The Jurtschitsch family purchased the Sonnhof, originally a farmhouse and tithe cellar connected to the local monastery in 1868. By the end of the century it was recognised as one of the leading wineries of the region and during the 20th the family made many innovations such as filtration and estate bottling and the region’s first champagne method sparkling wine. Today the winery comprises 74 hectares on the best sites in the Kamptal and surrounding area, two-thirds planted with white varieties, mainly Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, one third red, mainly Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Brothers Edwin, Paul and Karl run the estate together with Karl’s son Alwin who has accelerated the estate’s move towards organic and biodynamic cultivation, which actually began in the 1970s. From 2009 all the vineyards will be certified organic. Yields are kept low with plenty of leaf area to help achieve ripeness. Fermentation is in stainless steel in a new winery where the must moves by gravity without any need for pumping.