6/17/26 - 

As I was looking through some of my past offers on Austrian wine, I was a bit shocked to realize that during all my time here, I have included wines of Nikolaihof in themed offers or kept a few wines on the shelves, but have never given them the spotlight they deserve. As one of the most historically rich wineries in the world, and one that so perfectly aligns with the heart and soul of CSW, I am really excited today to show off the stunning, singular, and unique wines of this fantastic estate. 

Nikolaihof is one of the oldest estates in Austria and contains some of the richest history that I have ever encountered within a winery. The foundations of the estate date back to the Roman fort Favianis in 63 A.D. and wine has been produced at the estate since as early as 63 B.C. Over thousands of years the winery passed hands up until 1894 when Anton and Anna Saahs acquired it. They proceeded to continue the long traditions the monks had put into place by farming without the use of pesticides and herbicides. In the late 1960s Nikolaus and Christine Saahs were at the helm of the estate and they pushed even further by converting the farming entirely to biodynamic, achieving Demeter certification in 1998. This makes them one of the longest biodynamic practicing wineries in the world! In 2005 Nikolaus and Christine's son Nikolaus Jr. (Niki) took over and has since been joined by his partner Katharina Salzgeber who is now the estate's cellarmaster. In addition to vines, they also have a biodynamic farm with an array of herbs, fruits, and flowers that help support their beehives too. For an even more detailed look at the history of the estate, click here.

Large Austrian oak barrel at Nikolaihof (Photo: Katja Scharnagl)

Once picked, all the grapes undergo careful, mild pressings before being fermented with native yeasts. The wines all age in the estate's 700-year-old cellar that was built in a Roman crypt that stay incredibly cold. They use Austrian oak barrels that range from 2,000-12,000 liters to age the wines on the lees. What is even more special about so many wines from Nikolaihof is their extended aging and late releases. While so many Austrian producers are currently showing 2024s and 2025s, they have 2023s alongside wines from 2019-2008 that were recently bottled. These wines provide a unique lens into how spectacular Riesling and Grüner Veltliner age. With the extended time on the fine lees, this magical balance occurs of maturity alongside youthful freshness. I cannot pinpoint any other wines like these! 

Their more introductory wines are also not to be missed, these wines showcase how special Riesling and Grüner Veltliner are from the Wachau and are excellent wines to sip on during the summer months; fresh, citrusy, and full of flavor. Across the board, the wines of Nikolaihof are a benchmark for so many others in their region and continue to push the envelope on how incredible wines from Austria can be.

-Hanna Krilov Cohen

In addition to offering these wines today, we are very excited to have Marlene Bergkirchner, Nikolaihof's Export Manager in stores with us on Monday 6/22 for a special in store tasting! 5 of these fantastic wines will be open for all to taste from 5-7pm and Marlene will be here to guide you through this special lineup

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