Proprietor: Axel and Herta Stiegelmar
Website: Juris Winery
Country Location: Austria
 The Juris winery is located in the town of Gols, a place where wine has been the primary source of livelihood for over 2,000 years. Gols is the largest wine producer in the Neusiedlersee wine district and it located half way between Vienna and Budapest in the warm pannonian climate with easily permeable soils of gravel, brown earth and sand. The Stiegelmar family has lived in Gols since 1571 and winemaking has always been a central occupation. The name Juris comes from the first name Georg that has belonged to many generations of Stiegelmar men.
"It is not our goal to produce merely good wines. We strive to produce wines with character and style that are well balanced and possess complexity, aging potential, and a certain elegance. We do not desire a flashy or superficial and short-lived effect"
The Stiegelmar wines have been winning awards in Austria and internationally from the 70's onwards. "Total command of winemaking" is how Robert Mondavi described Georg Stiegelmar when he presented him the "Robert Mondavi Winemaker of the Year Award" in 1995 in London at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Other international awards include the First Place Austrian Red Wine Trophy at the Wine Challenge in London, 1995 and being one of only two Austrian wineries to receive the top ranking in all categories (white, red and dessert wine) from the GaultMillau Guide 2004. Being accepted as one of the 15 members of the RWB "Renommierte Weingüter Burgenland" ("Renowned Wineries of Burgenland") rewards the decades of pioneering work of the Stiegelmars and their philosophy of quality winemaking.
Georg Stiegelmar, who experimented with modern, international viticulture methods since the 60’s and focused on Pinot Noir and St. Laurent wines, passed the baton to his son Axel, who has run the winery since 1985. Axel Stiegelmar is considered among the best winemakers of the young generation. In addition to his family tradition of winemaking, Axel also learned international winemaking techniques at Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley and in Bordeaux with Count Neipperg at Canon-La-Gaffeliere in St.Emilion. Both father and son are united in their love for Burgundy and its noble but exacting Pinot Noir grape.
VINEYARDS. The Juris Winery owns and cultivates 17 hectares of vineyards in Gols on the edge of the Parndorfer plateau near Seewinkel. Red wine varieties make up 80% of their vines, white wine varieties comprise 15%, and 5% are specially cultivated for sweet wine production. The main varieties of red grapes are St. Laurent and Pinot Noir. The white grapes are dominated by Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Rounding out the grape varieties are Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyards in Gols are in some of the best vineyards: Altenberg, Ungerberg, Edelgrund and Heideboden. The Stiegelmars also bought vineyards in Hungary near Lake Balaton in 1995.
Axel Stiegelmar believes "great wine is produced on the vine." He believes the influence of the vineyard cannot be judged by its spectacular natural beauty, but more by what is unseen both under and above the earth’s surface. It is the soil and its mineral content, water drainage, wind, temperature, and much more that play a decisive role.
The foundation of his wines are low yields with vine density of just 5,500 vines per hectare based on the great Bordeaux vineyards in St. Emilion. This means intensive vineyard work, meaningful thinning and ecological harvesting are long-term investments in quality along with selecting the right time for harvesting.
 WINEMAKING. The Juris Winery uses two basic systems: gravity flow and passive energy storage. The quality of grapes and wine can be easily damaged by careless transport. The wine making takes place within the four-story tall winery using gravity flow rather than pumps to transport the wine. This produces less sediment, stabilizes color, develops fine soft tannins, prevents bottle shock and develops elegant, harmonious red wines with silky tannin structure.
Passive energy is used in the storage facility. A thermal pump keeps a constant temperature year round, especially important during a wine’s fragile youth, ensuring a regulated and gentle maturation of the wines. This building, neither heated nor cooled by fossil or electric energy, is Austria’s first passive energy wine storage facility.
Each bottle of wine is released only after its optimal maturation of 1 to 3 years. Complete development of character evolves often after 3 to 5 years.
