Hajszan Neumann

Two faces of a winegrower

In 2014, Fritz Wieninger took over the winery from his friend Stefan Hajszan and architect Heinz Neumann - and with it the opportunity to live out his passion for uncompromising natural wines. While Stefan emigrated to New Zealand, Fritz now runs two completely different projects in parallel: The classic Wieninger winery stands for Viennese elegance, Hajszan Neumann, on the other hand, favours unbridled experimentation. This is where wines like the Natural Gemischter Satz 2023, which takes the traditional Viennese speciality into completely new dimensions. This deliberate division enables Fritz to inspire both purists and avant-gardists.

Stefan Hajszan had already been First Viennese winegrower to switch to biodynamics - a vision that Fritz continues to pursue with the same rigour. As Co-President of RESPEKT-BIODYN, he works closely with colleagues such as Fred Loimer from the Loimer to promote the biodynamic movement in Austria.

Wild West on Vienna's Nussberg

The 20 hectares on the Nussberg in Grinzing are among the most the capital's most traditional vineyards. Vines grow here on weathered limestone soils in the Nussberg, Weissleiten and Steinberg vineyards - some of which are among the oldest in Austria. But while other winegrowers on the Nussberg rely on tried-and-tested vinification, Hajszan Neumann is governed by the principle of radical non-intervention. The Natural Grüner Veltliner 2023 is produced by spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, five months in concrete eggs, followed by ageing in older 500-litre barrels.

Vienna is one of the few capital cities in the world with its own vineyards within the city limits - and Hajszan Neumann utilises this uniqueness for uncompromising natural wines. Any fining or filtration is taboo, The wines should show their raw, untamed side. This philosophy is also reflected in the Pet Nat Brut 2023 which transports the liveliness of spontaneous fermentation into the glass.

Gemischter Satz as a natural wine revolution

In 2013, the Viennese mixed set was the first type of wine to achieve DAC status - and Fritz Wieninger was instrumental in achieving this. As a founding member and chairman of the Winzervereinigung Wien Wein, he fought for the recognition of this unique tradition, in which different grape varieties are planted, harvested and vinified together. With Hajszan Neumann, he went one step further: This is where the first Viennese Gemischter Satz was created as a natural wine.

This innovation perfectly demonstrates Fritz's dual role - on the one hand a keeper of Viennese wine tradition, on the other a radical innovator. Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Traminer and Muscat grow side by side here, are harvested and vinified together. mash fermented to a wild, lively wine. The result deliberately polarises and shows how tradition and avant-garde can merge.

Experimental field with a gastronomic vision

At the winery, winemaking and culinary delights come together in the „Hans & Fritz“ restaurant, where top chef Juan Amador (Hans) and Fritz Wieninger work together. explore sensory limits. This collaboration reflects Hajszan Neumann's philosophy: it is all about bold experiments, about exploring new worlds of flavour beyond established norms.

Fritz Wieninger and Hajszan Neumann prove that even established winemakers can have their wild side. The wines should surprise, irritate and inspire - all at the same time. At a time when natural wines are often dismissed as a fad, this project shows how seriously and consistently top Austrian winemakers are taking this issue. Hajszan Neumann is more than just a winery - it is Fritz Wieninger's manifesto for uncompromising natural wine on Vienna's Nussberg.