The Region Rust

Rust is situated in the hilly winegrowing country of Burgenland/ Neusiedlersee.

The Region
The Burgenland owes its characteristic wines to the distinct Pannonian climate. The Pannonian climate is characterised by cold winters with little snow, hot, dry summers and a long, mild autumn, known as Indian summer. Lake Neusiedl serves as a climate regulator. Its 320 sq km surface area moderates the extreme temperatures and thus creates ideal conditions for viticulture.

Viticulture in Rust
During the last centuries wine-growing in Rust was transformed, more or less radically, every few decades.

Almost 500 years ago, the "R" was already an important distinctive mark of the winegrowers of Rust. In 1524, the Hungarian Queen Maria granted the people of Rust permission to burn the "R" as a mark of origin on the wine export barrels of Rust.

In 1681 the citizens of Rust bought their charter and with it the right to be a free town for 60,000 guilders and 500 buckets of the finest Rust wine. The "Ödenburg bucket", which was the measure for Rust, contained 72.5 litres of "clearly drawn" wine and cost 5 gulden.

Following the phylloxera epidemic at the end of the last century, the vineyards were converted to grafted vines, adding new grape varietals. Today cellars are replacing the old wooden vats, used for many centuries to store the wine and allow it to age while serving as an important mode of transport, with stainless steel tanks.

Fermentation and aging of the wine in stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels - each new acquisition developed as a logical consequence of the last.

Old documents and records as well as stories told by the older winegrowers accompany us on a fascinating expedition to help us understand the recent changes in viticulture. Since 2016, for example, Ruster Ausbruch has been a quality grade in its own right and may only be produced in Rust by Rust vintners.

"No Sex for Butterflies": Since Rust was the stronghold with the highest population of the most dangerous pest for viticulture, the grape berry moth, the people of Rust started this community project in 2004. The grape berry moth is controlled with the so-called tangling method. In spring, pheromones are spread throughout the vineyards and the entire Ruster Hotter "smells" of the female moth. The males are then so confused that they cannot find their mates. This has been a complete success and has made it possible for our farm to dispense with the use of insecticides altogether.

The Rust Vineyards
The vineyards in Rust, spreading over some 500 hectares, are divided vertically by the federal road leading to St. Margarethen, the road to Mörbisch marking the western boundary and the road to Oggau the eastern boundary. The difference in altitude ranges between 125 and 200 meters.
The best locations for grape production were established centuries ago and are internationally acknowledged.They bear such sonorous names as: Umriss, Bandkräften, Gemärk Oberer Wald, Hoher Baumgarten, Greiner, Vogelsang, etc.