Behind the vine

Adriana González - Lichtenberger-Gonzalez - Breitenbrunn, Austria

When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?

I fell in love with wine many years ago. I am from Galicia, Spain and my family is in gastronomy. I grew up in a restaurant, surrounded by wine. When I was a teenager, I remember my aunt was making a special dish with some truffles and duck, and when it was put on the table my aunt poured a glass of Sauternes. I remember this moment because while food and wine were around me in my life, this moment was different.

Later on, I studied agriculture and viticulture and in the Summer I would work harvests to earn money. I decided to specialize in winemaking and I met my partner, Martin, in California during a 5 month intensive in Sonoma.

What story does your wine tell?

We are living our dream here in Austria. We take care of every part of the vine's growth, the cellar work, and the bottling. Our wine is part of us, telling our history, our love, and our respect for each other as well as the troubles, problems, and discussions we have around wine. It comes from our histories - how both of our families were working in agriculture, gastronomy, and wine.

Our wines are pure, and they show the place they grow. We are biodynamic because those are the wines we like to drink. We produce without intervention and without trying to influence the wine too much. We have Austrian varieties and want to show respect for the people before us who made wine and keep the land pure for the people who come after us. It's very important to us to respect this history and let the wine show the vintage and character of this region.

What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?

A big misconception is that people think of wine as an industry run by fancy people. Wine is about tradition. In each bottle of wine, there is hard work. At the end of the day, wine is a food product. The work that isn't noticed is the hardest work. You work during snow, you work during summer, you work all year round, and wine is a tough prize. In winemaking, we spend so little time producing the wine because all of the work happens outside, where the soil is alive.

What great things about wine do you think people should remember?

There are so many great things, but for me personally, it's that wine is about connection. It is part of wine culture to gather around the table and enjoy the small things in life. I always picture bottles of wine in a crowded room full of people who are friends!

What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?

If you love wine, you should go for it, but always remember to remain curious. Wine is a beautiful profession because it can give you so much. You have the calm outside in the vineyards, the hectic times in harvest, and the travel to meet people in the industry. You should surround yourself with people who help you grow and develop, and you should always remain comfortable asking ‘Why?’.

Who is a woman in wine you think everyone should know about?

It's difficult to say just one, but one person who taught me the most was my boss when I arrived in Austria - Birgit Braunstein. She's a powerful woman in wine and when I met her she was developing the winery herself. She is an inspiring woman.

The other women I admire are my colleagues who I went to university with. I remember learning with them and discovering the world of wine alongside them through drinking and tasting. I'm very proud to know these women who are strong women in wine.

Where can women find your wine?

The best way to find our wines is to come to visit us in Austria, but we're available in many places in the world.