august 2017 31Peter Wolff
Vintner and Heurigenwirt (inn keeper)
by CORINNA BERGER
“Working in nature makes
you happy - to see
how the plants grow
and everything comes
together. And when you
make a product yourself, it
is a real success.”
Peter Wolff was destined to be a
vintner. As a child, he would follow his
parents around the vineyard and help
them wherever he could. He was
eager to learn and knew all the people
working there by their first name.
Together with other members of the
family, he now runs the vineyard
Weingut Wolff and the family’s wine
tavern, or Heuriger, in the 19th district.
They produce a variety of wines, the
most popular being the region’s
typical Grüner Veltliner.
“To have some wine with some
friends after a long day of work is a
wonderful thing,” says Wolff. For the
Viennese, he says, wine is an import-
ant part of the good life. For many, the
presentation of the latest wine each
fall is the best part of the year.
“I think it’s every vintner’s highlight
to try the first wine each year. It’s about
discovering what it tastes like, seeing if
it turned out well and if the customers
like it.”
After a busy day at Heuriger Wolff,
which serves traditional Viennese
food like Schweinsbraten and Knödel,
the winemaker likes to retreat to his
vineyard, which stretches all the way
to the edge of the Wienerwald. “The
best thing out here is that you can be
by yourself,” he says. “This is one of the
most beautiful regions in the country,
with a great view of Vienna.”
Wolff is a straightforward man,
which in combination with his relaxed,
down-to-earth-manner, makes his
company very pleasant. This is
undoubtedly helpful when interacting
with the many customers frequenting
his Heuriger daily.
“Sometimes hungry people come
in who are a little grumpy. But the
really important thing is that everyone
leaves happy.”
october 2017 31