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Behind the Scenes with Kolfok: Stefan Wellanschitz on Natural Winemaking in Austria’s Mittelburgenland region

Join us for a behind-the-scenes, technical conversation with Stefan Wellanschitz of Kolfok, a self-proclaimed natural winemaker from the Mittelburgenland region of Austria. 

In this episode, Stefan describes his family’s multigenerational roots, the region’s climatic influences and highly varied soils and topography. He explains low-intervention practices including spontaneous ferments, minimal SO2 usage, reductive handling, gravity movement, lees and managing risks like Brett, pH, and residual sugar. Stefan also discusses his approach to managing climate change impacts via yields, cover crops, dry farming, and climate-change-driven variety and site choices.

Kolfok is a 15-hectare “winery within a winery,” producing about 12 wines and 60,000 bottles, including several single-vineyard bottlings. 

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

00:00 : Introduction and Welcome

01:57: An Introduction to Kolfok

05:56: The Wine Portfolio

09:03: Stefan's Natural Winemaking Philosophy

15:51: Yeast, Fermentation and Other Winemaking Ideas

25:46: Cellar & Terroir

33:00: Managing Through Climate Change

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