Founded in Oberloiben in 1898, the Pichler estate has developed a reputation as a Grüner Veltliner specialist since Franz Pichler Sr began selecting his own clones in 1928. The estate was once fulsomely described by Robert Parker as the “Château Latour, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Zind-Humbrecht, Sandrone and Helen Turley of the Wachau”.

Franz Xaver (FX) took over at the estate in 1971 and his meticulous approach earned him plaudits on both the domestic and international stage. Franz Xaver’s son Lucas joined the winery team in 1996, taking over winemaking at the estate in 1999 and assuming management of the whole estate in 2009. Lucas manages the winery together with his wife Johanna, representing the 5th generation to farm these lands. Today, FX Pichler owns 20 hectares of vineyards, almost half of which are planted on steep terraces and worked entirely by hand. The aim is always to create wines that are a true reflection of the year, the soil and the special microclimate of the Wachau. The fine nuances of each respective site should be perceptible and tangible in their multi-layered uniqueness. The winery left the Vinea Wachau as of the 2020 vintage, thus dropping the use of the Federspiel and Smaragd term. Though they have always been farming organically, they started the process to certification in 2021.