orchard rescuer

from Pöllau, Austria

Fruit, patience, castle cellar: Retter's essences.

Origin & Attitude

The Retter fruit farm in the Pöllau Valley in eastern Styria carries over 130 years of craftsmanship into the present. Certified organic since 1990, the family business is run by Werner Retter in its third generation – with a clear motto: not to alter nature, but to preserve its unique character. The cultivation of old varieties is a defining feature of the farm: the almost forgotten Hirschbirne pear was revived here and made famous far beyond the region.

The idea: Sommelier Edition

The Sommelier Edition was born from the desire to bring pure fruit character to the table in a concentrated form: essences with depth and structure, designed for menu sequences, glass rituals, and pairings. The name signifies ambition and context – compositions that can stand alongside great wines on wine lists without seeking comparison.

Origin of the fruits

Only fruits with exceptional aromatic intensity are used. Some come from wild harvests in prime locations – wild cranberries near the Arctic Circle, wild blueberries from the Carpathians – complemented by regional treasures: the Pöllau pear and old apple varieties with balanced sweetness and acidity. The Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grape essences come from top Austrian vineyards. Only the very best ~10% of each harvest makes it into the limited-edition Sommelier bottlings.

Reading, Processing & Maturation

The grapes are harvested by hand at full ripeness. Only the first pressing juice is processed – the golden foreshots, rather than maximizing yield. This is how the pure varietal signature is created in the glass.

After pressing, natural clarification follows: the juice rests, particles settle, and filtration and additives are not part of the process. The essences then mature – for months, sometimes years – in the cool castle cellar of Pöllau. Time works on the balance; a gentle reduction of acidity creates harmony and achieves drinkability. The result: a clear texture, focused fruit, and a long finish.

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From Austria's Pöllau Valley, Obsthof Retter distils 130+ years of experience into their gastronomic premium juices with structure and length. The Edition Sommelier uses hand-picked fruit only (Hirschbirne pear, wild blueberries, lingonberries, plus grapes from Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernet): first-press juice, natural clarification, then slow maturation in the estate cellar. Only the top ~10% of each harvest is bottled. The result is concentrated profiles for menus, glass rituals and pairings – precise wine alternatives and non-alcoholic aperitifs with clear texture, focused fruit and a persistent finish.

Retter Fruit Farm from the Pöllau Valley brings over 130 years of craftsmanship to premium gastronomic juices with structure and length. The Sommelier Edition is made from hand-picked fruits (Hirschbirne pear, wild blueberries, wild cranberries, and Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernet grapes): exclusively first-press juice, naturally clarified, and aged for a long time in the castle cellar. Only the best ~10% of the harvest is bottled. The result: concentrated profiles for menu sequences, glass rituals, and pairings – precise wine alternatives and alcohol-free aperitifs with a clear texture, focused fruit, and a lingering finish.