Michael Malat to take over as Chair of the Österreichische Traditionsweingüter in 2027

After two decades at the helm of the association, Michael Moosbrugger will hand over to a figure already closely involved in the history and development of the ÖTW.

A generational transition is taking shape at the head of the Österreichische Traditionsweingüter (ÖTW). At the beginning of 2027, Michael Malat will succeed Michael Moosbrugger as Chair of the Austrian association. The handover is firmly rooted in continuity: the incoming Chair has served on the board for around two decades, while his father was among the founding members of the ÖTW in 1991.

Michael Moosbrugger, who has chaired the organisation since 2007 after himself serving on the board for more than a decade, has overseen a profound expansion of its scope. At the time, the ÖTW comprised around 25 estates. Today, it brings together 91 wineries across eight wine regions in Lower Austria and Vienna: Kamptal, Kremstal, Traisental, Wagram, Carnuntum, Thermenregion, Weinviertel and Vienna. Together, its members cultivate approximately 3,600 hectares of vineyards, representing around 8% of Austria’s total vineyard area.

Vineyard classification at the heart of the project

One of the defining legacies of Michael Moosbrugger’s chairmanship is the work undertaken on vineyard classification. Remaining faithful to the association’s founding mission, the ÖTW has spent more than three decades developing an approach designed to identify and rank vineyard sites according to origin. Today, 145 sites hold ÖTW Erste Lage (1ÖTW) status, described by the association as the Austrian equivalent of Premier Cru. The two-tier system of Erste Lage and Grosse Lage is intended to form part of Austria’s future national vineyard classification under the draft of the new Austrian wine law, which is expected to take effect in autumn 2027. At the same time, the ÖTW vineyard maps and vineyard book have become valuable reference tools for professionals and wine lovers seeking a deeper understanding of Austrian terroirs.

This ambition to communicate site-specific wines beyond Austria’s borders has also found expression in the Single Vineyard Summit. Launched in 2013, the professional tasting held at Grafenegg has developed into an important international event dedicated to Austria’s terroir-driven wines. For the 2026 edition, 556 wines from 170 wineries are due to be presented, with STK estates from Styria, members of Vinea Wachau and producers from Burgenland joining the ÖTW regions.

Michael Malat sets his sights on greater international reach

From 2027, Michael Malat intends to build on these foundations and open a new chapter for the association. Together with Managing Director Michael Tischler-Zimmermann and Deputy Chair Markus Huber, he will focus in particular on raising the ÖTW’s international profile, communicating its vineyard classification more widely and developing new event formats. The new Chair also intends to share responsibility more broadly across the association, with clearly defined areas in which members can contribute their expertise and take ownership of individual projects. This organisational evolution is designed to accompany the ÖTW’s growth while strengthening the involvement of its members.

A successor already deeply involved in the ÖTW

Michael Malat has led his family estate in Furth bei Göttweig since 2008, representing the tenth generation of a winery founded in 1722. He was 13 when his father helped found the ÖTW in 1991, has served on its board for around two decades and has chaired its Donauraum regional association since March 2022. For Michael Malat, the succession is therefore not about reinventing the ÖTW, but about carrying its ideas and values forward with renewed energy. At the centre of this vision remains the concept of origin, seen as the link between tradition, the identity of individual terroirs and the future of Austrian wine. Following a long period devoted to building the classification and expanding the association, the next stage will be to communicate this message more widely on the international stage.