A gin with … Michael Madreiter
Ever since our philosophy has made its way around the industry a little, we've been receiving enquiries from establishments we had admired for years. In our new collaboration, which we had partly admired for years. In our new series "A Glass with …" we'd like to give you a glimpse into conversations with our partners and friends. We'll share a little about what we produce for each business and what connects us to them.
We're kicking off our series with Michael Madreiter, owner of the 4-Star Superior Hotel Puradies in Leogang. We had the pleasure of creating a special gin called Mattari for Michael. The certified nature resort has 76 rooms and 14 chalets; the family originally comes from a farming background and still runs a 37-hectare organic farm at Embachhof.
Farthofer: Michael, you've built an extraordinary bar at your Puradies, and we crafted a bespoke gin for it. How did you come across us, and how did you land on Mattari?
Madreiter: Through organic farming connections, word of mouth and Google – that's how I found you. The name Mattari for the gin comes from Japanese and stands for chilling out. The Japan theme suits us perfectly, because pared back and pure, it's always 100% about the flavour. These qualities were also Source of inspiration for our bar, which was inspired by the Raw Bar in Taipei. Pure, clean, premium. So an Asian influence for the bar and an Asian name for the gin.
Farthofer: Both our organic farming operations are around 40 hectares. How are you getting on with yours?
Madreiter: Our organic farming is the root of everything we do. You also need land and soil to be able to shoulder major investments. We Madreiters have been in Leogang for 270 years — we've always been a farming family. We want to keep the origins and that tradition alive. We run a dairy operation and process everything 100% ourselves; under the names Ottilie and Sebastian — our grandparents — we sell six different products in glass jars. At our two-toque restaurant Essenz, we focus on 100% purely regional — there's arctic char and trout from the local area instead of exotic fish. Just because something is organic doesn't automatically mean it's good. Regional sourcing and high quality — that's our standard.
Farthofer: We're currently expanding our malting house because we're getting so many enquiries from small breweries and distilleries. What are you planning next?
Madreiter: A wellness extension is planned, along with one or two luxury chalet units. We have a plot of land on the mountain, the space and the opportunity to expand. But any construction must be harmonious and cohesive – any interventions must be carried out with great care. We don't think things through just once – we go over everything at least three times.
Farthofer: We both have three children. What's a question one of your children asked recently that made you stop and think – or smile?
Madreiter: Last time I was putting my little daughter (6) to bed, she announced at 9:30 pm: "This isn't how she had imagined her life would be." Well, there's not much you can say to that! Three small children keep you on your toes – they naturally make sure you stay grounded.
Farthofer: Lockdown is on everyone's lips – neither the hospitality industry nor our Mostelleria is allowed to open. What do you miss most since Corona?
Madreiter: The certainty. I miss the reliability – whether from the government or from the associations. I miss being able to plan ahead and having proper collaboration. I miss the guests here, and our team. Normal day-to-day operations are pretty much at a complete standstill right now. I've been skiing more than I have in a long time, and I've had time for the family too. I do hope, though, that Corona was a one-off situation that won't come back. I'm convinced that healthy businesses come out of a crisis stronger. But nobody seems willing to have a real conversation anymore, and no one budges from their own position! Maybe the world needs a reality check every now and then. When you point a finger at someone, three fingers point right back at you. I hope humanity finds more common ground through a situation like this, rather than being torn apart by it.
Farthofer: What did you do during Lockdown III that you hadn't found the time for in previous years?
Madreiter: I read a little more — business-oriented books in English. I hope Ilearned something from it in those few months. But nothing else that I wouldn't normally do anyway. If that were the case, I'd have already been doing something wrong in my life before!
Farthofer: Where do you draw your strength from?
Madreiter: I don't have a particular hobby and don't need much time to myself. I had a very irregular life as a management consultant — thevariety did me good. But if I had to sit in the same chair every single day today, I'd have a problem. Hospitality, marketing, sales, reception, business management, purchasing — it's all here! What's also wonderful about a hotel is that you deal with people who are generally in a positive frame of mind. I simply don't want unpleasant people in my business — neither as staff nor as guests. When employees and guests can sense that you're content, everything falls into place. And the children feel that too. If the children pick up on the business being a burden, it won't work. I'm open to learning something new every day. Taking on new challenges, like crafting my own gin — where do you even source a botanical like that? We're all doing very, very well; we have every comfort imaginable. But the truly meaningful experiences and moments of happiness are the ones shared with family — a sense of warmth and contentment. You can have had everything in life and still not be happy;happiness has to come from within.
Thank you for the conversation!
Matching Products
Out of stock
Mattari Gin, Bio Gin
34.90 € incl. VAT
Base price: 69.80 € / 1000 ml
Delivery time: Austria: 3 – 5 days | Germany: 5 – 7 days
Organic Premium Gin, Bio Gin
from 6.90 € incl. VAT
Base price: 138.00 € / 1000 ml
Delivery time: Austria 2 to 3 business days, Germany 3 to 4 business days
This product has multiple variants. The options can be selected on the product page Details
