Taste and Tour Small Organic Wineries with a Winemaker

Small wineries beat big-city tours here. You get a winemaker-led look at how organic wines are grown, fermented, and aged along the Donau, with tastings at several micro producers near Krems. It is the kind of day that feels like countryside homework, in a good way.

I love the close-up craft focus, from handpicked grapes from a single vineyard to amphora and steel tank aging, and the way each stop explains choices in plain language. I also like that the day is built around variety, including organic Grüner Veltliner, natural-science driven winemaking, and a sparkling producer chasing top-level Pet Nat results. One heads-up: there is moderate walking, and you may need to go down into cellars, in small rooms, so it is not ideal if stairs are a problem or you prefer big public spaces.

Key Things You’ll Remember From This Winemaker Tour

• Private, small-group feel with time to ask questions at each winery
• Organic and sustainable practices shown through real vineyard sites and cellar methods
• Single-vineyard storytelling, including a replanted parcel that dates its roots centuries back
• Style variety across still whites, Grüner Veltliner, and biologically made sparkling wines
• A short vineyard walk to a viewpoint over the region, after the tastings
• Donau River setting that makes the drive and short stops feel like part of the tour

Vienna To Krems By Wine Country Reality Check

This is one of those Vienna-area wine trips that changes how you see the region fast. Vienna feels grand and urban. Krems feels working, slope-driven, and very specific to where the grapes grow.

You are also in a part of Austria where the river makes a difference. The Donau corridor shapes microclimates, and it keeps the scenery moving as you travel between producers. The result is a day that feels scenic without turning into a photo-only parade.

The tour runs about 3 hours, with roughly 2.5 hours touring and 30 minutes of driving between stops. Even better, you are not stuck on a long bus ride. You spend the time where it matters, in vineyards and cellars.

How The 3-Hour Flow Fits A Real Day

Your day starts in Krems, at Bahnhofpl. 2, and the tour ends back at the meeting point. If you are staying in Vienna, you can take a direct train to Krems, then meet at the station. Another option is arriving by boat from Vienna, then meeting at the boat station. Either way, you can do this as a half-day plan without cramming.

Opening hours are 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Saturday, so plan your timing around an afternoon start if that fits your travel rhythm. The tour is offered in English, and you get a mobile ticket.

One practical note I would take seriously: the tour includes some hiking and may include walking down into a cellar. The level is described as moderate physical fitness, so wear grippy shoes. If you do not enjoy tight spaces, mentally prepare for cellar rooms that feel intimate rather than showroom-big.

Stop 1, Kapitel Zwei Wine: Amphora Aging And A Replanted Single Vineyard

The day kicks off with a drive up from near sea level about 400 meters, moving through winding winery roads. That climb matters, because your first stop is all about site and grape choices tied to one specific parcel.

You visit Kapitel Zwei Wine in the Krems an der Donau area, a micro-winery built around organic and sustainable growth plus careful aging. The winemaking is an experiment in using French grape varietals in Austria, including Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, and Sémillon.

Here is what makes this stop feel different from a standard tasting. They do not just talk about wine in general terms. They explain that grapes are handpicked from a single vineyard, called Kremsleithen. That vineyard was abandoned for decades, then replanted in May 2022, so you get a sense of how current decisions connect to long-term rebuilding.

The place also has a built-in story. Kremsleithen relates to the steep slope, the German word Leiten, that runs down toward the river Krems. Records mention the area as far back as 1266. The site sits about 300 meters above sea level, with loamy-sandy soil and clay.

In the tasting, that kind of specificity usually means you taste the difference between styles and aging methods instead of just comparing labels. Since they use amphora and steel tanks for aging, you get a clearer idea of how texture and aroma can shift based on vessel and approach.

Stop 2, Weingut Mantlerhof: Organic Grüner Veltliner From A Family Manor

Next, you travel to Weingut Mantlerhof, in Gedersdorf, near the river Kamp right before it merges into the Danube. This stop is built around place, not just wine.

As you arrive, you get a strong sense of the region’s geography. Looking west you can see the lights of Krems, and to the east you might spot the towers of Grafenegg. Then you settle into the village center of Brunn im Felde, where a pond sits near an old manor with an early classicist facade, also called Mantlerhof.

Mantlerhof is family-owned and long established, with family winemaking traced back to 1365. The winery team has worked the property for over 200 years, and today they farm 15 hectares. Their focus is on long-lasting organic wines, especially Grüner Veltliner and Roter Veltliner.

What I like about this stop for practical wine lovers is the balance of tradition plus organic practice. It is not an abstract sustainability pitch. You see it paired with classic Austrian styles. That gives you a real anchor, especially if you are trying to learn how Austrian white wine tastes when it is handled with organic farming and thoughtful cellar work.

The tasting time is about 45 minutes, and admission is listed as free, which matters for value. It means more of your money goes into the experience itself: time with the producers, wine sampling, and understanding why they aim for a certain style rather than dumping you into a quick pour and out-the-door routine.

Stop 3, Schoenberg am Kamp To Weingut Feldtheorie: Natural Sciences, Then Wine

The third stop shifts the tone in a fun way. You land in Schoenberg am Kamp, where the people behind Weingut Feldtheorie are Ulrike Filp and Robert Bormuth, along with their friends and family.

They come at wine with a science mindset. During their studies in natural sciences, they discovered wine through a trip to New Zealand. After their studies, they worked internships in Germany, Australia, and Austria, then eventually settled in Wachau. When the chance came to buy their own parcels of vineyards in neighboring Kamptal, they did it.

