Rotes Tor

Rotes Tor is a vineyard site in Spitz in the Wachau region of Austria. The vineyards lie below the eponymous landmark and form part of the terraces farmed by Weingut Franz Hirtzberger. Spitz is in the western part of the Wachau, where cool winds blow in from the wooded mountains to the north.

The documented soil of the site consists of gneiss, mica, slate and brown earth. Weingut Franz Hirtzberger describes its cultivation as natural cultivation, aligned with the climatic and geological characteristics of the individual sites.

The documented wines from Rotes Tor are made from Grüner Veltliner and are listed as dry white wines in the categories Federspiel and Smaragd. These include Wachau DAC Federspiel and Wachau DAC Smaragd.

The name refers to the Rotes Tor, which is regarded as the last of the seven historic fortification gates of Spitz. A local tradition links the name to the spilling of blood during the Thirty Years’ War. The wines of the winery are fermented in stainless steel and matured in classic wooden casks of 30 to 50 hectolitres; a documented example from Rotes Tor was fermented in stainless steel and aged in large, previously used wooden casks.