For over 20 years now, ‘gentle viticulture’ has been practised south of Gamlitz – no fertilisation, low maintenance measures, minimal plant protection. The result is deep, living soils, a resilient microclimate, biodiversity and, of course, excellent wine. While agriculture usually follows the rules of the market, meaning that it is determined by the interplay of price and yield volume, this cultivation instead focuses on a comprehensive understanding of nature. Whereas elsewhere ‘efficient’ machines generate high yields in the short term, here people work on the vines using minimally invasive techniques, mainly by hand. This creates jobs in the region. Support for eco-friendly methods looks to the future and is also based on the knowledge that in the past, manual work and close observation of natural cycles were the key tenets of an approach to farming that ran smoothly over the generations.
Weinbau Familie Söll (Gamlitz), from 1997
Project partners: Weingut Söll
With thanks to Roman Gordy Film, Gabriel Kirchmair and Walter Watzl.
