Sohm & Kracher Chardonnay 'St Georg' 2022

When acquiring the vineyards for the Sohm & Kracher project, a few rows of Chardonnay were included. This is because the vines grow right next to each other. Both the Grüner Veltliner and the Chardonnay thrive side by side in St. Georgen, near Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland, which is where the wine ultimately gets its name.

At first, they didn’t pay much attention to the Chardonnay, but then the idea emerged to craft a wine from these six rows. And here it is, the first vintage from these mature vines grown on limestone.

A fine expression of Austrian winemaking, this wine impresses with a fresh, lively character. On the nose, delicate limestone notes emerge, conveying a clear, mineral freshness. On the palate, this freshness continues, accompanied by a subtle salinity that adds depth and complexity to the wine. We recommend decanting this wine

Fermented 50% in new barriques and 50% in large seasoned oak casks. Matured in large neutral casks for 24 months, followed by a further 5 months maturation in stainless steel tanks.

' Expressive bouquet with notes of white flowers, apple, yellow stone fruit, lime and exotic fruit, underpinned by a hint of white nougat. Beautiful fullness on the palate, juicy acidity and a finely spicy finish.' 94 points, Falstaff, November 2025

• • Appellation: Leithaberg

  • Vineyard: St. Georg

  • Orientation: South, southeast

  • Soil: Limestone

  • Farming Practice: Organic

  • Vinification: 50% neutral cask, 50% new barrique

  • Elevage: 24 months neutral barrique, 5 months stainless

  • Alcohol: 14%

What do you get when a world champion sommelier meets up with a world famous winemaker? The answer: a range of exciting food-friendly wines, of moderate alcohol and minerality, made from the local indigenous variety, grown in an emerging, under-appreciated area and now featuring on some of the best wine lists in the world.

Aldo Sohm grew up in Austria’s Tyrol and caught the wine bug as a teen-ager. By his early twenties he had won Best Sommelier in Austria in 2002, a feat he repeated in 2003, 2004 and 2006. He had moved to New York in 2004 and it was here that he first met Gerhard Kracher who was then looking after the US market for his father, the legendary Alois Kracher.

In 2007 Aldo won the title of Best Sommelier in America in 2007 and that landed him the dream job at Michelin 3-star, Le Bernadin in New York City. He went on to win Best Sommelier in the World in 2008 and today still works at Le Bernadin, as well has running his own Aldo Sohm Wine Bar since 2014 just a couple of doors away.

Having become close friends, it was over lunch in Queens in 2008 that Gerhard and Aldo came up with the idea to make a wine together. They both had a soft spot for Grüner Veltliner and both felt that the Austrian region of the Weinviertel was grossly under-estimated. And it was here where they ultimately found their ideal vineyard, with venerable old vines growing on the gravel, sand and marly siltstone of the Pulkau Valley. They released their first wine from the 2009 vintage to great critical acclaim and that acclaim has only grown since. This is their first vintage producing a Chardonnay.