The Neusiedler See viniculture area in Burgenland is highly influenced by the Neusiedler lake - the biggest steppe lake in Europe. Here ideal conditions exist for the formation of the pourriture noble Botrytis cinerea which is highly important for the production of superior grade wines. The mild Pannonian climate which is characterised by dry, hot summers and cold, snow-free winters, the Neusiedler lake and the puddles contribute to the production of high quality wines. Next to the climate a second success factor is the range of soil types of the Seewinkel area. There exists black soil (Tschernoseme and Paratschernoseme), salty soil (Solontschak and Solonetz) and sandy soil in this region. Paratschernoseme on gravel - where the gravel comes partly to the surface - retains the warmth from the sun to a high degree. This heat retention maintains a regular temperature-balance in case of cold snaps and helps to alleviate their effects. The sandy soils arose due to the continuous decrease in size of the Neusiedler lake. They are very important for our viniculture as they retain the warmth as well as displaying very good aeration properties. The vines on this soil can be worked on at any time - even after long rain periods. In addition the heat reflection is beneficial for early maturing of the grapes.