25 / 93
AUSTRIA
25
Paul Achs
WINERY OVERVIEW
Paul Achs returned to the family winery in Gols in 1991 after spending time in California where
he learned to produce red wines at the highest level of quality. Achs transformed the estate
from white wine production to red in the mid-1990s and was essential in the formation of
several growers associations, raising the profile of wines produced in the area. Today, Achs
grows 90% red grapes from 61.8 acres (25 hectares) of biodynamically farmed vineyards. He
is considered an expert with Blaufränkisch which represents over half of his production and
is known for wines characterized by elegance and finesse. Paul Achs was awarded Falstaff’s
“Winemaker of the Year” in 1994.
LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Gols is a small winemaking village located in the Neusiedlersee district of Austria’s Burgenland
region. The vineyards of Paul Achs are situated in two main areas around Gols. Heideboden,
a flat and gravelly area between Gols and the lake, is a consistent source of fresh and easy
drinking red wines. The second area is the Parndorfer Platte, a south-facing escarpment of
complex soils situated near the villages of Gols and Mönchoff. The Parndorfer Platte is the
source of Achs’ three single vineyard Blaufränkisch: Ungerberg, Altenberg and Spiegel. Here,
the diversity of soil combines with a southern exposure to give wines of profound expression
and longevity.