The Styrian Terroir and Classic Wineries

Growing out of the group of Classic Vintners established in 1986, the following wineries are especially dedicated to making typically Styrian wines covering the broad spectrum between fresh and fruity, between wines which are great to drink in their youth and highly elegant and multifaceted creations with enormous ageing potential.

GROSS

The hill known as the Ratscher Nussberg, which is one of southern Styria’s best grape-growing sites, is home to the Gross winery. The Gross family devoted itself to winemaking in 1907. In 1984, Alois Gross took over the business and has since then put his winemaking philosophy into practice, a philosophy which puts quality—both in the vineyards and in the cellar—above all else. Spread out across nearly 50 ha, this winery cultivates the broad spectrum of typical regional grape varieties, from Morillon and Sauvignon Blanc (which represent 13 and 24 percent of total production, respectively)to Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder and Gewürztraminer. The winery’s soils are characterized by marl, clay, lime, gravel and sand, and they offer the grapevines the most attractive growing conditions in outstanding locations such as Kittenberg and Sulz (both classified as Premier Cru STK) as well as Nussberg (the Gross winery’s Grand Cru STK site).

Weingut Gross
A-8461 Ratsch a. d. Weinstraße 26
Tel. +43 (0)3453/25 27
weingut@gross.at
www.gross.at

LACKNER-TINNACHER

The Lackner-Tinnacher winery lies near Gamlitz and reflect back on a long history. As early as 1770, the property was mentioned and described in the “Josephinisches Kastater”—Austria’s first systematic surveying effort—and for the first time, individual vineyard plots were also evaluated. Today, the Lackner-Tinnacher winery grows grapes on ca. 18 ha. The vineyards are situated on steep, south-facing slopes and reach altitudes of 400 to 500 m, an ideal altitude for growing wine-grapes in southern Styria. The best wines are made from grapes from the Steinbach location (Premier Cru STK) and Welles (Grand Cru STK). On sand and gravel soil, the winery cultivates the grapes of eight white and two red wine varieties, with Sauvignon Blanc and Weißburgunder being of particular importantance. The winery’s cellar was comprehensively renovated and—as the Republic of Austria certified—“with exemplary architectural design” between 2000 and 2001. This provides Fritz Tinnacher with optimum conditions for vinifying distinguished wines of the noblest character.

Weingut Lackner-Tinnacher
A-8462 Gamlitz, Steinbach 12
Tel. +43 (0)3453/21 42
weingut@tinnacher.at
www.tinnacher.at

NEUMEISTER

The Neumeister winery is located in the east Styrian town of Straden. The terroir of its vineyards is characterized by heavy, lime-containing sedimentary soil from the tertiary period and the influence of a Pannonian and Illyrian mixed climate. The Neumeisters make wine from grapes produced on ca. 40 ha, of which they work 24 ha themselves. The winery’s premium vineyards include Klausen and Steintal (Premier Cru STK) as well as Moarfeitl and Saziani (Grand Cru STK). The range of varieties includes the classic Styrian white wines Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Weißburgunder, Morillon, Grauburgunder, Gelber Muskateller and Traminer, as well as Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. In close association with the winery, the Neumeister family also runs the award-winning Restaurant Saziani, the inn dedicated to regional delicacies known as Wirtshaus Saziani, and the hotel “Schlafgut” Saziani.

Weingut Neumeister
A- 8345 Straden 42
Tel. + 43 (0)3473/83 08
weingut@neumeister.cc
www.neumeister.cc

ERICH & WALTER POLZ

The winery of Erich and Walter Polz is located on the Grassnitzberg and was founded in 1912. Brothers Erich and Walter took over the business in the late 1980s. Today, the winery grows grapes on over 70 ha which include some of the best vineyards in Southern Styria such as Hochgrassnitzberg or Obegg (both Grand Cru STK). The lion’s share of these vineyards are planted with the region’s typical varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Gelber Muskateller, Welschriesling and Morillon; specialties such as Traminer, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt—as well as a number of subtly shaded cuvees—round out the winery’s production. Above and beyond their activities at their Grassnitzberg winery, Erich and Walter Polz participate in various initiatives in the fields of wine culture and epicurean living, for example at the Tscheppe winery on the Pössnitzberg, by working the vineyards at the tradition-steeped palace of Seggau, by selling wine and edible delicacies through their Vinofaktur shops in Ehrenhausen and Graz, and via their stakes in the Miro Vino winery in Slovenia and the Kreuzwirt restaurant at the Pössnitzberg.

