Orange Crush 2025

Kremsleithen is derived from the steep slope (“Leiten” in German) that runs down to the river Krems. It was first mentioned in records dating back to 1266 and is located at 300 meters above sea level and composed of loamy, sandy soil and clay.

80% Riesling, 20% Müller Thurgau. 100% organic and low-intervention. Hand harvested in early September 2025 from two vineyards in Kremstal and Kamptal in Austria. The grapes were crushed separately by feet and left on the skins for seven to ten days as both fermented in steel tanks. The Riesling finished fermentation in December and remained on the gross lees until March 2026 where it was racked and combined with the Müller Thurgau in both a steel tank and a glass demijohn until bottling. Coincidentally, the 1988 R.E.M. song was playing during the foot stomping, so I named the vintage "Orange Crush". Tasting notes: tangerine peel and ginger and on the nose marmalade. Labels are produced on a 1954 Heidelberg press with the name of my winery "Kapitel Zwei" and the vintage hand stamped.

Kapitel Zwei or “Chapter Two” is an experiment to organically and sustainably grow French grape varietals, including Chenin Blanc, Roussanne and Sémillon, and age them in amphora for one year. The grapes are handpicked from a single vineyard or “ried” called Kremsleithen. It was abandoned decades ago and was replanted in May 2022 — my premier vintage was bottled on 31 August 2024. Kapitel Zwei focuses on small production, low-intervention, organic wines.