Steiermark, or Styria, is the southernmost wine producing region in Austria, based around the city of Graz and stretching out towards the border with Slovenia. The hilly terrain and the region's cool take on the MediterraneanClimate mean that viticulture here is markedly different from the rest of Austria.
Steiermark's specialties include Sauvignon Blanc, wines made from the Traminer family and Schiclher, a rustic local rosé made from Blauer Wildbacher. Hardonnay">Chardonnay (often labeled "Morillon"), Weissburgunder and Welschriesling are other important varieties grown here.
While three quarters of the grapes grown in Steiermark are white wine varieties, some good red wines are made here as well. Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and Saint-Laurent all perform admirably in the region's Terroir.
Steiermark is one of Austria's smaller wine producing regions. It is responsible for around seven percent of the national wine output, and most of the wines made in the region are consumed here as well.
Just over 4,600 hectares (11,400 acres) of Vineyard land is spread out across the DAC regions of Weststeiermark, Südsteiermark and Vulkanland (previously Südoststeiermark). The terrain here is hilly, almost mountainous, and many of the vineyards are planted on steep slopes to take advantage of sunlight and the prevailing winds.
The majority of vineyards across the wider region are planted on the sedimentary soils of the so-called Styrian Basin, formed from alpine wash flowing towards the Pannonian basin below (towards Burgenland and the Neusiedler lake). The remainder are found either on hard, apline rock or coarse alluvial deposits lower in the Styrian basin itself.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Steiermark go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of enchiladas franchouillards, marinated lamb chops (honey, worcestershire sauce, olive oil) or conejo al ajillo (spain).
The largest-ever year for entries, an incredible 18,244 wines were judged at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards – with just 163 wines awarded a Platinum medal. ‘Winning a Platinum medal is something really exceptional’ said Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Platinum is like the stratospheric level’ she commented, ‘so it’s really saying to the winemaker: this is a great wine.’ Making up just 0.87% of the total wines tasted at the 2022 c ...
The Champagne house expanded into the region when it acquired Maison Langlois-Chateau in Saumur back in 1973. It then bolstered its presence in Sancerre with the acquisition of Château de Thauvenay in 2016. Now it has tied up a deal to bring the family-run Hubert Brochard estate into the fold. ‘The acquisition of Hubert Brochard estate represents a unique opportunity to consolidate our footprint in this fantastic region and to continue to promote, in France and internationally, its savoir-faire ...
In brief: Rhône 2020 En Primeur Northern Rhône 2020: 4.5/5 A reliably fresh, balanced and approachable vintage – a return to classicism after a series of powerful years. Excellent white wines. Southern Rhône: 4/5 Fresh, juicy and immediate reds with lower alcohol than recent years, though some lack concentration. Beautiful white wines. ‘These are wines that will provide huge amounts of pleasure, straight out of the gate. It is that rare thing – an excellent vintage for early drinking.̵ ...
