The Princely Wines of Liechtenstein Offer Elegance and Freshness

The Hofkellerei, or princely winery, of the Prince of Liechtenstein produces distinctive Alpine wines of the highest quality. Here’s what they taste like.

Schloss Vaduz

By Dave Nershi, CSW

Princely Wines From The Smallest Wine-Producing Country

Liechtenstein is a landlocked country of approximately 62 square miles and 40,000 citizens. It boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the world and zero national debt. It’s a principality and its current ruler is Prince Hans-Albert II. It’s also the world’s smallest wine-producing country.

Of special interest to us are the wineries of the prince. Princely Wines are produced from two vineyards, one in Austria and one in Liechtenstein. The family name stems from the Liechtenstein Castle located just south of Vienna,  Austria. The noble line dates back to the 12th century.

The lineage is steeped in history. To gain a seat in the Holy Roman Empire’s assembly, they had to own land under the emperor’s authority. They purchased the Lordships of Schellenberg and Vaduz in the early 18th century, which became part of the principality. 

Mountains And Microclimate Equal An Esteemed Vineyard

In Vaduz, the Herawingert vineyard and the winery became property of the princely house. Today, it is the most esteemed and important vineyard in Liechtenstein. It is considered the center of winegrowing in the country and is one of the best sites in the Rhine River Valley.

Harvest at Herawingert

The southwesterly exposure, mild climate, and soils rich in limestone and slate are ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The unique microclimate is created by the surrounding 6,500-foot mountains and the Föhn winds: warm, dry downward-sloping winds that occur on the leeward side of the Alps. Vines are more than 40 years old and are cultivated by hand.

Today, the estate features restaurant Torkel, a Michelin-starred establishment situated in a medieval building that was once used for the vinification of princely grapes.

Harvest work at Hofkellerei Liechtenstein Wilfersdorf

The princely winery in Wilfersdorf, Austria, has been in the princely family since the 15th century. The family’s ancestral seat, Palace Wilferdorf, and the Karlsberg and Johannesbergen vineyards are located in northeastern Niederösterreich. White cuvees, Rieslings, Grüner Veltliner, and concentrated reds age slowly in centuries-old vaulted aging cellars on the estate.

The area has a Pannonian climate, a type of Continental climate that features hot summers, cold winters, moderate rainfall, and low humidity. The climate, along with loess soils with dissolved limestone, allows the production of distinctive cool-climate wines. 

Winery Managing Director Stefan Tscheppe

Since 2018, Stefan Tscheppe has been directing the wineries in Liechtenstein and Austria, as well as the Torkel. He has a strong reputation for the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Vaduz as well as the Rieslings, Grüner Veltliner, and white blends grown in Austria. 

Growing up at the 90-acre winery of his family in Southern Styria, Austria, he started with high-end Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay at an early age, before moving to California in 2005 and running Perry Creek winery in the Sierra Foothills. He returned to Austria in  2012 and took over as director of the Esterhazy wineries in Burgenland and Hungary.

Sipping Princely Wines

We had the opportunity to taste three princely wines:

Reid Karlsberg 2021 Cuvée – A complex blend of Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, it ripples with citrus fruit and floral notes. Its Alpine nature is evident in the flinty minerality and stone fruit. The wine uses wild fermentation, and a portion is aged on the lees. The grapes are from old vines grown in sparse and silty soil high in limestone content. For me, this was an eye-opening experience. I didn’t know Riesling and Grüner were capable of such a multi-dimensional expression of the terroir.

Herrnbaumgarten 2022 Cuvée – A blend of half Riesling and Grüner, this is a lucious wine with the aroma of tropical fruit. On the palate, it’s juicy with white peach and honeysuckle. This is a lighter expression of the blend, wrapped in a salty minerality. On a hot humid day, this is a welcome reprieve.

Ried Herawingert 2020 Pinot Noir – Herawingert has been one of the most important vineyards in the Rhine River Valley for 1,000 years. The vines grow at the foot of a mountain range, on a mix of slate and limestone soil. True to its Alpine heritage, the wine offers austere notes of smoky black cherry and a precise and stony palate. There are deep notes of dried fruit, cocoa, and subtle strawberry. The old vines give this Pinot a character to savor. 

These wines are indeed fit for a prince, but you are invited to enjoy them as well. If they are not stocked at your fine wine store, try Archetyp in Portland, which specializes in Alpine wines and spirits.

Vineyard and castle photos courtesy of Princely Wines of Liechtenstein.