That personal timeline matters because it explains their winemaking goal. Their idea is to pass the uniqueness of Kamptal through their wines to everyone, not just make a generic crowd-pleaser.

The time here is about 30 minutes, so you will likely get a tight, human explanation of how they think about vineyards and cellar decisions. If you like hearing how a person’s path becomes a winemaking style, this stop is a highlight.

It is also a good mental break between very grape and vessel heavy stops. Instead of only focusing on tanks or aging choices, this is more about the people and the reasoning that connects their day-to-day work to what ends up in the bottle.

Stop 4, Langenlois And WeinSchach: Pet Nat Experimentation With Biological Methods

After that, you move to Langenlois for a sparkling stop at WeinSchach. If you think sparkling wine in Austria is always about one familiar style, this is where the day gets interesting.

WeinSchach is convinced nature provides what an extraordinary wine needs. They believe wine should then unfold freely in the bottle. Their target is a Pet Nat that they want on the same level as the world’s celebrated sparkling wines.

To do that, they are experimenting. Sometimes, the experiment means going back to earlier steps, because they are chasing real answers rather than repeating habits.

They work biologically in production. Harvest is by hand, and they also describe the wine as being de gorged. That set of choices is not just process trivia. For a Pet Nat minded sparkling producer, it often connects to aroma clarity, texture, and how the bubbles feel.

This stop runs about 40 minutes. It is a solid length for a sparkling tasting because sparkling wines can vary a lot by producer and by bottle. You should come away with a sharper sense of how a producer’s philosophy turns into sensory results.

Finish At Ausblick am Welterbesteig: A 7 To 10 Minute Walk With Big Views

The tour ends with a short walk, about 7 to 10 minutes, through vineyards to a viewpoint at Ausblick am Welterbesteig. This is not a long hike day. It is a short reset after cellar time.

The point is simple: you see what you tasted. You look over the region and connect grape slopes and river corridors to the wine styles you just sampled.

This part also helps if you are like me and get a little “cellar-brain” after a couple stops. Fresh air, sunlight, and a wide view get you ready for the drive back to Krems.

What The Tastings Really Mean For Your Money

The price is $114.02 per person for about 3 hours, and the tour is listed as private, so you are not sharing the full experience with strangers. With private tours, value depends on what you actually do with your time, and this one keeps you moving between real producers instead of keeping you parked in one place.

You also get admission free at each stop as listed, which matters because it suggests you are not paying separate entry fees on top. The tasting time is distributed across multiple wineries, so you get variety in both wine style and winemaking approach.

I also like that the focus is small and organic-forward, not a “big branding” style route. When your stops are micro-wineries and family-owned producers, you tend to get more direct explanations about soil choices, vineyard rebuilding, and the practical reasons behind aging decisions.

One more value angle: the tour is often booked about 55 days in advance on average. That tells you demand is steady. If you want a specific time window, do not wait until the last minute in peak seasons.

Logistics Tips That Make Or Break A Wine Day

Here are the small things that will keep your day smooth.

Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably, because you have some hiking and you may face cellar stairs. If you cannot walk down into a cellar, skip this tour. The description makes that clear.

Come hungry, but not starving. Wine tastings can add up quickly. If you eat a full heavy meal right before, you might miss subtle differences between amphora and steel aging. If you are too hungry, the wines can feel sharper than you want.

Finally, be ready for small rooms. Some cellar spaces are compact. That is part of the intimacy. If you hate tight quarters, you may find the experience more stressful than fun.

Who Should Book This Winemaker Tour From Vienna

This is a great fit if you fall into any of these groups:

• You want a Vienna wine day trip that feels like countryside work, not just a bus-and-brochure stop
• You like organic and sustainable wines and want the reasoning behind those choices
• You enjoy asking questions and tasting multiple styles in a single morning or afternoon
• You want a more personal experience, where the winemaking choices at each site are explained in context

It is less ideal if you need fully accessible stairs-free travel, or if you do not like cellar environments with small rooms.

Should You Book This Tour?

If you want a craft-focused wine day outside Vienna, this is an easy recommendation. The biggest selling points are the winemaker-led intimacy, the organic emphasis with real vineyard details at Kapitel Zwei and Mantlerhof, and the variety from Grüner Veltliner to biologically made sparkling experimenting with Pet Nat.

Book it if you like learning how wine decisions happen, down to single-vineyard sourcing and vessel choices. Skip it if you cannot handle cellar steps or if you are expecting big, polished tasting rooms.

If you do book, I suggest you bring curiosity and a willingness to walk a little. The payoff is a clearer understanding of Austrian wine, plus a day in Krems that feels like you got invited into the process, not just shown the results.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

It runs for about 3 hours, with roughly 2.5 hours spent on the tour itself and about 30 minutes driving between locations.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts at Bahnhofpl. 2, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria, and ends back at the same meeting point.

Is pickup available from Vienna?

Pickup is offered with flexible meeting options. If you are staying in Vienna, you can take the direct train to Krems and meet at the train station, or you can arrive by boat from Vienna and meet at the boat station. If neither works, you can coordinate another meeting spot.

What language is the tour in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. It is a private tour/activity, with only your group participating.

Is there walking involved?

Yes. The tour requires moderate physical fitness, with some hiking and possibly walking down into a cellar. It is not recommended if you cannot walk down into a cellar.

Can I bring a service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

What if I need to cancel?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Changes within 24 hours are not accepted.