Sattlerhof Sauvignon Blancs: “like a sushi chef preparing sashimi”

Sattlerhof Ried Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc. Photo by Stiefkind Fotografie.

The Sattler family has been perfecting its plantings of Sauvignon Blanc to showcase the natural “beauty” of the Südsteiermark winemaking region.

Partner story with Weingut Sattlerhof.

A Sattlerhof Sauvignon Blanc is vibrant, mineralic and full-bodied, with a hint of smoke. And whilst there is a natural energy to the wines made in this area, it is the Sattlerhof method of vinifying “like a sushi chef preparing sashimi” that creates wines of particular note.

“We focus on maximum texture from the grape by letting the berries soak without addition in the press for up to 16 hours,” says winemaker Alex Sattler.

“Once the juice runs to the cellar, we like a clean and pure surrounding of stainless steel – this puts focus on the raw product without adding to its texture. After spontaneous and malolactic fermentation the wine does raw aging for two years without adding sulphur or other additions. Afterwards, we rack the finished wine and bottle it unfiltered with just one addition of 35mg sulphur.”

Sattlerhof's Ried Kapellenweingarten vineyard. Photo courtesy of Sattlerhof/Robert Herbst.

Styrian Sauvignon Blanc

The first Sauvignon Blanc vines were introduced to Styria by Archduke Johann of Austria in the early nineteenth century, a memento of his travels to France.

“At that time the variety was called ‘Muskat Silvaner’,” says Alex, “a name that would hang around until the 1980s.”

Now, the grape has become the calling card of Südsteiermark, the region of southern Styria where Alex’s family has been making wine since 1887. Südsteiermark’s Sauvignon Blancs are typically wines of high energy, high acidity and, crucially, high quality.

“The variety longs for a fresh climate and calcareous soil, and can hold up greatly with the large amount of rain we get close to the Alps in Südsteiermark,” says Alex, who has helmed the winemaking at Weingut Sattlerhof since 2016, converting the estate to biodynamic practices and becoming certified by respekt-BIODYN in 2021.

“Since the 1960s our family has been selecting our own genetic material of the variety in order to gain a unique flavour profile that shows the beauty of Südsteiermark.”

Andreas and Alex Sattler. Photo courtesy of Sattlerhof.

Winemaking at Sattlerhof

How does Sauvignon Blanc from Südsteiermark differ from elsewhere across the country?

“The most unique thing about the region’s wine is its structure. The amount of rain, mixed with the high elevation, vigorous growth, steep slopes and mineralic soil forms wines of full body with a special vibrant energy. In the best terroirs you find a smoky character, which adds colour to the picture.”

And what defines a Sattlerhof Sauvignon Blanc?

“Regarding the terroir, we work in different elevations ranging from 300-600m showing a huge spectrum of taste – from fresh and edgy in Kapellenweingarten at 600m, to warm and silky in Sernauberg at around 300m.

“The soil defines structure, with limestone leading to citric vibrance like in Pfarrweingarten, or gravel and conglomerate adding edges and a smoky character like in Alter Kranachberg.”

How would you describe your latest vintage?

“With the crus we are now on vintage 2022. It was a warm and textured vintage, still with great acidity though. The aroma profile was subtle leaving great room for deep terroir expressions.”