Turk Ice Wine

The Türk family roots go back to the beginning of the 18th century; in 1836 Türk forefathers acquired today´s winery location. Generation upon generation, it has since been expanded. The winery is located in the Krems valley (Kremstal) a wine region in lower Austria.

In 1995, Weingut Türk acquired the winery from his parents and has since carried on their traditions. To this day, he and his parents work together in the winery. Weingut Türk and his wife hope that one of their four children will continue this tradition(Alexander 11, Caroline 9, Manuel 7, Magdalena 2). Currently, the children like to help with routine production such as harvesting, filling bottles, and driving the forklift.

In 2000 Weingut Türk took over a traditional winery in Krems with one of the best vineyards. At that time he tasted the winery’s old vintages of Grüner Veltliner back to the year 1946, and was really surprised! The vintages of 1947,1949, and 1959 were outstanding. They had a beautiful nose, good length, and were really fresh. It was incredible how old they were! The winemaker at that time produced these fantastic wines showed great vinification. This interested Türk and prompted him to research their winemaking process and that´s the way they do it now. Of course that´s their secret! The end result of tradition and handcrafted art are wines unique and full of life.

The Icewine:
Making icewine is a hot game with cold temperature! Making sweet wines is one of Weingut Türk’s hobbies and if it is cold enough he likes to make icewine.
To harvest icewine, a minimum temperature of 44°F is needed. The icewine cannot be harvested at the same time each year, it depends on the year when it´s possible. It is a bit stressful to wait for perfect moment to pick the harvest.
If it seems cold enough at midnight, 2AM, or even 4AM, it is necessary to go out in the vineyard during the night and check. If the grapes are frozen then Weingut Türk and his family and friends start picking the grapes early because they must finish by the time the sun rises.
They then put the frozen grapes into the press because the grapes must be pressed in their frozen form.
It is always difficult to make an icewine but the end result is always rewarding. The icewine is especially great from this region because the climate in the Krems valley brings a little bit more acid, giving the icewine a great balance. Türk icewine, year to year, are one of the best from Austria!

The Climate of the Krems Valley:
The land in and around Krems is a favorable climatic area where two climate zones meet. The Pannonian climate from the East ensures hot, dry days while the fresher, oxygen-rich air from the Waldviertel in the North is responsible for the cool nights. These temperature fluctuations enhance the development of the wines aroma. During the day, the stone walls in the terraced vineyards are warmed by the sun. At night, the walls release this heat, which is then absorbed by the vines. Primary rock terraces and conglomerate soils create ideal conditions for fruity, elegant wines. The massif of the Bohemian Plateau with a loess layer up to 25 m thick is one of the oldest geological formations in Central Europe and provides perfect conditions for winegrowing.