Celebrating Sekt : Visiting Weingut Topf

SEKT DOCUMENTARY

visiting Weingut Topf /Kamptal/

If you have ever imagined what it would be like to be a winemaker, then you might have envisioned living in a house surrounded by the vineyards, driving a Defender, hunting on the weekends, owning a beautiful Weimaraner, having two sons taking over the winery, and to put a cherry on the cake - producing one of the best sparklings in Austria? Sound like a dream? For the Topf family it is an absolute reality. 

Located in the Kamptal region, just at the foothill of Gaisberg, the history of winery dates back to 1649. It took several centuries of great work by even greater men to arrive at a point the ancestors of Hans Topf had probably never even envisioned. Since he and his wife Magdalena took over the estate in 1990 a lot has changed and improved. The winery has grown five times in size, producing a wide range of still wines and a couple of great Sekts. Sekt is the ambitious project of the young winemakers, sons of Mr Topf, Hans-Peter and Maximilian.

We are here to document Sekt, so naturally we are catching up with Hans-Peter. A very energetic winemaker, who is in just the right place and right time to represent the next generation.

“Visiting a cellar is always captivating, it’s like jumping down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.”

The cellar of the Topf winery surprises with its size and atmosphere. If you've ever visited rue de Champagne in Epernay, then you might see similarities. Endless labyrinths of stored bottles of wine and the amount of barrels tells you much about the size and seriousness of the winery. Hans Topf is a serious player, and his sons are good companions, sharing new ideas and fresh energy. It is the perfect mix of knowledge based on experience and vision of the new era. 

During the visit Hans-Peter talks much about the challenge of going in so many directions, yet maintaining high quality standards. Regarding Sekt, the story is simple. It almost happened by accident and was not a long term plan. But it scored extremely well in the prestigious Falstaff tasting and got 95 points. That was a changing point and made the Topfs reconsider their Sekt ambition.

Sampling a glass from the barrel, which will one day go in the Rose Sekt, evokes pure astonishment. Pure Zweigelt is creamy and so hazelnutty. A feast of tastes!

At the end of the day, having said our goodbyes to the winery and winemakers, we open a bottle of Topf Sekt and share it at the dinner table with some great tafelspitz. We like it! And isn't that just a delightful realization - that you must reach for another sip, because one was not enough. A winery that will have its say in the future of Sekt!  

words SANTA PILENS, MARTINS PILENS

photography and illustration SANTA PILENS