The name Kolfok is from the local Burgenland dialect, translating to “misfit”. A name given to Stefan from his grandfather when he didn’t go to church on a Sunday. Ironically the name still stands strong today as Stefan Wellanschitz is an unconventional thinker creating uniquely beautiful non-conform wines. Stefan uses ancient wine making techniques, but puts his own “Kolfok” spin on things. For example, he uses a method called intracellular fermentation, which is when uncrushed and unbroken grapes ferment internally, giving a unique flavour profile to a wine. This is a technique that is commonly used in red wine making, however Stefan uses carbonic maceration to produce his skin contact wines giving them an elegant structure and complex flavour profile. In addition, he does not use any additives in the process, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Although his family has been making wine in the Burgenland wine region since the 18th century, Stefan only started producing his own wines in 2015.
The land around the village of Neckermarkt, on the border with Hungary, has a unique combination of alpine soils and a 'pannonian' climate: warm dry summers and cold winters. The green, hilly landscape is one of the highest vineyards in Burgenland. Kolfok produce some of the most coveted wines in our portfolio, yet they often take the path less travelled, combining spectacular vineyard selection with maverick winemaking style. The vineyards are grown organically with a number of herbs and other plants growing between the vines, which ensures a rich and diverse flora and fauna. Stefan grows a variety of grapes on his family's land full of old vines: Blaufränkisch, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, as well as some lesser-known local grapes. This all happens on a wide variety of soils: limestone, granite, shale, clay, volcanic, sand and loam. The variety of grapes, soils and production methods give the wines of Kolfok a unique character.
