Pop-Up Returns to 122-Year-Old Site and London Calling!
Austria experienced its driest spring in 169 years — rainfall from 1 March to 31 May was 50% below the 1991-2020 average. On top of this, we reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Yikes. With these extreme conditions the grapevines go into survival mode, and photosynthesis shuts down completely, meaning no sugar production, a key ingredient for making grape juice into wine.
Thankfully July has brought some relief with a few days of strong rainfall and cooler temperatures, but due to the previous dry and sustained.
Grafting the Future of Kapitel Zwei
Since I started bottling in 2023 my Chenin Blanc wine has always been made as a blend with Grüner Veltliner. Customers enjoy it, which is fantastic, but my goal has always been to make a 100% Chenin and by 2027 it will now be possible. Thanks to my friends at Weingut Feldtheorie we have grafted more than 500 old Grüner Veltliner vines to Chenin Blanc. While this effort will not produce any grapes this year, next year we expect a full harvest, meaning in 2028 I will bottle my first 100% Chenin wine.
Grafting is not for the faint of heart. First, we had to use a steel brush to remove the old bark (see video) from the vine and due to the extreme temperatures we started at sunrise.
Next step, the actual grafting, which is both art and science. We hired professionals because you want it done fast and right the first time, or it will set you back a year. In brief, the Chenin buds were removed from canes collected during pruning back in January 2026 where they were stored in a refrigerator. On 23rd June the buds were removed from the canes and inserted into a t-cut in the trunk of the existing grapevine, which is then taped up exposing only the bud. A professional can do this in precisely 16 seconds (see video), I would be there easily 5 minutes.
The following day we removed all of the leaves from each vine except for two healthy ones. These two leaves will encourage the vine to push water up its xylem to the leaves and the new bud, helping it produce its own cane and leaves. The final step is water, water, water — about 10 liters for each vine.
Kapitel Zwei Coming to UK Market
At the pop-up in Paris this past February I had the pleasure to meet the team from from a London-based online wine shop serving the UK market. These guys know wine and were looking to expland their Austrian selection and I am thrilled to share the news that they will be taking bottles of all three of my 2025 vintage and even more wines from Weingut Feldtheorie.
The 2025 vintage was bottled this past Saturday and they will be shipped to London in the coming weeks. Kapitel Zwei wines are will now be available in both Paris and London the perfect companion to oysters and fish & chips in both cities. To my UK customers, expect an email from me in September so you can place your orders locally, which will eliminate any additional VAT and high-shipping costs.
Wine Pop-Up Returns to 122-Year-Old “Buschenschank”
In 1904 a wine tavern or “buschenschank” was operating at Lainzerstrasse 7 in Vienna, and I am bringing it back in the form of a pop-up wine bar.
From 23-25 July I will be serving free wine tastings from 10 Austrian wineries including my own — bottles will be available to purchase for takeaway. Doors are open from 18hr - 23hr. For those of you in Vienna, I hope to see you there.
Prost!
