Thanks to Charles VI!

“Imperial” wine press ennobles famous winegrowing village

Cellar master Konrad Reisacher, Deputy Mayor Dagma Händler and head of the village Ferdinand Köck in the former imperial press house.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

Although viticulture in Gumpoldskirchen dates back to the Romans, its good reputation is thanks to a Habsburg. The "Krone" asked him for you.

Gumpoldskirchen has had a reputation as a wine-growing town for centuries. And rightly so, as the ancient Romans had already recognized the suitability of the soil around today's wine-growing community in the district of Mödling for viticulture. Later ruling dynasties did the same. Viticulture was particularly close to the heart of the Habsburgs and later Emperor Charles VI, who had a winery and press house built in what is now the Melkerhof in 1690, complete with a huge wine press.

Ten meter long press tree
The royal insignia with the coat of arms and a ten-kilogram lion's head can still be seen on the huge wooden beam today. "You could press more than four tons of grapes with the ten-metre-long press beam," explains cellar master Konrad Reisacher. According to tradition, Emperor Karl personally ran the vineyards here and also lived in Gumpoldskirchen during the harvest to oversee the production of the grape juice. "His bedroom is even said to have had direct access to the wine cellar," say village head Ferdinand Köck and Deputy Mayor Dagmar Händler, who are very familiar with the intricacies of local history.

After his coronation as emperor, Charles VI handed over the winery to the imperial administration, his daughter Maria Theresa finally sold it to the Benedictines of Melk. In 1970, it was leased to the long-established Aigner winegrowing family. Landlady Margit Aigner brought the former imperial press house back to life - today you can tie the knot in front of Emperor Karl's wine press in the Melkerhof.