The Juris Winery has a touch for aesthetics not only in their labels. They just built a beautiful modern new winery while retaining a historic kernel from Mozart’s time.
The Tower is where the crush takes place. Red wines are fermented and bottled here. The Tower Cellar is where the white wines ferment in stainless steel and all wines are prepared for bottling. The Courtyard Cellar is where the wines mature in large wooden casks and where the malolactic fermentation takes place. The House Cellar is where all Reserve wines mature up to 18 months in small oak barrels. During this period they are racked from time to time. The Günter Cellar is the oldest part of the winery. This cellar was built in Mozart’s birth year, 1756. It was dug 52 meters long, 12 meters under the earth’s surface out of a clay slope. This cellar maintains a perfect temperature of 10° C (50° F) all year round thus enhancing the intensity of fruit in particularly sensitive varieties like St. Laurent and Pinot Noir. The passive energy Storage Facility provides the basis for good storage, a constant temperature.
WINES. The Stiegelmars focus on elegance and finesse in their wines that are counted among the best in Austria. The Juris Winery makes two different series of wines, the premium Reserve and the Selection.
The Reserve wines are vinified in new oak barriques in an international style. The Selection wines are vinified in the classical Austrian style. Each series includes both dry whites and reds. Wines from the new vineyards in Hungary near Lake Balaton with their unique climate and terroir are marketed under the name Villa Juris. Noble sweet wines, sparking wines and distillated spirits round out the Juris portfolio.
Selection
Wines from vineyards that are under 15 years old are distinguished by their primary fruit character. A few of these wines are matured for a short period, of six to twelve months in used oak barrels so as not to disguise the varietal character of the grapes.
Reserve
These wines are from old vines at least 15 years old or older. The ratio between roots and aerial parts of the vine changes after youth in favor of the roots. The fruit receives more nutrients from the soil and the wines from older vines are more concentrated and possess more character. Reserve wines profit from longer maturation in small oak barrels. The wines are bottled after 18-24 months in barrique.
Awards and Comments
"The vintner (Axel Stiegelmar) ranks among Austria’s top red winemakers with his Pinot Noir." Falstaff Ultimate Austrian Wine Guide 2002, Peter Moser
"A real find for me was the Austrian producer Juris of Gols in the far east of the country in red wine country." Jancis Robinson online at www.jancisrobinson.com
Rated ** Winemaker by Vinaria
** is a Winemaker who exemplifies the peak of Austrian winemaking and who can make great wine
Member of RWB – Renommierte Weingüter Burgenland
The "Renowned Wineries of Burgenland" is a group of 15 top winemakers (including Alois Kracher ) from Burgenland who have organized as a group that is totally dedicated to quality winemaking
Robert Mondavi Winemaker of the Year 1995
"Total command of winemaking" is how Robert Mondavi described Georg Stiegelmar when he awarded him the trophy "Robert Mondavi Winemaker of the Year 1995" in London.
Gault Millau
A source of inspiration for the Stiegelmars was the acknowledgment in the GaultMillau Guide 2004. The Juris Winery received the best marks in three categories:
3 grape bunches for white wine
3 grape bunches for red wine
3 grape bunches for dessert wine
This accolade was given to only 2 Austrian wineries: the Juris Winery and the Kollwentz Winery, which put them at the top of all three categories in Austria.
Wines:
Pinot Noir Reserve
2005
$39.95
Juris Winery in Neusiedlersee region of Burgenland strives to produce wines with character and style that are well balanced and possess c...
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Pinot Noir Reserve
2009
$45.95
Made from older vines (min 15 yrs), longer maceration during fermentation and three times the barrel treatment than the Selection bottlin...
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Pinot Noir Selection
2008
$22.95
Located half way between Vienna and Budapest in the warm Pannonian climate with easily permeable soils of gravel, brown earth and sand, t...
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Pinot Noir Selection
2009
$24.95
Made from a selection of younger plantings approximately 15 years in age. This pure international expression of Pinot Noir relates stylis...
