‘Now it's time for Sandgrube 13!’ There is probably no Austrian who does not know this advertising jingle. When I was looking for a cellar tour in Krems, where I spent a night, I naturally came across Sandgrube 13 and visited the wine experience tour there with two friends – despite the terrible advertising jingle – and was really pleasantly surprised!
Das Weinerlebnis in der Sandgrube 13
Die Sandgrube 13 ist kein herziges kleines Weingut, in dem der Winzer alles bis zur Flaschenabfüllung selbst macht. Ganz im Gegenteil: Die Winzer Krems sind der größte Qualitätsweinproduzent Österreichs und übernehmen Trauben von 962 Mitgliedern, aus denen in der Sandgrube 13 (das ist übrigens die Adresse und gleichzeitig eine Weinlage) Wein produziert wird.
Walk through the vineyards
We were lucky: our tour group consisted of only five people and the nice lady who was our guide. She herself is one of the winegrowers who produce grapes for the Krems winery, but does not produce her own wine. So we had a really knowledgeable tour leader.
The first path led us to the vineyard, which is located right next to the production building. A beautiful wooden walkway led us between a stone wall and the vines to a terrace in front of the former guard house. A guard used to live there, watching over the grapes until harvest time to make sure none were stolen.
During our first wine tasting of a Grüner Veltliner, we learned a lot of interesting facts about wine growing and the grape varieties typical of the Wachau region.
Off to the wine region
We continued on to the beautiful, renovated farmhouse right next to the entrance. We entered a spacious room, and after switching on the lights, a huge aerial photograph of the entire Krems wine region unfolded beneath our feet.
Our friendly tour guide showed us many interesting sights. She also found her own vineyards right away. It was really impressive to see how large the region is from which the Krems winegrowers source their grapes. Incidentally, there are just under 1,000 hectares of vineyards in total.
The fantastic display boards show the different types of soil on which the grapes grow in the region. I am thrilled by how lovingly this tour has been designed.
Off to the vault
Now it really gets going. We turn our backs on the wine region and go down into a very old vaulted cellar. This is where the rarities of the Krems winegrowers have been stored since the 1940s! A charmingly designed sound and light show lets the wine bottles talk to each other, explaining to visitors what there is to see and experience here.
Thick, green mould covers the walls of this old vaulted cellar. Copper coins covered in verdigris can be found all over the walls. They are said to bring good luck. Of course, we added a coin too!
The impressive wine cellar
Through the vault into the wine cellar. In a huge room, empty except for a tasting table, we are allowed to taste our second wine: a Zweigelt. Not really my thing, I'll probably never be a red wine fan. Much more impressive than the Zweigelt, however, is the view into the huge fermentation and ageing cellar with its enormous steel tanks.
Cinema experience with special effect
From the wine cellar, we continue on to the cinema. This spacious 3D cinema takes us on a journey through the wine year, from winter to the grape harvest and on to the maturation of the wines. The diverse fauna of the region is also presented here. The three-dimensional film is accompanied by corresponding scents, which adds an element of surprise.
Back to the surface
Through a ‘dry tasting room,’ we return to the ground floor, passing several tables displaying the occasions on which wine is typically consumed. It is very nicely designed, but probably more of an experience for children than for us adults. We are delighted that, at the end of the tour, we are allowed to taste a glass of sparkling Riesling. Incidentally, this has found its way into my fridge, because of course you can also stock up on all kinds of wine delights in the large sales room.
My conclusion about Sandgrube 13?
If you are spending a weekend in the pretty town of Krems an der Donau and are interested in wine, then the wine experience tour at Sandgrube 13 is definitely a must-do. Even though I don't have any experience with children, I would recommend the tour for families with children, as it is really family-friendly without being boring for adults.
After the tour, a worthy conclusion was a serving of fluffy apricot dumplings in Krems' old town. If you are lucky enough to visit Krems during the apricot harvest, you should not miss this opportunity.
