years of bottle age to integrate fully.
Cool, wet vintages present more challenges. The loess's water-retention capacity, an asset in dry years, can become a liability when rainfall is excessive, leading to dilution and potential disease pressure. However, Stössing's elevation and air drainage provide some protection, and skilled producers can still achieve quality through selective harvesting and strict sorting.
Ideal vintages for Stössing combine warm, sunny days with cool nights and moderate rainfall distributed through the growing season, conditions that allow steady ripening without stress while maintaining high natural acidity. Years like 2013, 2016, and 2019 produced wines of exceptional balance, combining Stössing's characteristic texture with vibrant freshness and aging potential.
The site's Riesling plantings have proven particularly successful in moderate years when the variety's naturally high acidity balances the richness derived from loess soils. In excessively warm years, Riesling from Stössing can occasionally feel heavy, though this is rarely an issue with quality-focused producers who adjust yields and harvest timing accordingly.
Sources: Austrian Wine Marketing Board; Wagram DAC regulations; producer technical sheets; personal correspondence with Franz Leth; Robinson, J., The Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th ed.; Clarke, O., The Wine Atlas of Germany.