Weingut Erich & Walter Polz
Grassnitzberg 54a, A-8471 Spielfeld
Tel. +43 (0)3453/23 01
weingut@polz.co.at
www.polz.co.at

SATTLERHOF

The Sattlerhof winery on the slopes of the Sernauberg has been owned by the same family since 1887 and is of special significance for Styrian winemaking. Ing. Wilhelm Sattler, who took over management of this winery in 1968, numbers among the great founding personalities of Styria’s new wine culture; among other things, we have him to thank for the renaissance of the Sauvignon Blanc variety. For over twenty years, son Willi Sattler and his wife Maria have been responsible for winemaking. Today, Sattlerhof works 30 ha of vineyards with soils characterized by tertiary sands and gravel, muscle and coral lime as well as eroded lime and marlstone in the vineyards Sernauberg (Premier Cru STK), Kranachberg and Pfarrweingarten (both classified Grand Cru STK). By far the majority of the Sattlerhof wines is made from the Sauvignon Blanc variety (50% of total production). Furthermore, Morillon, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Welschriesling und Gelber Muskateller also all play a great role in Sattlerhof’s production. The outstanding attractiveness of Sattlerhof as a destination for epicures is underlined by the restaurant, hotel and country house on the Sernauberg, which are all likewise run by the Sattler family.

Weingut Sattlerhof
Sernau 2, A-8462 Gamlitz
Tel. +43 (0)3453 / 2556
weingut@sattlerhof.at
www.sattlerhof.at

TEMENT

The Tement winery near Berghausen is situated on a narrow mountain plateau above the impressive Zieregg vineyard, a location which affords visitors a magnificent view into Slovenia and the southern part of Eastern Styria. It is here where, in 2001, the winery’s new cellar was built, for which the individual rooms—covering a total area of around 3,500 m2—were dug into an over 20 million year old coral reef which lies just below the surface. The coral-stone walls are harmoniously integrated into the various areas of the cellar and serve not only as a terroir-related display object, but also as a humidifier for the wooden casks which the winery uses extensively. Back in 1979, at the young age of 19, Manfred Tement took over his parents’ 2.5 ha winery and expanded it over the years to achieve the estate’s present-day size of nearly 60 ha with no fewer than four Premier Cru STK vineyards and one Grand Cru STK vineyard: Grassnitzberg, Sernau, Steinbach, Wielitsch and Zieregg, respectively. In the range of Tement wines, the Sauvignon Blanc variety is particularly well-represented, making up 50% of production. Great importance is also placed upon Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Morillon and Weißburgunder.

Weingut Manfred Tement
Zieregg 13, A-8461 Berghausen
Tel. +43(0)3453/41 01-0
weingut@tement.at
www.tement.at

WINKLER-HERMADEN

In Kapfenstein—amidst the Styrian volcanic hills—the steep slopes of a former volcanic cone play host to the vineyards of the Winkler-Hermaden winery. This winery has been in the family since 1898, and the tradition of the village is even more imposing still—the first written reference to the fortress on the Kapfenstein was back in 1065. The winery grows grapes on around 34 ha of vineyards, which since 2004 have also included the vineyards of the Stürgkh Counts (“Domäne Stürgkh”) in Klöch. The winery’s outstanding locations are Rosenleiten and Schlosskogel (Premier Cru STK) and Kirchleiten (Grand Cru STK). Thirteen varieties of grape are cultivated at the Winkler-Hermaden winery, with the focus being on Sauvignon Blanc and the Burgundy varieties of Morillon, Weißburgunder and Grauburgunder. Unusual for this region—but making good use of this particular terroir’s characteristics—there is strong involvement here with red wines. On the volcanic soils of the Winkler-Hermaden winery, the Traminer and Gewürztraminer varieties likewise produce outstanding wines—both of these are typically vinified into “Prädikatswein”. The hotel and restaurant in Kapfenstein castle, also part of the winery, number among the most attractive of the whole region’s destinations for the epicurean traveler.

Weingut Winkler-Hermaden
A-8353 Kapfenstein 105
Tel. +43 3157/23 22
weingut@winkler-hermaden.at
www.winkler-hermaden.at