Behind the vine
Judith Beck - Weingut Judith Beck - Burgenland, Austria
When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?
Well, that’s quite simple, my parents and grandparents had the winery before me. So, I was born into the wine world.
When I was about 21, I decided to take over from my father. I went to winemaking school, then I did internships in France, Italy and Chile. In 2001 I finally started to work in the family winery and my father quickly handed over all the responsibility for the cellar to me. My first vintage was 2001. In 2007 we converted to biodynamic viticulture, which was a very important step for me.
What I love most about the job is that it is so versatile. There is the vineyard part and the cellar part, but also the part where you go to wine fairs and get the chance to meet amazing people all around the world.
What story does your wine tell?
The story of our area, the traditional grape varieties, our soils and myself.
“What I love most about the job is that it is so versatile. There is the vineyard part and the cellar part, but also the part where you go to wine fairs and get the chance to meet amazing people all around the world.”
— Judith Beck
What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?
I think many people just don’t trust their own taste when it comes to wine. They think that you need a lot of knowledge and experience, which leads to a very technical and biased approach towards wine. I think people should rely much more on their own personal taste.
What great things about wine do you think people should remember?
What’s most fascinating for me is that there is often so much of the personality of the winemaker in their wines. Wine is a cultural asset that has accompanied manhood for thousands of years.
What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?
Just listen to yourself and your gut feeling.
Who is a woman that inspired you?
There are many to name. I choose Philine Dienger who I admire for her energy, her dedication and her deep knowledge. She just started her own project in Piedmont.
Where can women find your wine?
In the UK, Judith Beck is stocked at Buon Vino. US shopper check local options here.
Or you can shop directly from her website here.