Barbara Öhlzelt 'Zobinger' Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria 2024

Barbara Öhlzelt, a one-woman operation based in Zöbing within the Kamptal region, farms her six hectares with precision and restraint. Her “Grüner Leader” expression is soft-spoken yet intense—delicate, precise Grüner Veltliner built for purity and energy.

• WINEMAKER: Barbara Öhlzelt

• FARMING: Practicing organic (no herbicides, hand-picked)

• VARIETY: 100% Grüner Veltliner, from vines averaging ~30 years old across multiple vineyard sites in Kamptal

• TERROIR: Sourced from younger vineyards in the village of Zobing. Soils are deep and varied, yielding wines of stony minerality, crisp acidity, and refined structure.

• VINIFICATION: Grapes are hand-harvested and fermented exclusively in stainless steel to preserve freshness and varietal clarity. 

• AGING: Racked off lees after fermentation and aged is acacia barrel. 

• TASTING NOTES:  Energetic and lifted. Notes of stone fruit, tarragon, and crushed stones on the nose, with a medium body and a stony minerality.

• FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, crudités, fresh salads, grilled shrimp kebabs, or simply enjoyed for its ease and brightness.

From our 2025 Bottle Club Notes:

   You know that person who doesn’t make a scene, but somehow shifts the whole room just by walking in? That’s this wine. It has undeniable energy you can’t look away from. Barbara Öhlzelt is a one-woman force based in Zöbing, a small village in Austria’s Kamptal region. A former outsider to the wine world, she stepped in with her signature motto: Bon Courage! It’s a nod to the kind of quiet bravery it takes to carve your own path. In a region where men dominate the industry, and unctuous, oily wines rule the landscape, Barbara is solely focused on maintaining zip and lift in her wines.

   So does this by farming just under seven hectares with precision, crafting some of the most elegant and energetic wines in the region. Her attention to detail is relentless; each vine can see nearly five or six passes before harvest, ensuring the grapes are precisely what she wants. 

   This bottling comes from a mix of vineyards all located in the village of Zobing. Vines range in age from 20 to 60 years old. Her wines are fermented in steel, but then raised in acacia barrel, which helps to just take a bit of edge off the sharp edges. Aromas of green apple, jasmine, wet stone and a bracing acidity, this might just be the bottle for that classic pork schnitzel you’ve been dying to make, or maybe a big old ruben sandwich for Sunday lunch (followed by a nap). —Simi Grewal & Kaylee Daly