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Pinot Noir Selection
2010
Made from a selection of younger plantings approximately 15 years in age. This pure international expression of Pinot Noir relates stylis...
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St. Laurent Reserve
2006
$39.95
"This dark wine spent 15 months in wood, broadening the fruit, giving it ripeness. There is a strong line of tannins here, bringing out a...
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St. Laurent Reserve
2009
$45.95
St. Laurent is a wild cross between Pinot Noir and an unknown variety. Likely originating from France, it is now native to Burgenland. In...
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St. Laurent Selection
2009
$21.95
St. Laurent is a wild cross between Pinot Noir and an unknown variety. Likely originating from France, it is now native to Burgenland. In...
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St. Laurent Selection
2010
St. Laurent is a wild cross between Pinot Noir and an unknown variety. Likely originating from France, it is now native to Burgenland. In...
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Zweigelt Selection
2006
$17.95 14.95
Wine blogger Alder Yarrow of Vinography just returned from a trip to Austria where he tasted a number of Zweigelts. Here is what he wrote...
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Zweigelt Selection
2008
$17.95
Wine blogger Alder Yarrow of Vinography just returned from a trip to Austria where he tasted a number of Zweigelts. Here is what he wrote...
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Zweigelt Selection
2010
$17.95
Wine blogger Alder Yarrow of Vinography returned from a trip to Austria where he tasted a number of Zweigelts. Here is what he wrote abou...
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Chardonnay Altenberg Selection 2001
This Chardonnay from a single vineyard Ried Altenberg located on the south slope of the Parndorfer plateau is fermented in large wooden casks followed by 6 months maturation on the lees. It does not undergo malolactic fermentation.
Exotic fragrance reminiscent of citrus, mango and melons; delicate play of acidity, clear presence of minerals, long supple finish.
Aging Potential: 10 years
Alcohol: 12,5 vol%
Acidity: 7,5 %o
Residual Sugar: 1,0 g/l
Falstaff: 90 points
Chardonnay Reserve 2000
The best Chardonnay grapes of the harvest come from this low-yield vineyard in the Neusiedlersee winegrowing region. The ripest grapes are hand harvested, then they undergo malolactic fermentation in small oak barrels (barriques) and spend 13 months on the lees.
Straw colored; delicate, fresh and elegant nose with hints of vanilla; discrete oak tones with nuances of butterscotch and coconut, very elegant, smoky with a long creamy finish.
Aging Potential is15 years
Alcohol: 13,5 vol%
Acidity: 4,5 %o
Residual Sugar: 1,0 g/l
Vinaria Magazine awarded Chardonnay Reserve 3rd place in 2002
Pinot Noir 2000 Selection
From the Neusiedlersee region, this Pinot Noir made from 60 year old vines matures for several months in large oak barrels following the malolactic fermentation. 14,000 bottles made.
Concentrated Pinot nose of black currants with fragrance of violets; powerful body, spicy finish
Aging Potential is 7 to 10 years
Alcohol: 13 vol%
Acidity: 5,4 %o
Residual Sugar: 2,1 g/l
Pinot Noir Reserve 2000 Neusiedlersee
The Pinot Noir Reserve undergoes an extended maceration that brings a compact and ripe body. It spends12 months in small oak barrels, and then 6 months in large wooden casks.
Medium ruby red color with hints of violet; compact typical Pinot nose with deep berry notes, still somewhat closed in its youth; well integrated berry fruit woven with delicate violet and raspberry notes; full-bodied; red berry finish.
Medium ruby garnet color with broad violet edges, works lacy filigree on the nose, fine raspberry and blackberry notes, fruity, wild berries on the palate, racy structure with a tart lemony finish, elegant with good finish. (Falstaff)
Aging Potential is 15 to 20 years
Alcohol: 13,5 vol%
Acidity: 5,6 %o
Residual Sugar: 1,6 g/l
"Falstaff" Austria’s leading wine magazine
Falstaff Wine Guide 2002/2004: 93 points
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