In Liebenfels

Buschenschank rethought: wine invites you to eat

Christina and Christoph Maltschnig have dedicated themselves to winegrowing. They have their own wine cellar and run a wine tavern, where horses can also be found.(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

In Liebenfels, a wine tavern is run with a strong focus on regional cooperation with many farmers.  

Christina and Christoph Maltschnig have taken a new approach to wine taverns. Normally, meat products, dairy products, vegetables etc. are produced directly on the farm and then served as a snack on site.

The Maltschnigs offer wine tastings.(Bild: zvg)

A wonderfully cozy get-together.(Bild: zvg)

This is where the wine is grown.(Bild: zvg)

Special offer
"But we buy the produce from our neighbors and put together a colorful snack," explain the two parents, thus relying heavily on regional cooperation. What do the Maltschnigs put on the table? Home-produced wines - ranging from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Cabernet Blanc to blossom muscatel and frizzante variations.

"Wine is our main product, so to speak, and we specialized in it years ago," explains the winemaker, who took over the former farm with livestock from his family. However, restructuring was necessary for the professional snowboarder. "I always wanted to take over the farm, but I just wanted to run it differently - to move into a niche where you can set the price of your products yourself."

Did you know that...

• there are 51 wine taverns in Carinthia
• 30 years ago there were as many as 200
• Carinthia has the strictest wine tavern law in Austria
• the first wine taverns have already started the season

Growing bigger and bigger
And that's how winegrowing came about. "We started small in 2014 and gradually expanded," says the winegrowing couple with satisfaction and gratitude. Christina and Christoph also rely on the help of their friends and families. "Everyone helps with the harvest. Many hands are needed here." The couple focus on sustainable cultivation. "We do without pesticides as much as possible." The tavern will reopen in June.