Gourmet Food and Wine with Johanna Waibel from Kracher wines 27th February 2026

Johanna Waibel of Kracher wines

A wonderful evening of delicious food matched with specially selected wines from the Kracher estate in Burgenland introduced by Piers Mortimer of Corney & Barrow wines and wines presented by Johanna Waibel.

The Kracher name is synonymous with extraordinary botrytised sweet wines with a global cult following. Located in Illmitz in Burgenland, the estate was founded in 1959 by the pioneering Alois Kracher - one of the first to see the area’s potential for sweet wines made with grapes affected by ‘noble rot’. His son, Alois Kracher Jr. (nicknamed ‘Luis’), made the estate world famous in the 1990s, evolving the wine style to focus on finesse and freshness, as well as being a hugely influential figure in raising the profile of fine Austrian wines. Following Luis’s untimely death in 2007, his then 26-year-old son Gerhard inherited the family winery and an enviable legacy. Gerhard has picked up where his father left off, expanding the range to include fine dry wines to sit alongside the world-class sweets. The Kracher vineyards sit in between the tiny village of Illmitz and the shore of Lake Neusiedl, where the microclimate is uniquely suited to the production of Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines.

 

Menu

Canapes and Corney & Barrow Blanc de Blancs Sparkling wine.

Made just like champagne, and aged for 12 months in the cellars, this fragrant blend impresses with its soft texture, aromatic freshness and fine mousse

Amuse Bouche

White onion soup

Alan Watson’s Galloway Smokehouse Smoked Salmon

Lemon and capers, dill butter, toast

Matched with:

Welschriesling Burgenland Weingut Kracher 2024 

Beautiful aromas of elderflower, lemon zest and grapefruit. The focused palate shows great purity, with flavours of green apple and melon, underpinned by a lively citrus acidity. A stunning iteration of the little-known, yet delicious Welschriesling grape by one of Austria’s top wine producers.

Loin of Galloway Venison, Soy glazed baby beets, turnip puree, confit potato

Matched with:

Zweigelt Burgenland Weingut Kracher 2020     

A fantastic example of Austria’s most planted red grape variety – Zweigelt. Kracher spotlights the juicy berry flavours and easy-going charm of this grape, using old oak to allow the fresh fruit flavours to shine and keep the tannins soft. Violets and cherry on the nose, with sweet baking spices. The palate shows dark plum and black cherry fruit, with notes of dark chocolate, all framed by silky tannins and a fresh finish

Blue cheese & cured meats plate, honey nut granola

Matched with:

No. 5 Zweigelt Nouvelle Vague Trockenbeerenauslese Weingut Kracher

Pale cherry red color with orange reflections. Bouquet of fine sweet plum characters, coupled with a touch of dark greengage fruit notes and subtle herbed spices. The palate displays flavors of red fruit of the forest berry pudding, with a rich and elegant character, that lead to notes of potted cherries and a touch of orange.

Classic Creme Brûlée

Matched with:

Noble Reserve Trockenbeerenauslese Burgenland Weingut Kracher NV

The Kracher family has built its reputation on exceptional Trockenbeerenauslese sweet wines, made from grapes affected by ‘noble rot’. For this cuvée, up to ten different vintages were blended together to create a decadent, complex, refined sweet wine with remarkable freshness.

Price £75pp

5 course gourmet dinner with arrival drink and canapes and 4 specially selected wines from the Kracher estate presented by Johanna Waibel of Kracher wines

CHRIS WALKER