Everything Michael Moosbrugger creates endures.
Whether it’s his wines (which not only have remarkable ageing potential but are vinified and matured according to the rules of traditional winemaking) or his latest project (the newly constructed cask cellar, which has been built to last for millennia—or at least for the next ten generations!), Moosbrugger always has his eye on the long term.
Now Moosbrugger has added another enduring artefact to his legacy—he has written a book, Schloss Gobelsburg: Oenocultural Heritage Austria.
A secret project
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With the opening of the estate’s magnificent new cask cellar, which was completed under Moosbrugger’s directorship after three years of construction, and the release of a new white wine cuvée (with the grand title TRADITION Heritage 50 Jahre—an absolute first for Austria), Schloss Gobelsburg celebrated an extraordinary anniversary in 2021: 850 years of oeno-cultural heritage: cultural development expressed in wine.
For the Moosbrugger family, “tradition” means passing on the flame, rather than lingering over the ashes. And this is exactly what one feels within the walls of the Schloss and in conversation with this passionate and thoughtful winegrower.
For some people, the words “tradition” and “heritage” may have slightly antiquated connotations. But that idea is soon dispelled at Schloss Gobelsburg. At 55 years of age, and with 30 years as a winegrower and 15 years as president of the growers’ association Österreichische Traditionsweingüter under his belt, Michi Moosbrugger has been and remains one of the most dynamic figures in Austrian viticulture.
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As well as overseeing a range of events during the recent exciting—but also challenging—months, and on top of his daily work at the estate, Moosbrugger turned his attention to another, hitherto-secret project. He did exactly what one might hope and expect from someone who is both extraordinarily passionate about his work and widely known for an expertise that extends far beyond the confines of his role: he wrote a book.
“As the centuries pass in review…”
Schloss Gobelsburg: Oenocultural Heritage Austria is dedicated to the long history of the estate and is intended to document and preserve it for future generations.
“In Schloss Gobelsburg: Oenocultural Heritage Austria have tried to do more than just work through the history of one of the oldest wine estates in Austria,” Moosbrugger explains. “We have also tried to provide some insight into the cultural and historical development of Austrian viticulture over the centuries. A number of subjects—such as “wine and Zeitgeist, longing, and inspiration”—are illuminated and discussed by noted personalities from the contemporary wine world.”
Together with his co-authors Alexander Rabl (culinary journalist), Andreas Gamerith (art historian), Philipp Blom (author & historian), David Schildknecht (American wine critic), Vea Kaiser (author), Stephan Reinhard (Parker Wine Advocate critic), Willi Klinger (managing director of Wein & Co), and others, Moosbrugger has created a multi-layered perspective on Schloss Gobelsburg’s vinous heritage and packed it into a wide-ranging, aesthetic volume—a book that is a veritable must-have for any wine library.
A retrospective that documents the dynamic tension between the preservation of the traditional and the urge for renewal—and draws on the experiences and responsibilities of a “highly experienced and curious cellerarius”—Schloss Gobelsburg: Oenocultural Heritage Austria provides a wealth of distinctive material for reading, reflection, and discussion.
“It offers an in-depth look into the fascinating world of Austrian wine and a detailed portrait one of the oldest wineries in the world,” says Moosbrugger.
in the spirit of Schloss Gobelsburg’s timeless elegance, Schloss Gobelsburg: Oenocultural Heritage Austria, provides a fitting culmination to the estate’s jubilee year and is available in well-stocked bookshops and via www.gobelsburg.at.
