Winery in bankruptcy

“Others will decide whether I continue”

Going their separate ways from now on. Hans Kilger and Uwe Schiefer.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Steve Haider)

The Schiefer & Domaines Kilger GmbH & Co KG winery is in bankruptcy. The top winemaker is not sparing in his criticism of his partner.

The Schiefer & Domaines Kilger winery is bankrupt. The credit protection association KSV1870 and Alpenländischer Kreditorenverband cited the coronavirus crisis, flood damage, a sharp rise in fixed costs and falling demand as the reasons. The liabilities amount to around 3 million euros, 8 employees and around 110 creditors are affected. This is shocking news for the wine scene, as there are no plans to restructure the company.

Southern Burgenland: wine scene in upheaval
Falling sales and less consumption are causing headaches for many winegrowers. In southern Burgenland in particular, the scene is in upheaval. There is no lack of creativity to reach younger people. Experiments such as the bottling of cola red or non-alcoholic Uhudler are not only met with admiration. The example of the "Schützenhof" also shows how difficult the situation is. The traditional winery was auctioned off just a few weeks ago.

Uwe Schiefer's Blaufränkisch from the famous Reihburg vineyard on the Eisenberg is a coveted rarity

(Bild: Ross Weinberg)

Uwe Schiefer, whose wines are celebrated internationally and also played a leading role in Salzburg's Jedermann, had a lot of bad luck and then some.

First Austrian red wine with top marks
For example, his Blaufränkisch from the famous Reihburg vineyard on the Eisenberg received 100 points in Falstaff and the maximum score of 20/20 from renowned wine expert René Gabriel - the first Austrian red wine to do so. Repeated severe weather events put the former sommelier and later top winemaker in a difficult situation.

2017 the rescue, 2024 the end of the lifelong dream
In 2017, the business partnered with Hans Kilger. Schiefer blames the latter's mismanagement for the demise of his winery. It is not the first bankruptcy for the major investor. For Schiefer, it was the end of a dream: "Wine is my passion and my life. But now it's up to others to decide whether I continue," he says.

Schiefer's delicatessen bar in Oberwart continues to run
The project close to his heart - the Grocceria delicatessen bar in Oberwart - is not affected by the bankruptcy and will continue to operate.