Sausaler Sauvignon Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–8 years from release
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared river trout with brown butter, goat cheese crostini with fresh herbs, Austrian Brettljause with smoked ham
✨ Technical Specifications
Originating from the steep slate slopes of the Sausal region within Südsteiermark, this Ortswein captures the cool-climate, high-altitude tension unique to primary rock formations. Vines rooted in red and blue-grey Palaeozoic schist yield low, concentrated crops harvested exclusively by hand. Spontaneous fermentation relies entirely on ambient yeasts in large neutral wooden casks, followed by extensive fine lees maturation. The resulting wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered, showcasing pure varietal verve underscored by taut, crystalline 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%