The sleek, modernist winery of F.X. Pichler belies the fact that the Pichlers have been making wine in the Wachau for 5 generations. Their story goes back to 1898, but in 1971 Franz Xaver (F.X.) Pichler took over the family winery in Oberloiben and immediately made his mark. The newly renamed F.X. Pichler winery was to stand at the forefront of the Austrian quality revolution over the next 30 years; the Pichlers were soon gaining worldwide recognition for their pure, intense Rieslings and Gruner Veltliners. In 2006 they appeared in Robert Parker’s list of best 100 wineries in the world. In 1999 Franz Xaver’s son Lucas took over vinification, but F.X. remained in the vineyards. Not only have the Pichlers been in the game for a long time; their top wines come from steep, rocky terraces where vines have been cultivated since the 12th and 13th centuries. Each of the vineyards brings its own character.