Anyone writing about Styria's Thermen- & Vulkanland region, which borders Slovenia to the south and is rightly referred to as a gourmet region, cannot fail to visit its culinary hotspot in and around the town of Riegersburg. From the Gölles vinegar factory to cheese artist Bernhard Gruber, from the Zotter organic chocolate experience to whiskey and gin producer David Gölles, numerous businesses with quality products invite you to visit and taste them.
One of the highlights of every visit - quite literally - is the short ride in the panoramic lift up to Riegersburg Castle, enthroned on an extinct volcanic cone. And once there, at almost 500 metres above sea level, it is worth visiting the three informative and vivid exhibitions dedicated to the history of the castle, the persecution of witches and historical weapons. There are also exciting things to experience outdoors, be it a bird of prey show or the magnificent panoramic view over the hilly landscape of southern Styria.
The castle, which was first mentioned in documents in 1138, has belonged to the House of Liechtenstein since 1822. At this time, the monarchs made numerous large purchases of land in order to secure a livelihood for all male descendants through self-sufficient farming and forestry operations. These properties sometimes included castles and fortresses such as Riegersburg Castle.
The prince in the dual role of lord of the castle and doctor
During my - as always e-mobile - reporting trip to the Genussregion last year, the current lord of the castle, Dr Emanuel Lichtenstein, took the time for what turned out to be an extremely pleasant chat. Sitting comfortably on the edge of the castle terrace, we began by talking about the Burgberg vineyards over a glass of wine - how could it be otherwise? Interesting fact: the history of viticulture on and below the Riegersburg dates back to the 16th century. Although the potential of the site was recognised early on, cereals were later cultivated there, demonstrably from 1928 onwards. It was not until the end of the 1980s that castle wine experienced a renaissance. Today, special vines once again thrive in five sites on basalt-containing mineral soils, which are processed by the long-established Bernhart winegrowing family below the castle. The unique microclimate, caused by the heat stored in the rock, also contributes to the quality of the castle wines.
Naturally, I was also interested in the prince's role in the town's bourgeois society. No, of course he would not have claimed any special status for himself when he grew up with the local children and attended primary school with them, the member of the Liechtenstein monarchy assures me. In keeping with family tradition, it was clear from the outset that he would later take over the management of the Liechtenstein estate, even if he would not necessarily have sought the role of lord of the castle of his own free will. This was also because his early interest was not in business management but in archaeology. However, in accordance with his mother's wishes, he eventually turned to medicine with a growing passion. After completing his studies, at the age of 30, the prince with Liechtenstein citizenship became the manager of a commercial enterprise that looks after the well-being, education and catering of 100,000 visitors a year. And the father of three has even found a way to combine this task with his medical profession: For around 70 to 80 days, Dr Emanuel von Liechtenstein stands in for colleagues in their general medical practices within a radius of around 25 kilometres. According to him, the flexible cover model can be combined well with the Burg business, especially as he has "a great team supporting him in the background".
Driving electric with the Audi e-tron GT
During our chat, the topic of e-mobility also came up at the end. When my conversation partner told me that he owns an all-electric Audi, I asked him if he would be available for a portrait in our "Stromern mit..." series. He spontaneously said yes. When I was driving the Audi RS e-tron GT press test car in southern Styria in spring 2024, it was only natural to make a detour to Riegersburg to interview Emanuel Liechtenstein about our core editorial topics of experiencing nature, regional culinary specialities and e-mobility. And as the weather was fine, we also organised a photo shoot with him and his electric speedster, the e-tron GT. Of course, the bright yellow, even more powerful RS model variant was not to be missed in some of the shots.
Several factors played a role in his decision to buy an electric car. The initial impetus came from a friend who showed him his e-tron GT, which, after a test drive, sparked his enthusiasm, especially due to the brute dynamics of the "racing car". As he also liked the coupé-like design of the Audi, Emanuel Liechtenstein soon became the owner of the same model. Is he happy with his choice? "For me, combining my e-vehicle with generating my own electricity via a photovoltaic system on my private home is an ideal solution because it makes economic and ecological sense," says the lord of the castle, who has only received positive reactions to his "e-driving" so far. My thoughts: It's good when opinion leaders act as silent ambassadors for modern mobility solutions and help to increase the acceptance of e-mobility. Even if not everyone in the region can afford an e-tron.
Dr Liechtenstein attributes his attachment to the region's landscape to early experiences in his childhood. His favourite playground was in the countryside, and the shared experiences with friends in tree houses and around campfires left their mark on him. Speaking of the region: what about his culinary preferences, are the southern Styrian classics such as fried chicken or beetroot bean salad with seed oil at the top of his favourites? He does too, but his favourite dish is not an everyday one, but a very special one: a real Wiener Schnitzel. After all, it's an Austrian classic, albeit not a Styrian one...
https://www.dieriegersburg.at/
https://www.audi.de/de/brand/de/neuwagen.html?bytype=elektroantrieb
Text: Peter Grett
Pictures: Photo Luttenberger