Change of leadership

Changing of the guard at the top of Wein Burgenland

The new Wein-Burgenland chairman Herbert Oschep (center) with winegrowers' association president Andreas Liegenfeld (right) and Wein-Burgenland managing director Christian Zechmeister.

(Bild: Reichard Judt)

After 13 years, Matthias Siess steps down as chairman of the umbrella marketing organization and hands over the reins to Herbert Oschep. He is his successor.

"Where wine is absent, the charm of Venus dies, the heaven of men is desolate and joyless." Euripides, one of the great classical Greek playwrights, already knew this. To ensure that this "divine drink" never dries up, 11,600 hectares of exquisite grapes thrive in the easternmost federal state, 57 percent of which are used for fine red wines and the rest for white wines. At 21 percent, the Blaufränkisch variety tops the list of fine drinking pleasures, followed by Zweigelt (20%). Grüner Veltliner is represented with 9.3 percent and Welschriesling accounts for 8.2 percent.

Praise for Siess from state head Doskozil
Demand has always been enormous. Wein Burgenland was launched in 2003 to bundle marketing measures. Matthias Siess has made a great contribution to this. The successful winegrower from Oggau has been in charge as chairman since the summer of 2011. Siess is now handing over the reins to wine tourism chairman Herbert Oschep. Hans Peter Doskozil, head of the province, praised Siess: "I would like to thank him warmly for his great work. Without his commitment, Burgenland viticulture would not be where it is today."

New strategy under "Burgenland DAC"
The future goals have been carefully considered: A strategy is to be developed and implemented under the slogan "Burgenland DAC" in order to strengthen the brand. "All surveys confirm that wine is one of the most important popular products and a memorable calling card for our home region," explains the new Wine Burgenland Chairman.

Building bridges between the established and the modern
He is clearly against a classification of vineyard sites, as is partly planned in Lower Austria. "We don't need a filleting of the wineries in Burgenland. We want to be strong together," emphasizes Oschep. Instead, he aims to build a bridge between the established and the modern: "Wein Burgenland has achieved a lot over the past 20 years. Now we have to set a smart course for the next generations." It is also certain that the advertising campaign with actor Nicholas Ofczarek, which caused a great stir, will continue.