STYRIA 1STK = Erste Lage GSTK = Grosse Lage Most producers showed the 2020 vintage, which, while marred by rain during harvest, demonstrates great freshness and typicity, especially for Sauvignon Blanc.


Gross Ried Nussberg FR Sauvignon Blanc GSTK 2017 (13.5% ABV)


Südsteiermark Expressive citrus tones on the palate. Red grapefruit on the nose, really mouthwatering, with delicious acidity. In a good place right now. Johannes Gross’s move to wild fermentation and large-format oak barrels is paying dividends, creating a style that feels terroir-driven rather than winemaker-driven. | 95


Lackner Tinnacher Ried Flamberg Morillon GSTK 2020 (13.0% ABV)


Südsteiermark DAC A delicate and shy creature. Little details of tangy citrus and minerals, and some peach and ripe apricot on the nose. Very elegant and restrained, with wonderful freshness and nuances on the finish. Should age nicely over the next 3–5 years. | 94


Neumeister Ried Saziani Grauburgunder GSTK 2020 (13.5 ABV)


Vulkanland Steiermark DAC Expressive, herbal and earthy on the nose, with some salted peach. Deliciously spicy on the palate, feeling creamy and textured, without any feeling of heaviness. Somehow fleshy, hinting at red berries, but also lifted and mineral. Really shows off the volcanic terroir. | 95


Polz Ried Grassnitzberg Licht Sauvignon Blanc 1STK 2020 (13% ABV)


Südsteiermark DAC Very fine and filigree, with delicate lemon-zest accents and some white flowers on the nose. Subtle hints of mineral salts. A refined and expressive wine. | 93


Sattlerhof Ried Sernauberg Sauvignon Blanc 1STK 2020 (12.5% ABV)


Südsteiermark DAC Extraordinary refinement and lightness of touch, with no compromise on ripeness or concentration. Despite its light body and alcohol, it delivers on every level—ripe citrus peel, some herbal expression on the nose, a hint of passion fruit on the palate, and effortless mineral interplay on the finish. Graceful and elegant, a candidate for long aging. Certified biodynamic. | 98


Tement Ried Zieregg Vinothek Reserve Sauvignon Blanc GSTK 2019 (13.5% ABV)


Südsteiermark DAC Nice herbal expression on the nose, with a subtle hint of hay. Spicy fruit, with beautiful freshness and definition. Long length and a real feeling of restraint and refinement. Certainly not a typical Sauvignon but a very successful style. The blend contains a tiny bit of Chardonnay. | 93


Vinea Wachau. Thus, for those with enough time and sufficiently resilient tastebuds, it was possible to taste more than 500 single-vineyard wines from 11 different regions, covering all major viticultural areas of Austria with the exception of the Weinviertel.


Cream of the crop In my report, I’ve selected 40 of the highest-scoring wines. Rather than simply select the top-scoring half-dozen wines from each region, which would sometimes have resulted in three or more listings per producer, I’ve chosen a range to show as much diversity of producers, grape varieties, and styles as possible. This is a selection of only 40 wines out of more than 500 tasted, so it should not be a surprise that scores are high. This does not signify score inflation on my part, merely that this is the cream of the crop. For similar primeur tastings in other parts of the world, you might expect some thoughts on vintage conditions and overall quality. This is tricky for the Grafenegg tasting, due to differing policies on release dates and vintages presented. I’ve included additional notes for those regions where there is an adequately consistent approach on which to comment.


The opportunity to taste so many wines from almost every corner of Austria provided plenty of food for thought. Stylistically, Wachau, Kamptal,


Above: Stefanie Böheim of Weingut Böheim pouring at the meticulously organized tasting.


and Kremstal still represent the more classic, even conservative, side of Austria’s wines. Quality and consistency in these regions is exemplary, arguably sometimes at the expense of experimentation or innovation. Burgenland presents a smorgasbord of differing styles and winemaking philosophies— from avant-gardist, to post-Parker traditionalist. Sometimes frustrating to navigate, it is nothing if not stimulating. Styria, or at least the small group of winemakers in the STK, has quietly raised its game to an extraordinary level over the past decade. What does this tasting show in terms of vineyard classifications? The Kamptal’s top sites, such as Heiligenstein, Lamm, and Loiserberg, featured prominently in my top scores, as always. In the Wachau, Achleiten sits head and shoulders above the rest for consistency. Other theoretically top Wachau sites such as Loibenberg seem more producer-dependent. Setzberg and Kreuzberg (in Rossach) both impressed me this year. Spitzerberg in Carnuntum always shines through, even with more mediocre producers. Beyond this, it is hard to evaluate specific vineyard sites independently of the producer, when there are only one or two references to compare. Perhaps that makes a mockery of the single-vineyard focus? It remains useful as a means to home in on what should be Austria’s most terroir-specific wines of place. Right now, that selection is not only convincing but also ever-increasing. 


THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 79 | 2023 | 95


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