3 Siblings, 1 Winery, 0 Compromise
Mathias, Viktoria, and Leonhard Schödl are the new generation of Austrian natural winemaking — three siblings who returned from internships across New Zealand, South Africa, New York, and California to transform their family's historic farm into one of the Weinviertel's most exciting organic and biodynamic estates. [^118^] [^125^] Founded by their grandfather at the end of World War II as a mixed agriculture and wine operation, the estate was converted to viticulture-focused production in the 1980s by their father Herbert — a winemaking professor at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna. [^118^] [^126^] Since taking over in 2012, the siblings have pursued a singular vision: wines that show their pure, true character through low intervention, hand-picked grapes, and no use of chemicals. [^117^] Their love for Champagne is unmistakable — from their pristine Pet-Nats to their traditional-method Blanc de Blancs and Rosé Brut Nature, the Schödl siblings have brought the precision and elegance of sparkling wine culture to the chalky loess of Weinviertel. [^117^] [^119^]
From Post-War Farm to Global Experience
The Schödl family's connection to the land in Loidesthal, Weinviertel, began in 1948, when their grandfather established a mixed agriculture and wine operation at the end of World War II. [^118^] The Weinviertel — Austria's largest wine region, lying just northeast of Vienna and bordering the Czech Republic — is a landscape of gently rolling hills and vast plains, with over 14,000 hectares of vines. [^119^] It is arguably the most ancient agricultural zone in Central Europe, with 7,000 years of human artifacts found in the region, and dozens of successive peoples and empires have farmed (and fought over) this golden-and-green expanse. [^119^]
In the 1980s, Herbert Schödl — the siblings' father and a professor of oenology at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna — transformed the mixed farm into a vineyard and winemaking-focused operation. [^118^] [^126^] Herbert already farmed in a way that was close to organic, instilling in his children a respect for chemical-free viticulture from an early age. [^126^] But the three siblings — Mathias, Viktoria, and Leonhard — wanted more. They travelled the world, gaining experience at fully organic and biodynamic wineries in New Zealand, South Africa, New York, and California. [^126^] Mathias even wrote a scientific thesis on the role of plant species in vineyards, proving that the influence of cover crops on vineyard wellbeing is measurable and profound. [^116^] [^126^]
In 2012, they returned home and took over the estate. The conversion to organic began in 2016, and full certification was achieved in 2019. [^126^] Now, they are turning toward biodynamics, embracing the "less is more" philosophy that decreased soil mineral content influences grape compactness, exposing berries to more sun and making them less susceptible to rot. [^126^] The result is a winery where tradition meets technology, where old meets new, both hand in hand with no compromise on nature or taste. [^125^]
"When you are really passionate about wine and farming, then working organically or biodynamically is the way. Keeping the vines healthy without chemicals but with handwork and a diverse ecosystem will result in tasty & healthy fruit which gives you exciting wine, reflecting not only the region but also the people behind it."
— Mathias Schödl
Sheep, Ladybirds & Lightweight Bottles
The Schödl vineyards span approximately 15 hectares in and around Loidesthal and Blumenthal, nestled between Vienna and the Czech Republic in the eastern Weinviertel. [^118^] The region is influenced by the Danube and March rivers and a Pannonian climate of hot, dry summers and dry, cold winters — conditions that allow grapes to reach full ripeness while maintaining refreshing acidity. [^118^] The soils are predominantly deep loess and chalky clay, with pockets of iron-rich sandstone that give certain parcels a distinctive red hue. [^119^] [^124^]
Farming is organic with biodynamic principles, certified since 2019. [^118^] [^126^] But the Schödls go far beyond certification requirements. Their philosophy is to build a healthy, diverse ecosystem in the vineyards — and they mean it literally. [^126^] Cover crops between vine rows provide habitat for beneficial insects: ladybirds (one ladybird consumes around 5,000 aphids in its 2–3 year lifespan), wasps, and earthworms that enrich the soil with humus and create water-retaining tunnels. [^126^] Sheep graze between the Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners, naturally managing weeds and delivering manure to the vines — a practice supported by New Zealand studies showing significant cost reductions and ecological benefits. [^126^]
The Schödls' commitment to sustainability extends to every detail. They use a tunnel spraying system that recollects drift-off, minimising environmental impact. [^126^] They favour hand harvesting over tractor use, reducing fuel consumption and soil compaction. [^126^] And they have embraced lightweight bottles — approximately 400g each, 20% less than the average — saving around 100g of CO2 emissions per bottle in production and transport. [^126^] Packaging materials are light and recyclable. Even the choice between natural cork and screw cap is weighed for sustainability: while cork has lower CO2 emissions, screw caps eliminate cork taint risk. The Schödls use both, applying the "Three R" principle — reduce, reuse, recycle — to every decision. [^126^]
Despite drought being a growing challenge, the Schödls do not irrigate. [^126^] They believe that good water management — supported by earthworm tunnels and healthy soil structure — is crucial for reducing environmental impact. Studies suggest 400–500 litres of water are needed to produce one litre of wine; the Schödls aim to minimise this through natural soil hydration. [^126^] It is a holistic, systems-thinking approach that treats the vineyard not as a factory but as a living organism.
