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.
Pinot Gris is a grey grape variety mutated from Pinot Noir. It has its origins in Burgundy, where it is called pinot-beurot in reference to the colour of the grey robes worn by the monks of the region. Established in Alsace since the 17th century, pinot gris was called tokay until 2007. It is made up of bunches of small berries that vary in colour from pink to blue-grey. It is particularly well suited to the continental climate because it is resistant to the cold in winter and to spring frosts. This variety also likes dry limestone soils with plenty of sunshine in the summer. Pinot Gris is well suited to late harvesting or to the selection of noble grapes, depending on the year and the concentration of sugars in the berries. Pinot Gris wines are distinguished by their aromatic complexity of white fruits, mushrooms, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, etc., and their great finesse. In the Loire Valley, pinot gris is used in the Coteaux-d'Ancenis appellations. It gives dry or sweet wines with pear and peach aromas.
white wines from the region of Steiermark go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or vegetarian such as recipes of alsatian sauerkraut, chinese fondue or vegan leek and tofu quiche.
On the nose in the region of Steiermark often reveals types of flavors of vegetal, tree fruit or citrus fruit and sometimes also flavors of earth, tropical fruit or microbio. In the mouth in the region of Steiermark is a with a nice freshness.
