Kitzeck-Sausal Schiefergestein Sauvignon Blanc
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 2–8 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Goat cheese salad, grilled sea bass, asparagus risotto
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the extreme, sky-scraping slopes of Kitzeck-Sausal—the highest wine-growing region in Austria—this Sauvignon Blanc is a masterclass in cool-climate, high-altitude viticulture. Unlike the limestone-dominated soils of Weingut Tement's home estate, the vineyards of Kitzeck-Sausal are defined by ancient, weathered Devonian slate (Schiefergestein). This unique, mineral-rich bedrock forces the vines to dig deep for nutrients, imparting a distinctive smoky, flinty, and highly crystalline character to the wine. Hand-harvested from dramatic slopes with gradients of up to 80%, the grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation and extended aging on the fine lees. This traditional, low-intervention approach preserves the vibrant, saline tension and wild herbal complexity that make this slate-grown Sauvignon Blanc so legendary among alpine wine lovers.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1959 in the picturesque hills of Southern Styria, Austria, Weingut Tement is a family-run estate globally renowned for defining the modern standard of Austrian Sauvignon Blanc. Now managed by the third generation, Armin and Stefan Tement, the winery is situated on the steep, limestone-rich slopes of the legendary Zieregg vineyard. Operating under strict biodynamic principles, the estate focuses on minimal intervention, spontaneous fermentation, and extended lees aging in neutral oak casks to preserve the intense minerality of their terroir. Their signature single-vineyard wines, particularly the iconic Ried Zieregg Sauvignon Blanc and Ried Grassnitzberg, showcase an unparalleled tension and longevity that have cemented Tement's reputation as one of Austria's premier wine estates.