Sohm & Kracher is the passion project of Gerhard, winemaker of Kracher wines and Aldo, sommelier at Le Bernardin. The two men have known each other since 2004 and over the years a friendship developed based on their passion for wine and gastronomy. One of the passions of both men is their love for Grüner Veltliners from their home country, Austria. In 2008 they realized that their passion for Grüner is so great that they wanted to make wines from this iconic Austrian grape themselves.
Their shared passion for many years quickly made it clear that Weinviertel would be chosen as a region. This was because the region was seriously underestimated according to the gentlemen and because there was a large area of old vineyards available. The large variety of soil compositions and microclimates also strengthened their choice for Weinviertel.
Concerning the style of the wines there is a very clear profile: the wines should never be too rich in alcohol, nor too heavy and oily in style. Throughout the 10 years that the domain has been producing wines, this style has always been maintained; even though wines from Bugrenland were also added to the portfolio.
The vineyards
Three of the four wines produced come from Weinviertel, one of the larger appellations in Austria. Due to its size, there is also a huge variety of soil types and climates.
The grapes for the cuvée Lion come from vineyards located an hour north of Vienna (pulkautal). The average age is between 15-25 years. For the cuvée Alte Reben, 20-40 year old vineyards in the same area are used. As for the cuvée Single Vineyard: all grapes come from a 0.5Ha vineyard about 30 minutes northeast of Vienna, with an age of 45 years.
The Cuvee St-Georg is the odd one out, because it comes from the Leithaberg region, Burgenland. It is a vineyard located in the village of St-Georg. The soil there consists of Mushelkalk.
Aging potential
The ‘basic cuvée’ Lion can be drunk up to 5 years after the harvest. Alte Reben and St-Georg will last for at least 10 years. Single Vineyard can mature in your cellar for up to 20 years, according to Gerhard.
Vinification
All wines in the range are made from hand-picked grapes and undergo spontaneous fermentation under controlled temperatures.
The Lion cuvee spends six months in stainless steel ‘sur lies’. Of Alte Reben, 50% of the wine matures for two years in stainless steel ‘sur lies’, the other half in used neutral barriques. St-Georg matures in 1000l foudres and barriues that have already been used three times. Finally, Singel Vineyard matures for three years in 1500l large oak barrels.