Kitzeck-Sausal Schiefergestein Sauvignon Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 2–8 years from release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Charred river trout with fresh herbs, goat cheese crostini with wild herbs, or smoked alpine char with horseradish crème.
✨ Technical Specifications
Kitzeck-Sausal Schiefergestein is an Ortswein (village-tier) Sauvignon Blanc originating from extremely steep, elevated parcels in Kitzeck-Sausal within Südsteiermark. The terroir is distinguished by its unique red and blue Paleozoic slate (Schiefer) bedrock, which imparts a taut, smoky, and flinty character distinct from the calcareous marl (Opok) found elsewhere in the region. Viticulture follows rigorous certified biodynamic farming. Following spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine undergoes extended maturation on the fine lees in neutral large Austrian oak casks (grosses Holzfass) without fining or filtration, crafting a texturally complex white wine driven by slate-derived minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1959 by Josef and Edina Tement, Weingut Tement rose to global acclaim under Manfred Tement, who transformed the family's modest holdings into an international benchmark for Austrian viticulture. Perched atop the rugged limestone ridge of Ried Zieregg along the border of Slovenia in Südsteiermark, the estate commands precipitous slopes composed of coralline limestone, marl, and schist. Today directed by Manfred alongside sons Armin and Stefan, the domaine converted fully to biodynamics, earning Demeter and respekt-BIODYN certifications. Cellar philosophy hinges on unhurried, low-intervention vinification, spontaneous native-yeast fermentations, neutral oak casks, and prolonged maturation on fine lees without fining or unnecessary filtration. The estate's benchmark bottlings—most notably Ried Zieregg Sauvignon Blanc, Ried Zieregg IZ Reserve, and site-driven expressions of Morillon and Weissburgunder—display tension, saline minerality, structural depth, and profound aging potential.
🍇 Grapes
Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 ABV
12.5-13%