Claus was not born into a winemaking family, but it was as early as at the age of 14, that he discovered his interest in viticulture and the wine itself. Only a few years later he became the youngest member of Pannobile – a group of vintners, who share a common vision of working in tune with nature and with respect for the land. Claus ́s vineyards span 19 hectares around the village of Gols, on the north – eastern shore of the Lake Neusiedl, where he has built a minimalist design winery. The building blends into a gently undulating Pannonian landscape. A sea of vines, mostly: Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, St. Laurent (80% of planting), Grüner Veltliner, Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc. In recent years Claus has been quite keen on working with Pinot Noir, as well as experimenting with Georgian amphorae – for his captivating, textural skin contact whites. While always evolving, his winemaking philosophy remains simple: “Wine is a living product; it changes all the time. It is hard to find the right moment to intervene, hence it’s better not to intervene at all.”