Bread, Butter and...Steinfeder!
Two sides of the Danube: two Wachau winegrowers and two distinct wines. A conversation on wine styles and lightness, and how basic Steinfeder is to the Wachau. With Markus Aschauer and Margarete Jäger.
“Any time’s a good time for Steinfeder,” Margarete Jäger says. “It fits every occasion, whether before dinner or stopping in to visit friends. Steinfeder wines are perfect for everyday drinking.” No coincidence then that we get together with Markus Aschauer, from Weinbau Aschauer in Unterbergern, and Margarete Jäger, from Weißenkirchen’s Weingut Jäger, to taste the 2024 vintage. Both produce wines from each of the three style categories, i.e. Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd.
“Steinfeder breaks the ice, it’s always the first wine we present,” Markus Aschauer reports. The lightest of the three styles, a Steinfeder literally floats in the glass, buoyed up by the fresh aroma. For its lightness, it resembles the feathery grass growing on the Wachau’s dry grasslands. Blooming in late spring, the sliver-gray grass covers the steep hills with a shimmering blanket, as if to usher in the new wine season. “Steinfeder is the perfect wine for the terraces,” Markus Aschauer points out.
Steinfeder wines strongly depend on acidity for their fresh, zesty aroma. The time of harvest, then, can’t be left to chance. Pickers dare not be a day too late, especially in warm years. A tightrope act between freshness and aroma. The two agree that “with the climate changing, getting that balance is sometimes a challenge” – one they gladly accept. “Wachau without Steinfeder? No way.”
Grüner Veltliner is the grape variety both rely on for their Steinfeder wines. “Because it’s the classic all-rounder,” as Markus Aschauer puts it. And because it makes for highly drinkable young wines. Wine lovers usually enjoy Steinfeders the year after vintage. Meaning, the Aschauer family often has to post “Sorry all gone” already by their autumn Heuriger.
Speaking of the Heuriger, where hearty country fare is offered to complement the young wines, Markus Aschauer sees the Steinfeder as the ideal choice to accompany traditional dishes like lard spread on rustic rye bread. Opening their Heuriger wine tavern four times each year, the Aschauers are keen to feature their wines with culinary delights. “Even many locals are among our guests, because we also open our doors in the off-season.” Dealing with the vintner personally is what guests especially appreciate. In this setting it’s easy to explain distinctions between Wachau wines. “Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd – even the layperson quickly recognises what makes for each wine’s style.
Margarete Jäger is also sold on the Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd categories. Each label stands for its own unique style. “When you hear ‘Steinfeder’ you know at once: this is a fresh, light wine that I can order a second or third glass of.” That’s why she likes to call the Steinfeder a ‘bread-and-butter’ wine. With this style hugely popular in Austria, Margarete jokingly refers to some of her customers as ‘hardcore Steinfeder fans’. Majoring in a light-bodied wine can in fact be a key to success.
