News//Press
Monastery winery Herzogenburg turns water into wine.
For years, the monastery wine estate Herzogenburg has made a name for itself with exceptional wines – and now with an extraordinary idea.
Located in the midst of Traisental in Lower Austria, the idyllic monastery wine estate is one of the oldest wine cellars in the region – with an eventful history that dates back to the 14th century.
‘Dr. Schelling approached me one day. During the conversation it became clear that he was looking for a vineyard. At that time our previous tenant was about to retire and I asked Dr. Schelling to develop a concept. After long negotiations he was the new tenant. I comment this with the following words: He has the money, the monastery has the estate and that is how this wonderful partnership originated’, says Provost Fürnsinn about the beginnings of neo-vintner Schelling.
What has not changed over the past 600 years however is the care and high standard of the quality of the wines. Dr. Hans Jörg Schelling upheld these values and managed the vineyard’s affairs from 2009 until starting as finance minister for the federal government last year.
Previously, Dr. Schelling was a member of the Supervisory Board of XXXLutzGmbH, Vice President of the Economic Chamber of Austria and Chairman of the Presidential Board in the Federation of the Austrian Social Security Administration. Nevertheless, six years ago he started carving out enough time to turn his great passion into a profession and to lease the wine estate of the monastery Herzogenburg.
The same energy he used to advance XXXLutz to the world’s second largest furniture chain, is now poured into the production of fine wines. With creativity and entrepreneurship he gave the winery a distinctive appearance. His daughter Julia, a successful entrepreneur herself, has been responsible for marketing and sales for the vineyard since 2009. She continues writing this success story since Dr. Schelling’s inauguration as finance minister with great enthusiasm. The agency DEMNER, MERLICEK & BERGMANN is proud to be part of it.
Since I have supported my father Hans Jörg Schelling from the start in marketing and sales, I am rather well acquainted with the business. Naturally, the management of the winery is a novel and very exciting challenge, which I gladly took on after his appointment as minister of finance. Thanks to my personal ambition, commitment and first and foremost our highly motivated team, we will be able to continue to successfully lead the monastery winery Herzogenburg. Our award winning products and innovative ideas, as well as the new ‘Water turns to Wine’ labels, which perfectly complement our motto ‘tradition NEWLY experienced’ are the best guarantor for the success of the winery’, said Julia Schelling.
A birthday present with consequences
At last year’s reception for Dr. Schelling’s 60iest birthday, the creatives of Lehárstreet surprised the honoree – with whom they have been connected in the decade long collaboration for Austria’s largest furniture chain store – with an extraordinary gift: matching the inextricably linked history of the church with the monastery winery, altar wine labels were designed, which miraculously turned water into wine. The thermo-active label at room temperature shows the lettering ‘water’. When the bottle has been in the refrigerator long enough, magic happens and the word ‘wine’ appears. The neo-vintner was so impressed by the wondrous label that the small birthday present idea turned into a grand idea for all wine lovers, making the unusual bottles ready for the market and available at WEIN&CO.
Heinz Kammerer, founder of WEIN&CO: ‘Retail thrives on impulses and innovation, the wine trade is no exception. The new creation of the monastery winery Herzogenburg ‘water turns to wine’ allows us to offer our customers a superior product with an element of surprise on top of it. Now everybody can create a small miracle in the comfort of their home, show it off to the guests and pour it.’
‘The monastery winery Herzogenburg under the guidance of Dr. Schelling has shown courage for innovation and creativity. With this unusual idea for this unusual wine we could pay our tribute. We thank Julia Schelling, who from one day to the next - after her father left for the federal government- took over the wine estate, for her great cooperation and encouragement. The idea, that was made possible thanks to this, has already garnered first international awards. I am rather certain that many more will follow’, said Mariusz Jan Demner.