Michlits Werner Biokult 'Naken', Burgenland, Austria

Honeysuckle, citrus pith and orange peel meet white pepper and gentle spice in 2025 Michlits Werner Biokult Naken, an energetic skin-contact wine with a creamy texture, light tannic grip and subtle natural effervescence. Pinot Gris and Muskateller are fermented on their skins with indigenous yeasts, while retained fermentation-derived CO2 brings freshness and lift without turning the wine into a conventionally sparkling style. Unfiltered and made through a deliberately low-intervention approach, Naken reflects Angela and Werner Michlits' belief that organic farming and restrained cellar work should function as a single expression of the wine's origin.

Product Details:

• Winemakers: Angela and Werner Michlits
• Grape Varieties: 90% Pinot Gris, 10% Muskateller
• Farming: Certified Organic, Austria Bio Garantie AT-BIO-301; dry farmed without irrigation
• Vinification: Skin fermentation for several days with indigenous yeasts; spontaneous fermentation and natural malolactic fermentation
• Filtration: Unfiltered; natural sediment or crystals may occur
• Additions: No additions or treatments; low SO2
• Carbonation: Slight natural effervescence from fermentation-derived CO2
• Closure: Crown cap
• Dietary: Vegan

Sensory Description:

Delicate golden in appearance, with an aromatic profile of honeysuckle, citrus pith and orange peel accented by white pepper and subtle warm spice. Skin contact gives the palate a gentle tannic structure and additional depth, while a creamy texture provides contrast to tart acidity and bright citrus fruit. A small amount of naturally retained CO2 adds an energetic, lightly frothy quality, carrying floral, citrus, and spice notes through a fresh, distinctive finish.

Winemaker's Background:

Biokult brings together organic winegrowing with the low-intervention winemaking of Angela and Werner Michlits, whose work centers on treating farming and cellar practice as one continuous process. The project works with organically farmed vineyards and emphasizes biodiversity, healthy soils and the avoidance of artificial fertilizers, while Angela and Werner take responsibility for vinification. Naken is among Biokult's most unconventional expressions, using skin contact, spontaneous fermentation, natural malolactic fermentation and minimal intervention to give Pinot Gris and Muskateller greater texture and structure while retaining freshness. Its name means “naked” in Swedish, a reference to the deliberately stripped-back production philosophy behind the wine.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve chilled at approximately 10-12°C in a white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute, allowing the wine's citrus, floral and spicy aromatics to develop while retaining its natural freshness. Its combination of acidity, light tannin and creamy texture makes it unusually versatile at the table, pairing well with fish, noodles, rice dishes, poultry and grilled meats. The producer's importer also recommends more robust combinations such as fried chicken, barbecue and burgers, where the wine's skin-derived structure and bright acidity provide a refreshing counterpoint to richness.