Taste and Tour Small Organic Wineries with a Winemaker

What makes this tour interesting is the mix of small producers and real winemaking, all in a short, organized route from Krems. You get a guided look at how grapes turn into wine, from vineyard decisions to cellar aging. I love that it stays hands-on and personal, meeting people behind the bottles. I also love the variety: organic classics like Grüner Veltliner alongside experimental French varietals and even a Pet Nat sparkling goal.

One thing to consider is that the pace is partly “wine craft plus movement.” You’ll spend about 2.5 hours on the actual tour with breaks for driving, and there’s some hiking plus cellar access that may involve stepping down into smaller spaces.

Key takeaways before you go

• Winemaker-led tastings at multiple small wineries, not just a quick pour and a photo.
• Organic focus with different styles, from amphora and steel aging to Pet Nat sparkling experiments.
• Real regional texture: Kremsleithen, Brunn im Felde, Schoenberg am Kamp, and Langenlois all fit together.
• A short vineyard viewpoint walk near the Welterbesteig for a breather at the end.
• Flexible meeting options if you are coming from Vienna by train or boat.

Why Krems and the Danube corridor is ideal for organic wine tasting

Krems an der Donau is a smart base for a wine day because it sits right where the Danube makes it easy to connect vineyard areas. The tour uses that natural geography, with the river corridor acting as the thread between stops. You’re not just driving across a blank map. You’re moving through connected wine communities, with views and village details that actually explain why these wines taste the way they do.

This route also gives you a good sense of how Austrian wine thinking can be both traditional and experimental at the same time. You’ll see organic farming as a baseline, but the winemaking choices are allowed to differ. One stop leans into single-vineyard identity and aging methods like amphora. Another concentrates on Grüner Veltliner from long-established holdings. Then you finish with sparkling experiments that aim for Pet Nat balance, rather than copying what the big champagne brands do.

If you like wine that has a point of view, this area tends to deliver. And if you’re still learning what you like, the variety helps you find patterns fast.

What you get for about $114, and why it can be good value

At about $114.02 per person for roughly 3 hours, the value comes from stacking several quality experiences into one morning or afternoon: multiple winery visits plus guided tastings, not just one stop. The tour is private, so it’s not a “herd you through the door” style. It’s listed as offered in English, and mobile tickets make it easier once you’re there.

Two practical value notes. First, admission tickets are free at the stops, which matters on tours where venue fees can quietly add up. Second, you’re not doing the logistics alone. You have a built-in route with about 30 minutes of driving between locations and the rest focused on tastings and talk.

Is it a bargain compared to DIY tastings? Not usually. But it can be a better deal than renting a car and hoping you can get meaningful access. Small wineries do not always work like big tourism factories. This tour does the connecting for you.

Meeting in Krems: how to set yourself up smoothly from Vienna

The meeting point is Bahnhofpl. 2, 3500 Krems an der Donau, and the tour ends back there. If you are staying in Vienna, you can keep things simple with a direct train to Krems, a scenic ride along the Danube. You can also come into Krems by boat from Vienna, then meet at the boat station. If neither works, you can coordinate a meeting spot.

The tour hours run Monday to Saturday, 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Because the day is set up around winery visits, plan to get there with enough time to orient yourself before the start. Also, the experience requires a moderate fitness level, so give yourself time to move at ease, especially if you are coming from a ship or walking a longer route from a station.

The best approach: travel light, wear shoes you trust on uneven ground, and be ready for small spaces underground.

Stop 1: Kapitel Zwei Wine in Kremsleithen and the single-vineyard story

Your first stop is Kapitel Zwei Wine in Kremsleithen, reached by a drive from sea level up about 400 meters through winding vineyard roads. That climb is not just scenery. It sets the tone for how much slope and elevation matter in this region.

The big idea here is experimentation with French grape varietals grown organically and sustainably, then aged in amphora and steel tanks. You’ll hear about varietals such as Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, and Sémillon, and how those grapes behave in this particular place.

