Volcanic soils of Vulkanland Steiermark

Ancient volcanic soils create unique mineral expressions in Traminer and other aromatic white varieties. The "Land of Volcanoes" offers dramatic landscapes and wines with distinctive smoky, mineral character found nowhere else in Austria.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Taste the Wine That Had to Invent Its Own Legal Exception Wine · Price: low

   The Klöcher Traminer is the ONLY wine in the entire Vulkanland Steiermark DAC designation legally allowed to be made half-dry. Every other wine in the region must be bone dry — but Klöch Traminer's volcanic-intensity aroma is so overpowering that the wine authorities wrote a special exception just for this village at Vinothek & Weinbaumuseum Klöch (Klöch 191, 8493 Klöch). Walk in and ask to taste across the three Traminer styles — "Rotfränkischer" (Red Traminer, wild rose aroma), "Gelber Traminer" (Yellow Traminer, herbs and citrus), and "Gewürztraminer" (Spice Traminer, rose petals and exotic fruit). You're tasting 106 wines from 18 local producers. The wine museum upstairs — old cooperage tools, cellar equipment — is FREE when you buy a tasting. Budget: glass tastings typically €3–5 per glass.

   Backup: If Vinothek is closed (Nov–March shoulder season), head directly to Weingut Müller (Klöch 51, +43 3475 7160) or Weingut Frühwirth (Deutsch-Haseldorf 46, +43 3475 2338) — both producers welcome visitors for cellar door tastings by arrangement.

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2. 2 Walk the Traminerweg to the Castle That Watched Three Empires Rise and Fall Adventure · Free

   The trail follows the route the Klöch winemakers have walked for centuries, threading between vine rows where the soil changes color under your boots — from rust-red basalt loam on the west slopes to volcanic tuff on the eastern ridges. Start from the Vinothek parking lot at Klöch 191 on Traminerweg Section 2 (6.5km loop, approximately 2.5 hours). At the highest point, the Burgruine Klöch castle ruins erupt from the hilltop — first documented in 1365, built by Otto the Wolfauer. Climb the 35-meter observation tower added in 1998 and on a clear day you can see Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary simultaneously. Follow Traminerweg signs east toward Deutsch-Haseldorf lookout, then north toward Hochwarth, then loop back down through the ruins to Klöch.

   Backup: If time is short, the Section 1 loop ("Around the Seindl") is shorter — still vineyard walking with views, skips the castle ruins. Or drive up to the castle ruins directly (park in Klöch village and follow footpath signs to Burgruine).

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3. 3 Stand in Frühwirth's Wine Theater — With Your Feet on the Lava Wine · Price: moderate

   The Frühwirth family built something that sounds absurd until you're standing in it: a "Weintheater" (wine theater) IN the vineyard itself. The vineyard is the stage. You sit or stand among the vines at Weingut & Buschenschank Frühwirth (Deutsch-Haseldorf 46, 8493 Klöch), with a glass of their Traminer "Hoch 3" (three expressions of the same volcanic terroir: dry, semi-dry, and late harvest), while the volcanic soil is literally beneath your shoes — visible, touchable, tangible. Call or email ahead — the Weintheater and Buschenschank operate seasonally and on specific days. When you arrive, ask for a tasting of the Traminer "Koasasteffl" range (Koasasteffl is the family's 300-year-old village nickname). Ask to visit the renovated Kellerstöckl (wine cellar). Budget: tasting and cold plate together approximately €15–25 per person.

   Backup: If Frühwirth is closed on your day, Weingut Müller (Klöch 51) is the other flagship producer — their Gelber Traminer Ried Seindl is ~€19.80 and their cellar visits are warmly welcomed. The Vinothek (Step 1) also stocks both producers' full ranges.

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4. 4 Find the Blood-Red Soil and Understand What a Volcano Tastes Like History · Free · Optional

   2.6 million years ago, the Klöcher Massif erupted. The lava that poured out was rich in iron. That iron oxidized over two million years of weathering into the rust-red loam you're now standing on along the Klöcher Weinstraße (Klöch Wine Road), anywhere on the west slopes above Klöch village. The basalt quarry 500 meters north of the village still extracts 1 MILLION tons of this material per year — most of it used as substructure for European railroad tracks. Walk any vineyard path on the western approach to Klöch village starting from the Vinothek parking area. The soil color shifts visibly between west basalt and east tuff exposures. Look for the reddest earth on the steepest west-facing slopes — crouch down and pick up a pinch: dark red, crumbly, fine-grained. This is what "mineral spice" means on the label.

   Backup: Rain makes this better, not worse — wet basalt loam reveals its color more intensely. In dry conditions, the Vinothek has a geological display board explaining the soil types visible from their front door.

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Insider tips

• The Traminer from Klöch is the region's signature

• Visit the Klöcher Weinberg for panoramic volcanic views

• The thermal spas nearby make this a perfect wellness + wine combination