winemaker Peter Veyder-Malberg NEEDS NO HURRY (Wachau)

We'd like to make an interview with you. - “No, thank you?”
PR*? - “Not interested.”
A few posts on Instagram? - “Not my style of communication.”

Meet the most mysterious winemaker of Wachau - Peter Veyder-Malberg. His winery/ garage/ private house is hidden in the vineyards of Spitzer Graben. There is no sign leading to his contemporary two storey complex, because he just doesn't want to be disturbed. Yet, Peter is a man of great passion, with the most welcoming voice and a graceful attitude to vines and people.

*public relations

Q&A WITH PETER VEYDER-MALBERG

What's your first memory of being in a vineyard?

Must have been in Alto Adige in South Tyrol. My grandmother comes from there and we visited her every summer during the holidays.

Has winemaking always been your dream job?

No, never. I mean wine was always part of our daily life, food pairing. I found my passion only in my late 20s in 1988, 1989 when suddenly I realised that I must become a winemaker.

Which process of winemaking do you enjoy the most?

There are many aspects. Work in nature, of course. Dealing with vines.

And the less?

Pests are the most terrible part of it. Another thing I really do not like is opening up the soil - interfering, destroying earthworms, destroying life. But there are situations you do it for good.

Can you imagine 10 years from now?

I hope nothing much will change, because I have done so much for the vineyard. 12 years ago, when I took over the vineyards, it was all over sprayed with pesticides and my first task was to heal the soil. And now you can finally see life there, different plants, herbs - a whole ecosystem.
Does your winery and label design reflect the wine you make?

The label I made myself, because I wanted to create a feeling that the winery has been here for centuries. Also my style or philosophy is to make wine like they did a hundred years ago.

The house reflects my personality, and so does the wine. It is all very well connected.

Have you ever had a role model?

There are so many different characters that have left an impression on me, but it is hard to name a single person. Of course I have a close connection with friends with whom I share my passion, like Fred Loimer. Another very important person is Thomas Theibert from Domaine de l'Horizon. Martin Muthenthaler. But there are no role models.

What do you drink if it is not wine?

Beer and coffee.

What's the strangest word you've heard or used to describe your wine?

Mineral.

If you’d put your own wine in a line up. What’s the company?

(see the “postcard”)