There’s also a powerful vineyard story tied to Kremsleithen itself. The grapes come from a single vineyard site called a ried, and this specific vineyard had been abandoned for decades before being replanted in May 2022. The site sits about 300 meters above sea level, with loamy, sandy soil and clay. Even if you are not a soil nerd, it helps to understand why the winemaker would obsess over one parcel instead of blending everything into a generic style.

What you’ll likely enjoy most at this stop is the sense of “chapter by chapter” winemaking. The name Kapitel Zwei, meaning Chapter Two, fits the idea: this is not a museum of tradition. It’s a living project. If you enjoy learning how ambitious growers build something new without throwing the region’s identity away, this is a strong first landing point.

Stop 2: Mantlerhof in Brunn im Felde for organic Grüner Veltliner

Next you head to Weingut Mantlerhof in Gedersdorf, near where the Kamp river merges with the Danube. In clear conditions, you may notice hints of Krems to the west and the towers of Grafenegg to the east. It’s a small geography lesson built into the route.

Mantlerhof sits in a village setting, with a pond near the center and an old manor with an early classicist facade. That manor is Mantlerhof, a family-owned winery with roots going back to 1365, and a working tradition carried forward by the Mantler family for over 200 years.

This stop focuses on organic wines made from 15 hectares of vineyards. The key varietals they emphasize are Grüner Veltliner and Roter Veltliner. If your taste runs classic Austrian, this is the anchor stop. Grüner Veltliner can range from crisp and mineral to more rounded and textured depending on the vineyard and harvest. Roter Veltliner adds another layer of variety without moving too far outside what many first-time visitors want.

A practical note: while Kapitel Zwei feels like a project and Mantlerhof feels like a heritage anchor. That contrast is exactly why the tour works. It gives you a wider view of what organic can mean in Austria: from careful historical cultivation to modern sustainable ambition.

Stop 3: Weingut Feldtheorie with Ulrike Filp and Robert Bormuth in Kamptal

Then the tour shifts to Schoenberg am Kamp, where Weingut Feldtheorie is run by Ulrike Filp and Robert Bormuth, along with friends and family. This is another small-scale operation, but what makes it especially interesting is the winemaker mindset.

During their studies in natural sciences, they discovered a love for wine after a trip to New Zealand. Later, they took internships in Germany, Australia, and Austria. Eventually, they settled in Wachau and later bought vineyard parcels in neighboring Kamptal.

Their goal is pretty clear: pass the uniqueness of Kamptal into the glass. That matters because it suggests they are not trying to make a generic “international” wine. They’re trying to translate a specific place, through choices they make in cellar and vineyard.

From a visitor point of view, this stop often becomes one of the best because you can ask direct questions and get thoughtful answers. The couple runs things together, so you tend to hear about both vineyard decisions and practical cellar work. If you’ve ever wondered why one wine tastes more delicate while another feels sturdier, Kamptal is a region where those differences can make sense quickly once you connect them to the growers’ logic.

Stop 4: WeinSchach in Langenlois and the Pet Nat experiment

In Langenlois, you visit the sparkling-focused winery WeinSchach. This stop is for people who love a challenge in a bottle. Their philosophy is that nature supplies what an extraordinary wine needs, and the wine should unfold freely in the bottle.

The destination is a Pet Nat, built on equal footing with the great sparkling wines of the world. To chase that balance, they experiment. Sometimes experimentation means going back to earlier steps. The point is learning and improving based on what happens, not forcing a single formula.

They work biologically in production, and the sparkling wines are harvested by hand. They also mention that the wines are de gorged. You’ll hear what that means for their method and why it supports their style goals.

If you’ve mostly tasted still wines in Austria, this stop is a nice pivot. Even if you do not buy a bottle, you’ll get a new way to think about Austrian wine identity. Sparkling here is not an afterthought. It’s the main project, and the personality of the winemaker shows up in the approach.

