Grassnitzberg 'Riff' Erste Lage Sudsteiermark Sauvignon Blanc

Tement
Austria
Styria
2020

The single-vineyard Grassnitzberg was the first vineyard owned by the Tement family and was planted in the early 1950's. It's a special site with coralline limestone soil with south-southeast facing slopes. After natural fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months on the lees in big neutral oak casks. Bottled unfiltered.

May be enjoyed young, but after three to five years, the Grassnitzberg terroir begins to shine. Alc. 13 %. 1.2 g/l residual sugar - dry. 6.7 g acidity.

95 points
"What a beautiful nose of lemon blossom, lime zest and fresh mint! Super-fresh and focused, the interplay of racy acidity, zesty fruit and chalky power spot-on. Dazzling freshness at the long, energetic finish. Excellent aging potential. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold. Glass stopper."
James Suckling,
James Suckling
November 17, 2022
94+ points
"The 2020 Ried Grassnitzberg Riff Sauvignon Blanc 1STK comes from a cooler site on brown earth covering coralline limestone that was picked until mid-October, macerated for about 12 hours, aged in doppelstücks (2,400-liter oak vats) and bottled in December last year. It opens with an intense and concentrated, lightly flinty lemon aroma with stony notes. Full-bodied, intense and round on the palate, this is a super pure, tight, saline and crunchy Sauvignon with bright and elegant fruit, fresh phenolic grip and a youthful, still-challenging mineral tension. Enormously long and salty, this is a highly promising, coolish, tight and lemon-scented Riff that should develop very well in the bottle. 13% stated alcohol. Glass stopper. Tasted in May 2023."
Stephan Reinhardt,
Wine Advocate
September 29, 2023

SKU/Code: 
DB3348-20
Product Line: 
National Portfolio
Wine
White
Varietal: 
Sauvignon Blanc
Farming Type: 
Organic