Organic Austrian estate managed by wife and husband Adriana and Martin which celebrates both their Spanish and Austrian heritage through authentic, terroir-driven wines.
Hearing about Lichtenberger González was one of those beautiful moments it is hard not to describe as destiny. A late solo dinner at one of Vienna’s top wine bars, a helpful sommelier, and my favourite question: “What wine from your country are you the most excited about right now?”
He poured a special label of Grüner Veltliner by Lichtenberger Gonzáles and I was floored. I have consumed many (MANY) Grüners in my time but this was something different, emotional. Not just a great Austrian wine, but one of the greatest wines – full stop – I had tasted in a long time. This began an obsession which has only grown and been further reinforced by every wine I taste from these two humble farmers.
“Every single one of our (few) wines is a reflection of our two souls and yet still feels at one with itself, with us and with the world.”
Lichtenberger González is a spirited partnership between husband and wife, Martin and Adriana. Both come from wine-making families (Adriana from Galicia, Spain; Martin is a local to Breitenbrunn in the Leithaberg region of Austria) and met during an internship in Sonoma, California. Combining their knowledge, experience, and traditions now in Martin’s hometown they are crafting artisanal, low-intervention, gorgeous wines based on local grapes.
Breintenbrunn is located on the northwest corner of the Lake Neusiedl, in the shadow of the the Leitha Mountains in the Burgenland. This is the farthest outcrop of the alps! Winegrowing here dates back as far as the Celts. While most of Burgenland is more preoccupied with red grapes like Rotberger and Blaufränkisch, Leithaberg offers a unique diversity of soils which are well suited to both red and white grape growing. Slate and schist can be found mostly in the higher elevation sites infusing wines with distinct minerality, while in the mid-range a calcareous band of shell-limestone (or muschelkalk, as it is referred to locally) adds a distinct salty character. This tension and energy expresses itself beautifully through all the grapes Lichtenberger González work with including varietal bottlings and blends of Grüner Veltliner, Neuburger, Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Rotberger, and Blaufränkisch.
“Nature herself knows quite well what she wants and does not need any certificates to be completely herself. Just like us.”
Winemaking at Lichtenberger González is intentionally slow and patient. Fermentations are spontaneous, relying on indigenous yeasts and take place in neutral oak barrels. Lees aging is extended to encourage texture and offer natural protection for the wines. Everything starts with organically grown fruit from their 9ha estate. Most of the red grapes are destemmed and white grapes are pressed as whole clusters along with their stems. Fermentation is quick and punch downs are all done by hand to avoid over-extraction and preserve the purity and vibrancy of fruit.
Winemaking is not an insular endeavour, but rather a community undertaking. Adriana and Martin draw inspiration locally from time spent at Rosi Schuster, Heinrich, and while sharing each other’s wines with friends – including some of our faves like Stefan at Kolfok! Combine all of this with their incredible vineyard sites, naturally surrounded by trees and dense with biodiversity, along with older vines grown on schist and limestone soils, and you can see how these wines are so special.
We cannot wait for you to try them!
Lichtenberger González Summer 2026 Offer: Coming Soon!
Our next offer of Lichtenberger González wines will arrive this summer. Please get in touch to view the full offer & secure an allocation:
2022 Muschelkalk Weiss
2023 Flor de Pinot
2021 Weißburgunder
2023 Tres Cuartos
Previous Lichtenberger González Allocations
Configuration: (6 x 750mL)
Winery: Lichtenberger González
Appellation: Breitenbrunn, Burgenland, Austria
Philosophy/Practices: Organic
Grape Variety: Grüner veltliner, welschriesling, weißburgunder (pinot blanc!)
ABV: 12.5%
Bergamot tea, white citrus, grapefruit pith, delicate spring blossoms; wet stone and chalky mineral for days!
Winemaker's notes: A snapshot of the varying soils and exposures in Adriana and Martin’s Leithaberg vineyards, this Muschelkalk Weiss is an incredible foray into the Lichtenberger González range. So begins the dissertation on freshness-meets-concentration that makes these wines so magical.
Why we love it: Muschelkalk is the local name for the shell-limestone calcareous band of soil that runs through much of LG’s organic vineyards, and adds a distinctly saline note to the wines. It’s a well-deserved nod to the geography of this region, which Adriana and Martin so deftly translate through their holistic farming and low-intervention winemaking. The Muschelkalk wines aren’t “entry” level; rather, they’re exceptional snapshots of the entire vineyard site, expressed through multiple grape varieties that grow together there.
Configuration: (6 x 750mL)
Winery: Lichtenberger González
Appellation: Breitenbrunn, Burgenland, Austria
Philosophy/Practices: Organic
Grape Variety: Blaufränkisch and rotburger
ABV: 13.5%
Winemaker's notes: A snapshot of the varying soils and exposures in Adriana and Martin’s organic vineyards, this Muschelkalk Rot is an incredible foray into the Lichtenberger González range. So begins the dissertation on freshness-meets-concentration that makes these wines so magical.
Why we love it: Muschelkalk is the local name for the shell-limestone calcareous band of soil that runs through much of LG’s organic vineyards, and adds a distinctly saline note to the wines. It’s a well-deserved nod to the geography of this region, which Adriana and Martin so deftly translate through their holistic farming and low-intervention winemaking. The Muschelkalk wines aren’t “entry” level; rather, they’re exceptional snapshots of the entire vineyard site, expressed through multiple grape varieties that grow together there.
The dominating blaufränkisch in this cuvée lends a peppery, steely graphite vein that we absolutely love - a hallmark of this Austrian variety. Blau is an incredible translator of terroir and can be found in full-bodied, full-force iterations, or in much more reigned-in and elegant examples. Adriana and Martin’s blau and blau-based reds exemplify the latter.
Configuration: (6 x 750mL)
Winery: Lichtenberger González
Appellation: Breitenbrunn, Burgenland, Austria
Philosophy/Practices: Organic
Grape Variety: 100% blaufränkisch
ABV: 13.5%
Saline and graphite mineral, blackberry, pink peppercorn, purple blossom.
Winemaker's notes: The soil gradient in Adriana and Martin’s vineyards moves between pure limestone and pure slate. For this red, made with blaufränkisch vines that AVERAGE 50 years old, the couple strategically farm in very low yields to ensure maximum concentration of its exceptional, aromatic qualities. Aging occurs on the lees (an anaerobic environment) in large, predominantly neutral Austrian oak and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Why we love it: Blaufränkisch has the potential to be a full-bodied, full-force red wine. Particularly along Austria’s eastern border in the wider Burgenland appellation (where Lichtenberger González is) it is still often made à la Parker-era: picked very ripe and aged in tons of new oak. So imagine taking that power and distilling it down into a wine that is made to be more nuanced and elegant. You get the force of its power in the gorgeous, prominent aromatics, and a transcendent structure that’s led by freshness instead of alcohol.
In our experience, this cuvée is one of Austria’s stand-out reds… a wine that you should seek out whenever possible. Only 18 bottles available.