Stop 5: Ausblick am Welterbesteig for a quick vineyard viewpoint

The tour ends with a short 7-10 minute walk through vineyards to a viewing point at Ausblick am Welterbesteig. This is not a long hike, but it does provide a needed reset after cellar time. It also helps you picture what you tasted. After tasting different soils and farming styles, the physical view makes it click.

Bring a layer if the weather is cool. The cellar stops can be chilly, and the walk can feel different once you’re outside. Also, wear shoes with grip. The walking portion is short, but Austrian vineyard paths can be uneven.

How to get more from the winemaker conversations and tastings

One reason this tour earns strong marks is that the day is not just passive tasting. You have time to ask questions, and the hosts explain what they are doing and why. That can include everything from how the vineyard is planted to how aging choices affect flavor.

Here are a few ways to make it pay off for you:

• Start with your comfort level. If you are new to Austrian wine, say so. You’ll get explanations in a way that helps you build a simple framework instead of drowning in jargon.
• Ask one “why” question per stop. Why amphora here, why steel there. Why organic practice fits their goals. Why Pet Nat, and why not a more straightforward sparkling style.
• Notice how the styles change across stops. Kapitel Zwei’s French varietal approach versus Mantlerhof’s Grüner and Roter Veltliner focus is a clean comparison.
• If you have strong preferences, tell the guide. It helps them steer your tastings toward your tastes rather than giving you a random mix.

If you like the idea of learning without feeling like you are sitting through a lecture, this is a strong fit. The best moments tend to be when you can connect a smell or taste in your glass to a specific decision the winemaker made.

Who this tour fits best, and who should think twice

This is best for you if you want a craft-driven, small-producer wine day around Krems and the wider Danube valley. It’s also great if you enjoy a mix of organic farming plus winemaking experimentation, like amphora-aged varietals and a Pet Nat-focused sparkling stop.

It may not be ideal if you struggle with stairs or steep uneven spots underground. The tour is not recommended if you cannot walk down into a cellar. It also notes that some parts involve small rooms, so if that makes you uncomfortable, plan accordingly.

Because there is some hiking plus a short vineyard walk at the end, people with limited mobility should think carefully. Moderate physical fitness is the target.

Should you book this organic winemaker tour?

If your goal is an authentic wine day with real people behind the bottles, I think it’s a solid choice. The biggest strengths are the winemaker access and the way the tour balances styles, heritage, and experimentation across multiple small wineries. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of Austrian wine beyond the usual headline labels.

Book it if you want:

• a private, English-friendly tour in the Krems area
• tastings that explain vineyard and cellar decisions
• a day trip from Vienna that feels like more than a bus ride

Skip it or reassess if:

• you cannot manage cellar steps
• small interior spaces bother you
• you want a totally low-movement outing with minimal walking

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Bahnhofpl. 2, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria and ends back at the same meeting point.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about 3 hours. About 2.5 hours are spent on the wine tour and about 30 minutes are driving between locations.

Is pickup available from Vienna?

Pickup is offered and the meeting point can be flexible. If you stay in Vienna, you can take the direct train to Krems and meet at the train station, or arrive by boat from Vienna and meet at the boat station.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. It is a private tour or activity, so only your group participates.

What wineries and styles are included?

You’ll visit Kapitel Zwei Wine, Weingut Mantlerhof, Weingut Feldtheorie, and WeinSchach, then finish with a short vineyard walk at Ausblick am Welterbesteig.

Is there hiking or walking?

Yes. The tour requires moderate physical fitness level, includes some hiking, and ends with a short 7-10 minute walk through vineyards.

Is it suitable if I cannot walk down into a cellar?

No. It is not recommended for travelers who cannot walk down into a cellar.

How much does it cost?

The price is $114.02 per person.

What is the cancellation policy?

Free cancellation is available. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience starts, the amount paid is not refunded.