In South Styria, the season of Buschenscank starts with personnel problems

Herbert Germuth can still remember what it was like when the first “external” discovered his home region: “We farmers were in the vineyard or in the company all day. Once a guest came, you called someone from the family he had to be served. There were no opening times in the sentence.”

“At the time” was not so long ago. Germuth, who took over the company on the Southern Styrian Wine Road from his parents and is now on his way to the South Styria Tourism Association, recently celebrated his 60th birthday.

Above -average salary
Nowadays, visitors come in large numbers, but helping hands are scarce: “We are currently looking for someone for the kitchen,” says Margret Respecht of the Schneeberger Winery in Heimschuh in Sausal. In every area someone would always miss: “We reward our employees above average, this also applies to working in the vineyard, and yet it is becoming increasingly difficult to get good staff,” says the Styrian, who has been running the company for 27 years.

The problem has been the same for some time: “People just don’t want to work at the weekend and in the evening, that is exactly the case.

Insolven ensure easy relaxation
Styrian viticulture president Stefan Potzinger, in turn, locates a slight relaxation of the situation: “As sad as this is due to the bankruptcies of larger companies in the Leibnitz district, we recently notice a small inflow of new staff.”

Good guest care despite the shorter opening hours
Due to the limited capacities, many Buschenscank operators should adjust their opening hours long ago. However, nobody has to starve or die from Dorst: “In the meantime, we have such a high Buschenscank density in the region that you as a guest always find a company that you are tasting,” Germuth emphasizes.

For a better orientation or visitor control, the responsible person new instruments such as a Buschenscank app or a WineEgrowers’ calendar on the homepage of the South Styrian Tourism Association were developed.

It is complicated – or not? Almost exactly two years ago this happened on Grassnitzberg near Straß, who had previously warned residents: after extensive rains, part of the L 613, generally known as the wine, slid out. On the plot of the country underneath the Tement Family had cleared a forest for it and created a terrace -shaped vineyard instead. This caused a lot of criticism at the time of the establishment.

For months of roadblocks and long distractions were the uncomfortable episode for WineEgrowers and Tourists in 2023. The renovation came to the state of Styria with around 630,000 euros.

Political aftermath
For the opposition, the cause was a party: “Here you must wonder whether the authorities have made all eyes for a prominent project employee,” the spokesperson for the green control then saved Lambert Schönleitner. Because the affected vineyard always argued with valid permits that he would have in his pocket for each individual measure.

The delicate issue of responsibility and therefore the assumption of costs must be clarified by urgent request to the then ÖVP -agricultural councilor Johann Seitinger.

Halfway through the day it goes the next round
A point that could not be clarified to this day: “The following comparison negotiations are in May,” says Waltraud Bauer-Dorner, the head of the Constitutional Service, at the request of “Krone”. This must be interpreted in the fall of the previous year in response to Styria’s threat to go to the Winegrower to court. The long duration of the conflict would be common: “As soon as you need new reports, it will just take it,” says the responsible person. At least you want to get to your destination in 2025, it is said.