Schlumberger opened "House of Sparkling" in Burgenland
The construction of the new plant, originally planned for 2019, was delayed due to resident complaints and the coronavirus crisis. The groundbreaking finally took place in 2023. A modern site was created on twelve hectares to enhance quality and efficiency, explained Managing Director Florian Czink. Additionally, the area offers expansion possibilities.
Schlumberger relies on "Methode Traditionelle" in Burgenland
In Müllendorf, about three million liters of sparkling wine from the brands Schlumberger, Hochriegl, and Goldeck are produced annually. According to Production Director Patrick Meszarits, there is growth potential. The market for wine and sparkling wine is not growing, but Schlumberger could act as a bottler for other wine producers starting from 50,000 bottles. At the new location, machines from Vienna were taken over and new ones from France were added. The lighting in the base wine storage, inspired by champagne producers, is orange and UV-free. A constant 16 to 17 degrees in the hall is intended to improve quality.
Schlumberger sparkling wine is produced using the "Methode Traditionelle", just like champagne, but it cannot be called champagne - this designation is reserved for the sparkling wine from the Champagne region. All production processes are now consolidated on one site, eliminating the transport routes at the old location - around 1,000 truck journeys, according to Meszarits. Currently, around 30 employees are working in Müllendorf. The majority of the workforce was transferred from Vienna.
Although non-alcoholic sparkling wine is a growing market, the production director admitted, it is currently not a focus for Schlumberger. A facility for de-alcoholization would cost several million euros. High energy prices are also challenging the sparkling wine producer. Therefore, a photovoltaic system was installed on the new building.
(APA/Red)
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