Austria’s come back starts with a few new definitions

A recent name change (previously Süd-Oststeiermark) has seen producers push this sub-region’s 14-million-year-old volcanic deposits to the forefront of wine labels.

Throughout history, it has also been the frontline of many border skirmishes with its European neighbours and invading armies, which is why the first things that the horizon presents are castles and fortified towns, sitting upon impressive basalt cliffs.

Steep slopes are the norm here, and even though it is a large area geographically, the majority of 1,500 hectares of plantings are concentrated around three villages: Klöch, St. Anna am Aigen and Straden. Production is usually consumed in the local taverns or through winery doors.

Myriad white grapes are grown here — more than in any other region — including Welschriesling, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Morillon (Chardonnay), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Sauvignon Blanc, Gelber Muskateller (Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains) and all kinds of Traminer, with the latter being a calling card. All wines tend to show a spicy/minerally quality due to the geology. Prices are also reasonable as this part of Styria has yet to be discovered.

Styria’s western region is also its smallest (just 546 hectares) and is home to the rare and sauvage Blauer-Wildbacher. It is an ancient dark-skinned varietal, believed to have been cultivated since Celtic times. It’s first official documentation was in the 16th century, and its main requirements are heat, a long hangtime and aeration via leaf removal so as to mitigate the possibility of rot, which is its primary enemy. Although there are rare dry red and dessert renditions, Wildbacher’s main interpretation is Schilcher, a dry, crisp and fruity red-berry-scented rosé, which possesses a certain rusticity. These wines are easily identifiable via the Lipizzaner stallion on the bottle.

The bucolic countryside gives rise to rolling hills with steep grades, which makes grape growing somewhat backbreaking. This is white wine land, with Austria’s finest Sauvignon Blanc (and Chardonnay) being the calling card. It is worth mentioning that Südsteiermark Sauvignon Blanc is now being referenced alongside the Loire and New Zealand as benchmarks. Not to rest on their laurels, and to continue to deliver high quality for their signature varietal, producers travel and work abroad to learn from their peers.

Of course, the question on everyone’s lips is how did French grapes find a home here? The simple answer is love. During the first half of the 1800s, Archduke Johann of Austria became enamoured with and married a local lady, and in doing so became attached to the Styrian people. It is documented that he was a man of the people, helping to modernize the region   and advance their cause. And when it came to the vine, he helped populate the land with varietals of personal predilection — which leaned towards French ones.

The region, though, is no dual-trick pony, so there are plenty of other pale-skinned varietals to be found. Pinot Blanc, which is produced in qualitative quantities, tends to be consumed within Austria, as the locals know a good thing. My personal epiphany, though, were the Rieslings from the Sausal area. Look across the rolling green hillsides with vineyards as far as the eye can see, and you could, in fact, be in Italy. This enclave of 400 hectacres is planted on steep slopes of slate (Riesling’s favorite soil), between 400 to 600 metres. These wines are truly impressive and reminiscent of top dry, mineral-tinged offerings from the Nahe and Mosel. The Pinot Gris wines from Sausal are also worth discovering as they show depth and complexity seldom found elsewhere.