Silberberg

College for Viticulture and Winegrowing and Wine Estate of the Province of Styria.



This technical college for viticulture and winegrowing was founded in 1895 and is situated in the south-eastern part of Austria, in the midst of the southern Styrian wine region, near the wine-growing town of Leibnitz. Silberberg is owned by the Province of Styria and is the only technical college for viticulture and wine-growing in this province of Austria.



The young male and female vintners entering Silberberg after having completed the 8th school year learn in four years virtually all there is to know about viticulture and wine-growing. The entire course is based on practical training; the students then graduate with the Certificate of Proficiency in the field of wine-growing and viticulture and are equipped with the right qualifications for successfully managing a wine-estate as well as being sought-after skilled workers in the wine business. In order to accommodate the different wishes for training, our college offers a number of other programmes (a 3-year model, a one-year course for school-leavers).



About 100 students attend our school per year, most of whom live in our boarding school. Silberberg has always been proud of its successful graduates.
The school is set in grounds of about 600 hectares. The forested areas are managed by Silberberg while the agricultural areas (fields, meadows etc.) have been rented out to farmers of the region.



The vines are grown on approx. 26 hectares of the estate. The grapes yielding some 110.000 bottles of wine (0.75 lt.). Both qualitative and economic aspects are taken into account in the production and sale of the bottled wines.



The most important wines from a single grape variety are: Welschriesling, Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Morillon, Sauvignon blanc, Muskateller, Traminer and Zweigelt.
A vineyard of about 2 hectares, which is managed according to the guidelines of organic wine-growing, also belongs to the wine-estate of Silberberg. With its scattering of fruit trees Silberberg also produces many different distillates as well as offering delicious chestnuts for sale in the autumn, which grow on a plantation of 1.5 hectares.



On the one hand it is the task of the Styrian wine estate to be an educational establishment for students while on the other hand working economically and achieving high quality. Most of the important work is carried out by qualified, skilled workers.



In cooperation with the Austrian Wine Academy and other institutions for adult education, Silberberg is a very important educational centre for the region. With its favourable location, informative "education trail" and renowned hospitality, Silberberg attracts many visitors to the school and to the cellar as well as being a popular venue for a range of events.