Conversion began 2016, certified 2019. Now moving toward biodynamics. Low till, natural fertilization, cover crops, no synthetic chemicals. [^118^] [^126^]
Sheep graze between vines for natural weed control and manure. Ladybirds, wasps, earthworms — a self-sustaining ecosystem. No irrigation. [^126^]
400g bottles — 20% lighter than average. ~100g CO2 savings per bottle. Recyclable packaging. Three R principle: reduce, reuse, recycle. [^126^]
Deep loess and chalky clay soils. Iron-rich sandstone in Blumenthal. Full ripeness + refreshing acidity. Pannonian climate, Danube/March influence. [^118^] [^119^]
"In Natura," Pet-Nat & Zero Dosage
In the cellar, the Schödl siblings practice what they preach: low intervention, honest craftsmanship, and an unwavering respect for the raw material. [^125^] All wines are certified organic and made according to biodynamic principles. [^120^] Spontaneous fermentations with indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfur (often as low as 10 mg/L), and gentle handling preserve the purity and elegance that define the Schödl style. [^117^] [^127^] The goal is not to create wines that impress with technique but wines that show their true character — clean, elegant, mineral, and alive. [^117^]
The portfolio is organised into several distinct lines that reflect the siblings' diverse interests and the Weinviertel's potential: [^117^] [^119^]
"In Natura": The natural wine line. Certified biodynamic Grüner Veltliner sourced from the three most important family vineyards — Blumenthal, In der Kreuthern, and Steinberg — representing the most important soil types and expositions at the estate. [^119^] Slowly pressed, fermented with native yeasts in a combination of vessels, and bottled with minimal intervention. This is the Schödls' answer to the global natural wine movement: pure, transparent, and unmistakably Weinviertel. [^119^]
Classic Grüner Veltliner Expressions: The estate produces multiple site-specific Grüner Veltliners, each revealing a different facet of the terroir. The Ried In Den Kreuthern comes from 60+ year old vines on chalky, limestone-rich loess soils, with 12+ hours of skin contact to extract flavour and minerality. [^119^] The Löss & Lehm is the entry-level wine — "anything but" basic — from deep loess and chalky clay, whole-bunch pressed to stainless steel, fermented with native yeasts. [^119^] The Blumenthal, from loess mixed with sandstone, receives more skin contact than the Löss & Lehm, producing a more textured, savoury expression. [^119^]
Champagne-Inspired Sekt: The Schödls' love for Champagne is evident in every bubble. Their father taught them the traditional method first, and they have refined it into a signature style. [^119^] The Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay, their "finest example" of traditional-method sparkling. [^119^] The Rosé Brut Nature is 100% Pinot Noir from two calcareous-loess plots, with 85% of the base wine aged in neutral barriques and 15% from a solera of older vintages — 20+ months on lees, zero dosage, and utterly precise. [^119^] The Pet-Nat "In Natura" — 40% Grüner Veltliner, 20% Weißburgunder, 40% red and white Riesling — is a crisp, aromatic, naturally sparkling wine that captures the siblings' playful side. [^119^]
Orange & Skin-Contact Wines: The "Free Your Mind" is a co-fermented blend of Scheurebe (40%), Riesling (30%), Grüner Veltliner (20%), and Gelber Muskateller (10%), macerated for two weeks in stainless steel and aged eight months in used 500L oak and acacia barrels. [^119^] The "Bloody Muscat" is 100% Roter Muskateller — a pink-skinned grape planted by Herbert Schödl after a trip to Alsace — macerated for two weeks on skins and fermented with indigenous yeasts, creating an aromatic, textured orange wine of remarkable individuality. [^119^]
Rosé Brut Nature — "The Schödl Family's Finest Sparkling Yet"
The Rosé Brut Nature is the pinnacle of the Schödl siblings' Champagne-inspired ambition — a wine that proves the Weinviertel can produce traditional-method sparkling of world-class precision and elegance. [^119^]
Made from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from two calcareous-loess plots in the Kreuthern vineyard, the base wine is handled with meticulous care: 85% is aged in neutral barriques to build texture and breadth, while 15% comes from a solera of older vintages that adds complexity and depth. [^119^] The wine undergoes 20+ months of lees ageing in bottle — far exceeding the minimum for Austrian Sekt Reserve — and is disgorged with zero dosage, allowing the purity of the fruit and the minerality of the loess soils to speak without sweetness or artifice. [^119^]
In the glass, it is a delicate salmon pink with a fine, persistent mousse. The nose is a complex weave of wild strawberry, redcurrant, white peach, and a subtle biscuity autolysis character. The palate is mouth-filling and structured — not the light, simple rosé of commercial convention, but a wine of genuine depth and savoury complexity. The finish is long, mineral, and almost chalky, with a saline freshness that speaks directly to the Weinviertel's chalky clay soils. This is a wine for contemplation, for celebration, and for proving that Austrian Sekt belongs in the same conversation as Champagne. Serve at 8–10°C. ~€24–€34 / ~$26–$37.
The Schödl Range
Mathias, Viktoria, and Leonhard Schödl produce approximately 50,000 bottles annually from ~15 hectares in Loidesthal and Blumenthal, Weinviertel, Lower Austria. All wines are certified organic with biodynamic principles, hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled with minimal sulfur (often 10 mg/L or less). The portfolio spans the "In Natura" natural wine line, classic site-specific Grüner Veltliner expressions, Champagne-inspired traditional-method Sekts, playful Pet-Nats, and innovative orange wines. Prices are approximate and in EUR/USD.
📍 Adresse
Weingut Schödl Family
Akazienweg 8
2225 Loidesthal
Österreich
📞 +43 664 4114 799
📧 mail@weingutschoedl.at
🌐 www.schoedlfamily.at